Our favorite Saturday Night Live star Bowen Yang wasn't in Studio 8H tonight, and for a really good reason: he was off accepting a prestigious award at the Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles!
TL;DR- Bowen Yang missed tonight's live Saturday Night Live episode (October 18, 2025) to attend the Academy Museum Gala.
- He received the Vantage Award, honoring his work in challenging existing narratives in film and TV.
- Don't worry, Yang still contributed to the episode by writing and appearing in a pre-taped sketch.
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Why Bowen Yang Wasn't Live with Sabrina Carpenter Tonight
If you tuned into Saturday Night Live tonight, October 18, 2025, and noticed a familiar face missing from the live sketches, you weren't alone. Long-time cast member and fan-favorite Bowen Yang wasn't physically in Studio 8H, but he had a seriously impressive reason for his absence. No, he wasn't secretly filming another blockbuster or just taking a night off; he was across the country in Los Angeles, shining bright at the 2025 Academy Museum Gala.
This wasn't some last-minute decision, either. Yang's absence was pre-planned, allowing him to accept the highly regarded Vantage Award. This honor celebrates emerging artists who are making waves by challenging and recontextualizing the dominant narratives we see in film and television. Talk about a good excuse to miss work!
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A Prestigious Award for a Trailblazing Talent
The Academy Museum Gala is a big deal in the film world, bringing together top talent to celebrate cinema's advancements and preservation. For Bowen Yang to be recognized at this event speaks volumes about his impact. The Vantage Award specifically highlights those who are shaking things up, bringing fresh perspectives and vital representation to the screen.
Yang, known for his unique comedic voice and memorable characters on SNL, fits this description perfectly. His work has consistently pushed boundaries and opened doors, making him a true trailblazer. Sharing the stage with him tonight were other cinematic giants: Penélope Cruz (receiving the Icon Award), Walter Salles, and the legendary Bruce Springsteen (who got the Legacy Award for his contributions to film music). That's some incredible company to keep!
The Academy Museum itself shared some sweet words about Yang, calling him "a trailblazer bringing laughter, heart, and representation to the screen." It's clear his influence extends far beyond the sketch comedy stage, resonating deeply within the broader entertainment industry.
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You Still Saw Bowen Yang on Your Screen!
Even though he couldn't be there live, loyal SNL fans weren't left completely without their Bowen fix. Sources close to the show confirmed that Yang was still present earlier in the week, putting in work behind the scenes. He contributed to writing tonight's episode, ensuring his comedic touch was still felt. More excitingly, he appeared in at least one pre-taped sketch!
This is a clever way for SNL to manage such a busy cast member and shows the show's commitment to keeping him involved. It’s not the first time pre-taped segments have allowed cast members to appear despite scheduling conflicts. In fact, if you watched the episode, you likely saw him take lead vocals in a pre-tape about an infectious pop song about grinding at a school dance – a smart way to utilize his talents even from afar.
Yang himself confirmed his absence on Instagram, sharing a photo of a palm tree (a nod to sunny L.A.) with the caption, "Missing the show tonight but it will be sooooo fun." He also gave a shout-out to tonight's double-duty star, adding, "[Sabrina Carpenter] is amazing." He even joked about the formal portrait the Academy Museum used for his tribute, writing, "academy museum announcing my death," alongside a heart emoji. Classic Bowen humor, even while accepting a prestigious award!
“Missing the show tonight but it will be sooooo fun. Sab is amazing.”
— Bowen Yang, via Instagram Stories
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A Dedicated Seven-Season Saturday Night Live Performer
Yang's commitment to SNL is truly impressive. He joined the show as a writer in 2018 before being promoted to a featured player for Season 45 in 2019. Now in his seventh season as a cast member, he's earned four Emmy nominations for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his work. He’s become a breakout star, known for iconic impressions like George Santos and hilarious original characters.
This marks only the second live episode Yang has missed in his entire run. The first was the Paul Rudd Christmas episode in Season 47, when the Omicron variant swept through the cast and crew. He also appeared on stage for the goodnights during Bill Burr’s episode in Season 46, even if he was shut out of other live segments.
Let's not forget his dedication during the production of the Wicked film adaptation in 2023. Yang famously flew back and forth weekly between the film's set in London and New York to fulfill his SNL commitments, a "mentally fraying" experience he later said he "wouldn't trade for anything." That's serious dedication!
There was even speculation about whether he'd return for Season 51, especially with some other veteran cast members moving on. But SNL creator Lorne Michaels himself encouraged Yang to stay, telling him, "You have more to do. I need you." Yang shared his own sentiment, saying he follows his instinct and felt he still had more to offer. Good news for us fans!
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Sabrina Carpenter Stepped Up for Double Duty
With Yang enjoying his well-deserved honor, the spotlight was firmly on Sabrina Carpenter, who pulled double duty as both host and musical guest for tonight's episode. This was her first time hosting, though she's no stranger to the SNL stage.
Carpenter previously appeared as a musical guest for the Season 49 finale and made a memorable appearance on SNL 50: The Anniversary Special. During the anniversary show, she performed a duet with Paul Simon and even popped up in a "Domingo" sketch alongside Marcello Hernández – a character that became super popular thanks to her hit song "Espresso."
Tonight, Carpenter proved she could handle it all. Her monologue tackled her album cover controversy with humor, quipping, "I'm not just horny, I'm sexually charged and I love to read." She delivered a hodgepodge of bits, showcasing her acting chops beyond just her pop star status. The episode itself largely avoided politics, opting for sillier, more lighthearted material, which Carpenter navigated with ease.
Tonight's Saturday Night Live Highlights: Silly Skits and Standout Moments
The third episode of Season 51, hosted by Sabrina Carpenter, was definitely on the lighter side, a refreshing change of pace for some viewers. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the standout (and sometimes absurd) moments:
- Domingo Returns: Instead of a political cold open, we got another chapter of the "Domingo" saga! Chloe Fineman's bride, Andrew Dismukes' clueless husband, and Marcello Hernández's Domingo were back, detailing more cheating adventures to the tunes of Lady Gaga and Alex Warren.
- Podcast Perfection: The female cast members, including Fineman, Jane Wickline, and Carpenter, nailed pitch-perfect impressions of pre-teen boys obsessed with snacks in a sketch tackling the podcast trend. James Austin Johnson's Trump even made an unexpected appearance to talk candy!
- Blumhouse Plans: A horror movie parody saw Carpenter and Ben Marshall hilariously navigate the "scary" reality of following through on social plans ("They want to do drinks here and then go to that viral ramen place!").
- QVC Pillow Puns: Ashley Padilla and Mikey Day teamed up for a QVC rip-off selling a travel pillow that, uh, looked suspiciously like a certain private part. The mortified hosts' reactions were priceless.
- Concussed Motivational Dancer: Carpenter played a motivational dancer who got concussed and started talking nonsense. A fun mishap when a prop dummy didn't break through a window as planned, leading Kenan Thompson to physically heave it, caused Chloe Fineman to break character in a charming moment.
- Weekend Update Shenanigans: Colin Jost and Michael Che brought the laughs, with George Santos gags aplenty after his recent release from prison. Marcello Hernández reprised his "Movie Guy" character, comically admitting he hasn't seen most movies, and new cast member Tommy Brennan made his Update debut with a dry, Midwestern charm.
- Singing Appliances & Farting Coworkers: The show leaned into pure absurdity with a sketch where washing machines and dryers sang tunes when finishing a load, and another where Ashley Padilla couldn't stop farting during an office birthday celebration. Definitely bizarre, but memorable!
- Martin Herlihy's Halloween Short: Writer Martin Herlihy got his own branded pre-taped piece, a Halloween-themed social experiment about people's reactions to an audience full of Frankensteins.
The episode, which started 12 minutes late due to an overrun football game, largely succeeded in its silly, non-political approach, making for an entertaining night.
Looking Ahead: Who’s Hosting Saturday Night Live Next?
The 51st season of Saturday Night Live is just getting started, and there’s a stellar lineup of hosts and musical guests ready to hit Studio 8H:
- November 1: Miles Teller returns to host for his second time, joined by musical guest Brandi Carlile.
- November 8: Comedian Nikki Glaser makes her SNL hosting debut, with musical guest Sombr.
- November 15: Glen Powell steps up for his first time hosting, alongside musical guest Olivia Dean.
With such a dynamic season underway, even with a temporary absence from a beloved cast member, SNL continues to prove why it's a late-night institution. We're certainly excited to see Bowen Yang back live in action soon!
FAQ When did Bowen Yang miss the live SNL show? Bowen Yang missed the live Saturday Night Live episode on Saturday, October 18, 2025. Why wasn't Bowen Yang on SNL tonight? He was in Los Angeles to accept the Vantage Award at the 2025 Academy Museum Gala, which honors emerging artists who challenge narratives in film and TV. Did Bowen Yang appear in the SNL episode at all? Yes! Even though he wasn't live, Yang contributed to the writing of the episode and appeared in at least one pre-taped sketch. Who else was honored at the Academy Museum Gala? Other honorees included Penélope Cruz, Walter Salles, and Bruce Springsteen. Sources- Latenighter.com
- Variety.com
- EntertainmentWeekly.com
- UsMagazine.com
- PopCulture.com
- ComicBook.com
- ScreenRant.com