Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live's first Chinese-American and third openly gay cast member, reflected on the controversy surrounding Shane Gillis' firing shortly after they both joined the show in 2019. Yang described feeling 'incidental' to a larger narrative about cancel culture as Gillis was let go due to resurfaced offensive jokes. In a recent interview, Yang shared that Gillis called him to apologize for the situation just before his firing was announced. Despite the tumultuous past, Yang expressed a desire to move forward, especially after Gillis returned to host SNL in February 2024, where they shared a hug. Yang emphasized that both have since made significant strides in their careers beyond that incident, suggesting a mutual desire to put the controversy behind them. He remarked that being framed together in discussions often feels detrimental, but he hopes future projects will allow them to overcome that association.