Ariana Grande responds to Bowen Yang’s emotional final episode of SNL
Ariana Grande was grateful to celebrate her friend Bowen Yang‘S Saturday evening live swan song in person.
“I love you more than words can say and I am so very proud of you and all the advocate you have made over the years,” Grande, 32, wrote via her Instagram Stories on Sunday, December 21, sharing footage of Yang, 35, performing in his final skit during the live show.
She continued: “It meant more than words can say that I was there for your farewell last night. Happy Routes, my brilliant and beautiful friend.”
Grande hosted the Saturday, December 20 episode S.N.L., Yang’s finale as a cast member.
“I loved updating SNLand most of all I loved the people,” Yang wrote in a lengthy Instagram statement hours before the performance. “I was there at a time when a lot of things in the world were starting to seem pointless, but working at 30 Rock taught me the value of showing up when people make it worth it.”
The comedian added, “I’m grateful for every minute of my time there. I learned about myself (bad with wigs). I learned about others (generous, vulnerable, hot). I learned that human error can only be correct. I learned that comedy is mostly logistics and that most of the time it will fail until it doesn’t, which is for the best.”
Yang, who joined SNL in 2017 as a writer, a year before joining the cast, also expressed his gratitude to Grande in his statement.
“Thank you to Ari for sending me off in the dreamiest way I could imagine,” Yang concluded. “The show isn’t on because it’s done, but damn, I hope I am.”
Bowen Yang.
Will Heath/NBCTo close the show, Yang played the lead role a holiday travel theme sketch with Grande and musical guest Cher.
“I can’t believe you’re retiring,” Grande’s character mused, to which Yang then replied, “I just wanted to get to the top!”
The song ended with the trio hugging before Yang burst into tears.
Yang and grande initially bonded when they played college buddies in the Bad film adaptations.
“I learned so many things from Ariana Grande. I learned about overcoming things,” Yang said Esquire earlier this month. “I lost a sense of myself while we were filming Wicked because it was just the back-to-back work SNL and then go to London Bad and then do it SNL one more time and go to London. It really loosened me up and Ari very gently brought me back to shore.
Saturday Night Live wrapped up season 49 and kicked off its landmark season 50 in 2024, with a slew of viral cameos and skits along the way. Perhaps the most viral SNL moment of the year occurred in October, when guest host Ariana Grande appeared in a wedding reception sketch and sang a cover of Sabrina Carpenter’s […]
Grande had a blast making it too Bad with Yang.
“I have a video of him with his pink cap over your hair, because we weren’t ready to film with your little clips in it,” Grande recalled during a November 2024 episode of Yang’s “La Culturistas.” podcast. “He’s half in his wardrobe, half in a cute Bowen thing, and he says, what does Madame Morrible say, ‘Okay, I’m gay, Shiz, but I don’t want that to be the most interesting thing about me.’ I’ve seen that 300 times.”
Saturday evening live returns to NBC Saturday, January 14 at 11:30 PM ET with host Finn Wolfhard and musical guest ASAP Rocky.
