Bowen Yang reveals his final SNL sketch was changed from original plan

Bowen Yang is opening up about the behind-the-scenes changes made to his final Saturday Night Live sketch, revealing that the version viewers ultimately saw was very different from what he and his collaborators originally imagined.

Speaking on his Las Culturistas podcast, Yang said the sketch, titled “Delta Lounge,” was initially written to include the entire cast and feature a chaotic gag involving an eggnog machine spraying everyone.

According to Yang, the ambitious idea had to be scaled back due to practical concerns. “It did just come down to logistics… It got to be too much,” he explained, noting that coordinating such a large cast and elaborate physical comedy proved unworkable in the time and space constraints of the show.

As a result, the sketch was reworked into a more contained and emotional farewell, with Yang playing a Delta Lounge employee working his final shift. The revised version allowed the moment to function as a send-off, marking Yang’s departure from the long-running NBC series after seven seasons.

Yang said SNL creator Lorne Michaels encouraged him to lean into the emotional aspect of the goodbye after dress rehearsal. “Lorne Michaels knows how to produce,” Yang said, crediting Michaels for helping shape the final tone of the sketch.

The comedian also revealed that another idea — a family reunion sketch involving musical guest Cher — was cut from the episode entirely. Reflecting on his time at SNL, Yang expressed gratitude for the experience, saying the simplified final sketch ultimately became a meaningful and fitting conclusion to his run on the show.