057. - Bowen Yang

All right, this episode of How Long Gone is brought to you by Stateside with Kai and Carter, a new podcast from The Guardian. And they are using this podcast to slow down the news and wrestle with the questions that we all have about what's happening in the world. And they do it three times a week. Jason, does that sound familiar to you? We don't really talk about, you know, a lot of international global news items and climates and cultures and sports and things like that. We do talk about fashion and wellness, but for everything else, Kai and Carter are a great place. All right, so who couldn't use more news? Listen wherever you get your podcast. or watch on YouTube. Want to make a podcast? Spotify's got a platform that lets you make one super easily, then distribute it everywhere, and even earn money. We like that. All in one place for totally free. It's called Spotify for Podcasters. And here's how it works. Spotify for podcasters lets you record and edit podcasts right from your cellular telephone or your computer. So no matter what your setup is like, you can start creating today. Then you can distribute your podcast to Spotify and everywhere else, those other places that podcasts are heard. Video podcasts are also available on Spotify. And when you want to take conversations with your fans to the next level, Q&As and polls are the best way to get them talking. With Spotify for podcasters, you can earn money in a variety of ways, including ads and... and podcast subscriptions. And best of all, it's totally free. Zero catch. We've been using it ever since we started How Long Gone. And ever since I discovered Spotify for Podcasters, I feel like having the option of turning off the Q&As and the polls on the user dashboard has really helped boost my creativity and take it to another level. I highly recommend giving it a try. Download the Spotify for Podcasters app or go to www.spotify.com slash podcasters to get started.

Yo. Yo, what up? What's really good, family? Just tidying up around the crib, you know? Love to hear that, TJ. I love when you tidy. Yeah, I'm living a strong, tidy life right now. I have adopted my girlfriend's practices of using cleaning as a way to distract myself from other things. So you're cleaning eight hours a day? Maybe like four. I mean, look, you have a full property to tend to. You know what I mean? So there's different areas to clean and prune and pluck. There is always something, yes. That an apartment dweller like myself just does not have access to. That could all change soon as you make your inevitable descent into Cali lifestyle, bro. Bitch, I'm in the middle of my Cali lifestyle right now, but I can't wait to go be amongst the packs of junkies roaming my neighborhood in the East Village. Yeah, but it is a healthier growth for me to be cleaning with that time versus whatever else it could be, jacking off, etc. Yeah, I mean, you listen to enough Radiohead, so you can probably give it a break. I haven't really been listening to that much Radiohead. You know, so we talked about Radiohead in one of our chats yesterday, and I've been banging the Benz in the 2015 3 Series, and I've got to say, it really slaps. If only you had a Mercedes rental instead of a BMW, because then you... Could be literally banging the bands in the bands. Yes, there you go, exactly. Bars. Which is, what rapper would say that in earnest, though? Probably not somebody that you would like, is the problem. No one I listen to, but there is some cornball who would. It would have to be like a cheesy white rapper to say something like that. Yeah, RIP logic. But I think that...

I mean, I love to make fun of Radiohead because their fans are truly the worst. Like, fat baristas. But the Benz really does slap. Like, that shit is hard body, and there's smashes on it, and I fucking love it. It is their last record that was a purely guitar-based record before they started adding electronics into it, which I know you do not support. I don't know. I'm not anti-electronics. I'm anti-boring. And I think that electronics can sometimes allow people to think they're doing something extremely engaging and creative, but really they're just fucking twiddling knobs instead of strumming. You know what I mean? But the thing with Radio Hit is they're twiddling the knobs while strumming. And I find that to be impressive. I mean, look, Jason, I can chew gum and walk at the same time, too. But I think there are other songs in the catalog that I like, of course. But I think the bands is really the peak of my interest. And you're allowed to have your album. That's fine. Yeah, but I was just surprised how well it held up. You know what I mean? I hadn't listened to it in a long time. It's cool that normally in a group chat scenario where you would just kind of... spread some hate and keep it moving you actually took the time to you know like maybe you know we have been talking about it maybe i will dip in and and give it a second listen and and i'm i'm pleased to hear that you were pleased yes yeah true love waits bang super i agree and and not just the christian movement to wait until sex before marriage we're talking about the song by radiohead both things i support you know what i mean both things i'm interested in but you know we we should tell the listeners about our our night last night Okay. I guess when you say it like that, our night last night, which actually was more of what we did from 5 p.m. to 7.30 p.m., we did not have a movie per se, but we did have a TJ Cookout. I would say we had an animated short that was nominated. It was a non-Pixar nominated short.

Because those guys, they sweep every time, of course. Jason finally made me the Detroit-style pizza that I demanded after we played some tennis and went to Cookbook in the worst neighborhood in L.A., Highland Park, and picked up... Picked up some high-end, organic, extremely fresh, straight-from-the-fucking-earth ingredients. Yeah, the type of arugula that you're like, do I just eat this plain? Because I don't want to step on the flavors that God created by adding a vinaigrette. I was ready to graze that arugula like a damn horse. You know what I'm saying? That shit's hitting. But Jason made a beautiful summer salad with two kinds of cucumbers, corn. Yeah, some fresh summer corn, some Persian cucumbers, some melon cucumbers, which is a cucumber variety that is new to Chris's palate, which I was glad to turn it on. Bitch, first of all, I think that's new to a lot of motherfuckers. Not an insult. Just saying. A lot of people haven't tried it, and it was delightful to bless somebody with a new flavor and to see the look on that person's face. It was great. What did we put on the Zah? The Zah was some asparagus, some fresh basil, some of that arugula, a nice kind of a little bit of a sweeter tomato sauce with tomatoes made from some imported canned tomatoes that I got at Eataly that were just fantastic. some some cookbook provolone cheese a little mozzarella a little pecorino romano and the uh and i made the dough myself uh two days before so it had a little 48 hour fermentation happening you know we put the love into it this shit was fucking hitting bro i was i mean honestly the meals i'm having out here made with love from from friends

It just really, honestly, it warms my heart. It's the most attractive part about LA because it definitely ain't the way people dress. Oh, this is huge for me personally. This episode of How I'm Gone is brought to you by TaskRabbit. Oh, baby, let me tell you something. This is not a joke. I use TaskRabbit a lot because I can't do anything. You need some art hung? TaskRabbit. You need a fucking something put together, a cabinet. Got to reach that cheese grater on the top shelf? TaskRabbit. Anything you need. TaskRabbit can take care of it for you. And I mean, how it works, TaskRabbit connects you with skilled taskers in your area. They can help you move. They can assemble furniture, repairs, yard work, mounting, and more. You can search for a tasker based on cost, skill set, availability, and past client reviews so you know exactly who's showing up and can have confidence that they know what they're doing because taskers have assembled over 3.4 million pieces of furniture, completed 700,000 home repairs. handled 1.5 million moves, and the numbers are just going up, Jason. Yeah, throw a little money at the problem. It's not so expensive, and that job that you really don't want to do is something that another person out in the world is very good at doing and would gladly do it in exchange for a little bit of money. When life happens, your to-do list grows. Get ahead of it now and get $15 off your first task at TaskRabbit.com or grab the TaskRabbit app using promo code HOWLONG. Taskers book up faster, especially for same-day tasks. So book Trusted Home Help today. That is $15 off your first task using promo code HOWLONG with the TaskRabbit app or at TaskRabbit.com. All right, this episode of How Long Gone is brought to you by Quince. Jason, the temps are warming up. It's getting hot out there. Summer always changes how I get dressed. I need pieces that feel lighter, more breathable, and they're just easy, but still put together. I don't want to look like a slob. That's why I keep coming back to Quince. They focus on high-quality essentials that feel and look amazing. Breathable linen and soft organic cottons. Well-made basics, but without the luxury markups. That rare balance where everything feels elevated.

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What an image. We usually turn this off, but I've been... This Cali heat just got me turned up, man. You know what I mean? It's cold today. What are you talking about? It was a little overcast today, Chris. In the morning. I missed you guys on my run. You know what I mean? So maybe I'm just a little hot from all the exercise. Yeah, yeah, man. Yeah, sure, sure. Bowen and I are a little bit more on the east side. And even though Chris is staying in Studio City, he likes to say that he's in West Hollywood for some reason. So he seems to think that he's in a completely different climate than we are. Look, Studio City is... Don't hold your words. I don't even know. I don't even know what point I was going to make. Are we on right now? Oh, we're on, baby. We go off rip. Are you just hanging out in LA like I am during the COVID lockdown? Yes, but I am timing this out in a weird way. I fly back to New York on Saturday. Well, I mean, apparently it's the best place to be right now. Well, first of all, if you're a junkie or if you want to eat at a restaurant, it's the best place to be. I'm not either of those things. Are you not looking forward to leaving? Have you grown to fall in love with the City of Angels? No, I'm itching to leave. Fair, fair, fair. But I know that the second I set foot in my apartment, I'm going to hate it. What hood do you live in in New York? Clinton Hill. I'm in Brooklyn. Wow, you're a hot white chick. I didn't know. I'm a hot white mom. But chicks and moms intersect it. That's true. I live at the intersection of mom and chicks. This is 2020, man. Chicks can be moms now. Chicks is moms too. Wait, am I not supposed to see you guys this whole time? No, we don't. That's fine. We're technically...

audio-based only, so the video is just there if it makes us feel more comfortable or if we feel the need to show somebody our shirtless chest. I'm going to stay on. Yeah, that's fine. We'll probably sell this to OnlyFans, but that's kind of a different issue. That's fine. I'm okay with commodifying my face. I'm putting these emojis on. We're okay with commodifying you. Uh, how long have you been in LA? Just a month, which I feel like is like the right amount of time. Um, yeah, I feel, I feel, I feel good about the decision to come out here, which was made like truly like at the peak of peak of like the outbreak in New York. It was, it was like mid April that my friend and I were just like, well, we gotta, we gotta leave. Cause she works on SNL too. And we were just like, if we're going to be back here in September, no matter what. then we have to leave. We can't just spend the next six months here and then spend another eight months. Yeah, that's true. Presumably just stuck in New York. So do you have to go back because you're going to go back to work on the show? Yeah. Apparently it leaked this week. I'm sure it was an intentional leak, but someone spilled the beans to Variety or something. The plan is to be back in the studio in September. But if there's another outbreak or another wave... it probably won't happen. We'll see. How do you feel about going back into the studio? I feel I'm again, I mean, I'm not, I will not again. This is the first time I'm saying this. I'm not, I'm coming, I'm coming out as I'm coming out as a non public health professional, but I'm saying that I would like, I'm excited about going back. I'm excited about. figuring out ways to hack a production um in this time and we're not going to have a live audience that's for sure but i think i think figuring out the other sort of exciting to find a way to make it work in a new exciting way that isn't just on zoom exactly i gotta say i think the zoom thing had some successful moments though

Yeah, I had moments. The process I really hated. And part of the reason why I wanted to come out here was because I was waking up. I have no storage in my place. So I was waking up every morning and walking out to my living room. And there's just this giant corner in my living room with like a ring light, another lighting rig, a light panel, like three different stands, an eight foot by eight foot green screen that's collapsible, but like still takes up a lot of space. It was a reminder of that time. like well into June. And I was like, I hate this. I hate this. And it was not fun for me because you're living like a YouTuber. Yeah. Yeah. Which is, which is not like, yeah, you're using that term pejoratively, aren't you? Yeah, of course. Yeah. Um, of course no, I, but I just, it was just a reminder of how stressful that time was because it was still like the political nonsense of that show, which everyone is kind of aware of now, but like that on top of, us not being able to communicate as effectively as we would be and just made it, just made the process kind of, kind of. Cause were you, was everything being written over zoom as well? Yeah. I mean, we were, I mean, I was staying up and I mean, normally you're, you're just designated one time period to write in, in the week, um, in the, in the before it was, that's how it was. And so I remember just writing like four nights in a row, staying up to like two and just like, kind of getting like having no boundary in the process and and kind of hating it by the end and just being like oh wait i kind of like the structure of the normal week of that show and just getting everything about on tuesday but yeah that's that's kind of what it felt like yeah i was i was sad to see that on the on the snl from home there wasn't as much Bowen on there that I was hoping to find because you, you quickly became my new favorite cast member on the show. So we're, we're both very excited to have you on. Well, I, I, yeah, I, I would agree. I mean, the Harry Styles, Sarah Lee thing really had my ass cackling. Wow. That's a damn, that's a damn classic. You got to hang the Jersey up for that one because I, not only is it funny.

But Harry Styles is, you know, top three for me. So I was very excited to see the combination of those things in one skit. For sure. Top three what? Top three what, Chris? Top three famous men. Okay. Not for intercourse, just for, like, their being alive. Yeah. Yeah. I think the same. For some reason, I mean, everyone fell in love with him by the end of that week in a way that was like... and I love him to death and I, and I love this vibe for him, but like, he reminded me of like a bunch of, a bunch of. fuck boy guys who like broke my heart and i was like i i admire that vibe from him i'm saying this on the on the 10th anniversary of one direction so i'm sure like if this if this releases and be careful yeah choose your words wisely no he's he's wonderful but like so we had we had sam jay this this writer on the show who's this like butch black lesbian and she like the beginning of the week she was like i don't get harry styles like who cares and then by the end by saturday she was like i want to fuck harry styles he had he had that effect on people that's called star power baby yeah i know i i had a i had a similar feeling not with the wanting to fuck but after miley did snl it was kind of like i don't why i don't get it i don't care and then after i saw her do that i was like oh i fully get it now she was right she blew me away on snl when i There's a story that's famous amongst my friends of when I was introduced to Harry Styles by a mutual friend and that I was fully starstruck and couldn't handle it, and I thought I was being very cool, but apparently I wasn't. I'm sure you were, Chris. Thank you. I would like to think so as well. But he was wearing such a celebrity outfit midday downtown LA that I think I was starting off. He really lives that shit. Totally. He dresses like... I don't know. I can't even make the sort of sartorial connection. If you wanted to fuck Willy Wonka, it's his vibe for me. Yes. And it's impressive because I feel like you can catch most musicians wearing yoga clothes nowadays. You know what I mean? But I appreciate a Bowie-esque approach where the character is never off. Totally. It was Bowie. It was David Byrne. It was...

I mean, it is. It remains that. And it's like, what's his name? Paul Weller? Yeah. It was all those things. But yeah, no, he's hot. But hot in a way that I'm like, I don't think I want to have sex with you. Which I like. Which I'm like, I'm proud of myself for sort of drawing that line in my opinion. Damn, that's fucked up because I think I would have sex with him, actually. Well, sure. If we're going to get down to brass tacks, you know what I mean? Like, if that's where we're going with this. Yeah. I get it. I don't, but yeah, his appeal. I mean, I actually like the music too. That's the thing. I think it's like the music is actually good, which I think some people don't give it a chance, which is unfortunate because I think it's that good. It's very good. Very good. Bowen, when you came out to LA, I think I heard on your podcast that you were in Altadena, which is a little bit of an odd pull for somebody coming through. How did we land on? I personally am an Altadena stan. So I was happy to see it. I've, I've done been in Altadienistan. I had a friend in college who was from here and we would come out here for sundry trips or whatever and stay at his parents. And it's lovely. I mean, it's, it's fun. We were just, we were looking through Airbnbs in April and the only ones that had pools were the ones like in Glendale. or like Montrose or Altadena. And so we settled on Altadena. I'm in Glendale myself. And Glendale's lovely. Thank you. But no, it is, it is. And I mean, look, like we're, we're staying in this like architectural park that is all prefab homes from like the fifties or something. And it's, it's nice. I like, I like, I like living in a building that like. is its own work of art i sound so obnoxious do not it's okay it's okay that's kind of what we do on this podcast you're in a safe space for that kind of chatter right now don't worry yeah are you spending a lot of time at the pool i have not spent enough time at the pool and i'm worried that my big regret that's gonna sort of

The color of the whole experience is going to be that I did not take advantage of the pool enough. But it's cold. It was overcast this morning, Chris. Jason was telling you. Guys, it's overcast until noon in L.A. That's kind of what happens here. And then it gets beautiful and sunny. You've got plenty of time. You've got the whole afternoon. Sure, sure, sure. You're right. But, Chris, I mean, wait, Jason, are you from L.A.? I've been in L.A. my whole adult life, but I'm originally from Orange County, Huntington Beach specifically. Lovely. And Chris, you're sort of writing out the book. Yeah, I'm originally from Atlanta. I've lived in New York for like 12 years, and I've been in LA. I'm going to be here until September. Lucky. At the very least. Jason's trying to convince me. Our podcast is really taking off, so he thinks I need to stay here. You might have to. Not because of the podcast. We've never recorded an episode in person together, but it's more so. Because you've been such a staunch New Yorker till I die, and I feel some water coming through the cracks in the wall, and you're slowly turning into a Cali baby. Well, the quality of life here is so good, but it's also fantasy land still, because life is still not normal. So I don't think it's a fair judgment on what it would be like to actually live here. But then are you appraising that against... New York in a way that's like that implies that New York is real life because now there I feel like there's I mean every article's been written about this but like the value proposition of New York is like not doesn't exist anymore but I for now but did it ever exist or was it just that fun and amazing you know you're willing to put up with first first of all fuck you uh second of all Yes. Fuck who? Fuck who? Fuck both of you. Oh, my God. Wow. Well, they say California is boring heaven and New York is fun hell. Yeah. I think that sums it up pretty well. And I think maybe as you get older, you start being okay with boring heaven. But now they're both purgatory. So California is fun purgatory and New York is horrible purgatory.

I mean, I feel like I don't know. Look, I'm going back, and all I really want to talk about is this new Taylor Swift album. Let's focus on something important. Now that we have the pleasantries out of the way. Yeah, now that we've gotten past all this bullshit, look, the whitest thing I've ever read is Taylor Swift, Aaron Dressner, Bon Iver, and an album title that is purposely lowercase. that's my that's the most and and it what is what is the title chris Folklore. It sounds like something Jason would have had to talk about when he was working at anthropology in high school. That's right. Yeah. So we're recording this on Thursday before she releases it. I am going to bet that she makes folklore four syllables in the song. Folk-a-lora. Sounds like an Italian pasta. Folk-a-lora. Yeah. In a way that only Taylor can. I honestly am, I think it's going to be a fucking slap. Like I really, I'm not, I think Taylor Swift is kind of whatever. I think Lover is like an incredible song. Jack Antonoff annoys the shit out of me, but that motherfucker's got the touch. And Aaron Dredd, the brothers from the National are truly like some of the biggest musical geniuses we have. They're great. 2006, 2007. I mean, peak National time was a good time in my life. What is your favorite national album? Oh, the one that has the black cover. Oh, that one, sure. Wait, hold on, hold on. Wait, give me one second. I've got to look this up. You don't have to cut this. I'm not a national stan, but I have enough of a working knowledge of their discography. Oh, well, Trouble Will Find Me was very good. the boxer and alligator were like for me like yeah that was like yeah yeah were you was that when you were living in Williamsburg and doing a lot of coke with James Murphy or is that no oh I wish I know who do you think I am I was never cool I'm still not cool enough to do coke with James Murphy first of all first of all that's not cool that's not what I was implying oh okay okay okay no but well so but so then that should tell you like where I am relative to like coolness I I was in I was in high school that was high school for me

I know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. Isn't that awful? But I was just in suburban Denver. Just like. Were you an indie? Were you in a suburban Denver pitchfork indie rocker? No, I wasn't an indie rocker, but I would go. There's this record store called Twist and Shout in Denver. It's wonderful. And, you know, after school was just going there, going through records like. talking about fucking um what's their like uh talking about like um wait why am i blinking on their name this this is built to spell it was like it was like talking about built to spell it was it was very much like high fidelity starring zoe kravitz yeah vibe going on exactly damn bowen i didn't know you and i had such similar taste in music this is really getting me excited yeah um but This Taylor album is, I don't know if it's going to slap. I think it's just going to be, like on her, on Red, she had this album called Sad Beautiful Tragic that sounded like Mazzy's star. And then The Lover also sounds like Mazzy's star. I think she's going to lean into that sonically, maybe. And then, yeah, Antonoff, we'll see. But wait, what did you guys think of the Chicks album? Funny you say that. We told this story. Jason and I listened to the Chicks speeding down the highway, going to Sweetgreen in Pasadena. And let me tell you. Yeah, on the 134 East, a freeway that I know you're familiar with now. Yes, yes. Jason, I turned Jason into a Chickshead. Yeah, who knew? You weren't before? I mean, no, they were on my radar. I was familiar with their work, but I don't think I really was too well-versed in the chick's discography. I get it. My first listen to it was speeding up to Santa Clarita to get a COVID test because that was the only testing center that was open that day. But it's a great driving record. I honestly am not – I wasn't like a head before, but I'm really impressed. I think it's very good. I think it's very, very good. Very good. When I say Taylor Swift's slap, I mean it'll be good. I don't mean it'll be like upbeat. That's not what I mean. But I don't know. I mean I think maybe – I mean apparently the Dressner, they worked on like 11 of 15 or 16 songs. Right.

that's a pretty high, you know, that's a majority. So I'm interested to see, see what that feels like that many, that many songs. It's, um, but Taylor's so complicated, but that's why, that's why, that's why she's interesting. And that's why I'm like, I mean, like, you know, you layers calcify over other layers over time. And then now it's fun. Cause today I've just been like peeling them back and I'm, I'm like excavating old favorites and I'm like, Oh right. Like she used to be this kind of artist and then this kind of artist. And she worked with Max Martin on this and I'm just like, Oh yeah. Like she, she's made an interesting career out of herself no matter what people say. I agree. I mean, it's also, I think it's very difficult to grow up in the, I mean, you know, she's like truly grown up in the spotlight, which is like, you know, when you see somebody change that much, it feels crazy, but it's also like a symptom of that situation. Totally. We love Taylor. Jason really loves Taylor. Jason really loves Taylor. That's so-so. Okay, okay. There's no shame around it. I mean, maybe there is, but I mean, that's part of the fun of being a Swifty is that you... Well, I didn't say I was just... I didn't... Yeah, I don't... Do you consider yourself a Swifty? Me? Yes. Yeah, sure. Yes. I have a deep knowledge of her work, and it excites me. I woke up to the announcement today, very groggy, and I was like, oh, who cares? But then as soon as I saw Dressner, the Dressner brothers, and then I saw Justin Vernon, whatever, I was just like, okay, this might be interesting, we'll see. Yeah, and then I was like, oh yeah, she'll excite me no matter what. She does. I think I, I find her to be compelling. I, I would agree. I mean, she definitely has the attention of the world at all times. I mean, I think her, I also think her, her pivot to like talking about local politics in Tennessee is pretty interesting. Cause I think she really avoided that for as long as she possibly could. Yes. And it was definitely, she's definitely got some blue lives matter fans that she alienated. So good on her.

good on her, you know? Well, there's just some, I mean, did you guys, did you guys see that Netflix documentary about her? Uh, yeah, she, she has the worst interior design I've ever seen in my life. Yeah, it's pretty bad. But, um, I mean, I mean the, the pivot to local politics to like, or just, or just to like, you know, be outspoken after it was implied that she had voted for Trump in 2016. Like it's, that felt sort of PR'd in a way that was like, definitely. narratively is a little too neat. There's the moment where she and her mom are sitting on one side of this giant room talking to her dad, who also is some... He's a little set in his ways. Sure, but also Heads is in some leadership position at her label or was. Yes, yes. And the dad is trying to talk them out of posting this thing about... uh, the state race in Tennessee. And then it's Taylor and the mom being like, no, but I need to do this. And it's just like, Oh, okay. Like this was, this, this was like, um, this was all very intricately choreographed and whatever. I mean, I respect the pivot for sure, but it's just like, Oh, right. Famous people like super, super famous people like that have to, uh, have to like go through like a crazy decision making apparatus every time they do anything. I do not envy that. No, me neither. I feel like it's really insane. I think everything is by committee. It's awful, yeah. It's terrible. I would never want that for anybody. Thank God neither of us will ever be that famous or successful where we have to really challenge ourselves like that. I know. It's liberating. Speak for yourself, guys. The other thing that we've been following closely here is the Johnny Depp, Amber Heard debacle. And I tell you what, man, it is wild as hell in there. I mean, I'm not reading the summaries of what's been happening in the actual courtroom. I mean, I haven't been following it as closely as I should. Chris has all the stenographer copy if you need it. He has PDF.

No, I just – it's honestly just every day there's something new and completely insane. I just can't – it like gets crazier and crazier every day on like both sides. You know what I mean? On both sides? Yeah, and it goes back to – and this Britney Spears thing too. It's like all – that to me – those people, you know, Britney, Johnny – I mean not Amber Heard but by association Amber Heard and Taylor Swift are all at that level where every decision is so insane. And, like, made my committee, you know. And the Brittany thing, I don't fully understand. Me neither. But it seems weird, you know. And, like, the dad is, like, in full control. Right. Yeah, they made her go, quote, unquote, crazy. So then he could be, you know, legally responsible for her major decisions. And then he used that against her to control, I guess, right? That's the, yes, that's the story that has been told. I don't like, I, but legally I don't, I don't fully understand. We got to kill the dad. We got to kill the dad. We got to kill the dad. But like, I, I just, I just find it very fun when I have friends who, I mean, quote unquote friends who were like silent during the protests and like the uprising. And now the only. I mean, their only activist streak has been hashtag posting hashtag and the conservatorship. And I'm like, where have you, like, what are, what are your values right now? I don't know. I'm not, I'm being judgmental, but, um, I think that's fair. Anyway. Um, but the Brittany thing is really confusing and complex and you, you can't tell. who's on whose side it's it's like the managers and the the her manager now i can't tell if he's good or bad i can't tell if it's the manager that's trying to like break her chains free or something i don't know like there's so many different players i mean

As a Hollywood insider, I'm sure you understand. The managers just want their commission. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. If he's going to get more commission, if the dad's out of the picture, then I'm sure he's trying to break the case. Totally, totally, totally. That's like the nature of the beast in the evil Hollywood. Right. But with the Johnny and Amber thing, I mean, but Johnny's like no doubt a bad guy. We're all rooting for Amber, aren't we? um i think that's that's the that's the juicy drama that we're not exactly that's that's what's coming out is basically like oh she's pretty bad too and it's like she it's like she's being the shit out of him and like doing all this it's like kind of crazy that's what i'm saying it's like truly like deranged on both sides you know it's good exposure for my fellas out there who are in abusive relationships you know Exactly. We need to normalize that a little bit more. Stand up. Stand up. I know. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. Cheat it. You should cheat that. Bowen, when we were trying to get you on the show, you told me you were going to quit Twitter. I feel like I've read that about you before. I just want to say you can't leave the medium. Bowen, how many tweets did you do today alone? A dozen. Most of them were about Taylor Swift. I was talking to Aidy Bryant at SNL. She was like, you know what? I gave my account credentials to someone else. have never looked back and it's great and i was like okay i gotta do this um did it in december uh and then came back on beginning of pandemic because i felt lonely and then you have to stay in touch with the current events going on well yeah and then and then it just this is all like this is all the the arc of this is all very much like a gia tallentino essay where it's like well this is like all of our

all of our outlets are prisons, but there's no escaping them or whatever. So I'm just like, okay, yeah, like I've resigned myself to wanting to be on it, needing to be on it. But then also, yeah, I was going to say, I was going to make another really cool point, but yeah, that's about it. Oh no, but Chris, this is what I'm going to say. Chris, when I was DMing you about coming on, I was just like, I was plotting my suspension by pulling a Jaboukie, pulling a Jaboukie young white move and pretending to be someone else. So for a second, I pretended to be Elon Musk with my blue check and tweeted something about getting my ass railed or something. I got suspended, but then they gave me the account back the next day, and I felt like such a failure. I couldn't even self-immolate in the way that... You were hoping for something more than a slap on the wrist, if you're going to put yourself out there like that. Exactly. And so the fact that it was just a slap on the wrist made me be like, okay, I might as well stay on. I totally embarrassed myself and bungled this whole thing, so I might as well stay and bear the shame. I don't know. I haven't really processed it. I just don't. And Jason, I don't know if you're the same. I don't struggle. I like social media. The bad stuff doesn't bother me that much. I can't explain it. I don't ever feel torn about my use, even though it's definitely high. Yes. Did you feel that way about drugs, Chris? No, drugs, very different. Drugs, I felt bad about my use and I had to stop. Twitter, maybe that's my replacement. I mean, a lot of people don't feel bad about their use. I just don't. When people talk about a digital detox and shit, I have no interest in that. No. Have you guys read How to Do Nothing by Jenny O'Dell? I'm familiar, but I have not read it. She kind of talks about how digital detoxes are bullshit.

there there's something sort of traitorous to society about being like i don't i'm i'm like pulling away from this entirely and i'm completely like you know excising myself from this agora-esque setting environment even though it's being manipulated by all these like sinister forces but at least like there's there's some duty to being involved and being a part of something like Twitter as like cheesy as that sounds, but it's a really good book. And yeah, like digital detoxes, I reject the concept completely. Well, it's also because they're usually announced on a social media platform for being taken, but it's very hard to take it seriously once that's where it starts. Exactly. Exactly. Do you have a hard time separating social media and your digital life from getting your work done? Yes, absolutely. That's all I'm struggling with. The reason I was coming out here was to work on writing and get some projects started. Most of my day is just me scrolling through Twitter. If I'm really bored, I'll like... search my first and last name in quotes. Are there any other Bo and Yangs that come up or you're the only one? Well, it's a way of searching for tweets and going to the latest tab on the search to just see untagged what people are saying about you, which is psychotic. Why is that impulse? Yeah, I think the whole thing about being on TV is you can't do that. And I don't know why I do it. And I know I can't do it. And this is all I talk about in therapy. And I'm just like, I need to break out of this. And I mean, over the last nine months, nothing's worked. What's the percentage of stuff that you'll find about you that's positive versus negative? 70-30, 80-20. And at this point, the negative stuff really doesn't actually elicit any sort of emotional response from me anymore. It's just like, okay, cool. This is just...

information gathering and and and that's useful maybe but like i don't know but it's like i'm sure i'm like i've completely self-lobotomized in some way like like the part of my brain that feels like pleasure or sadness or happiness or whatever i'm just like oh this all feels the same and i'll like that brain fold is smoothed over um yeah i i the name search is a very it's it's a thing Like it's dark. It's so dark. And, and I don't, I mean, I think the thing is you have to be at a certain level to even do it. You know what I mean? So it's a, it's a club in some ways of like only certain people understand. Um, I, I can't understand, you know what I mean? But I, I, I understand the impulse for sure. Yeah. I mean, Chris, I'm sure if we search your name on Twitter, there's, there's going to be all kinds of fun stuff there that will be unhealthy for you to read. I honestly don't think so, dude. I think it has to be a much broader reach to really get that going. Go ahead. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm wrong. Well, I was going to say that people who would be talking about you untagged would have to be tapped in or in the know in some cool, esoteric way where it's like, oh, I'm interested to see what these people think. But for me, it's like, I search my name and it's like, fucking someone in like, I don't know, like, like Lincoln, Nebraska being like this person, like Bowen sucks. And he's never, I'm just like, why, but why do I seek that out from that person? You know? Well, that's the, that's the number one problem with, with any of that is that no matter how, you know, uh, invalid the person is, you still read it and it doesn't matter. It's very hard to separate like, oh, this person's opinion of me doesn't matter at all versus just a bad opinion of me. Like it's a negative shot at me. But when you read that tweet from somebody in Lincoln, Nebraska that says, you know, Bowen is my favorite comedian. I love him on SNL, blah, blah, blah. Do you get a big dopamine hit from that or is it kind of an equal like, oh, whatever, it's just some random lady? It's probably equal. But I'm saying like it used to be that the –

The person in Lincoln, Nebraska who would shit on me, that would be hurtful. Now that feels identical to someone else's. Chemically, it's the same thing. Basically, you need to either up your dose or detox. It sounds like we need an ayahuasca journey for you just to do a big reset before next season, maybe. That's a good idea. I'm planning on... I'm going to do... shrooms i think i'm gonna do i'm gonna i i've i've only ever done lst i think i think i'll do shrooms really is that is that a level up i don't know i have a friend who's that's a level down that's a level down right different level i mean psilocybin's or i guess like some people say that like the the the effect is Stronger but different. I don't know. Different level down. One is synthesized in a lab and one of them is created organically and available at Cookbook. Yes. I love when I trip though. I always love it. Have you ever been scared and had a bad negative trip? No, which probably means I'm due for a bad trip. But also, you know, I think you are, because of you reading the comments on YouTube and searching your name, you're ready and armed to be able to handle a bad trip and turn it into a positive one. I just hope that, like, a trip doesn't turn me into, like, some blackpilling, like, freak who, I don't know. I mean, we'll see. That's what happened to Jason. It's really tough every day. He hasn't been the same. We've been friends for a long time. I can see it. Maybe others can't. Oh, shit. I'm sorry, Jason. It's okay. I made my bed and I'm laying in it. Every day, every day, you know, it could be better. It could be worse. You just don't know what you're going to get. I have a very dark outlook on life now. But I think this, I think you doing psychedelics, that sounds like we could maybe pitch your version of like the goop show, you know? Oh, right. But they were all crying. I mean, that wasn't that fun. They were all too mushy. Yeah, but sometimes it's about doing the work that isn't so fun. Exactly. I think it was somewhat realistic. And that's the unfortunate part.

well i tripped i i so i did the textbook bad thing which was i tripped the last time i tripped was a year ago by myself but i was on vacation and i was at this resort and i was like one of like four people there and it was it was right after i got moved to cast and right after like all this crazy stuff happened um where what city was this in This was Turks and Caicos. Oh, excuse me. I thought you went to Bonnaroo alone, but this is pretty good. Turks and Caicos, it was the right move and it was like the only week off I had all summer and I was burnt out from writing the season before on SNL and then writing on another show and then shooting another show. I was just like, I need this break. And then it all timed out well where I got moved to cast and then that week was very overwhelming. and had to deal with all this crazy stuff. Oh, we remember, sweetie, when they were pitting you against the other writer. I remember. Yeah, and I was just like, okay, I was supposed to go in that week to get measurements taken or whatever, but I called them and I was like, I need to go on this vacation or else I'll go crazy. And they were like, okay. And then tripped when I was there by myself, but I was able to like... But there was always someone there to tend to my needs. And so I just ordered a bunch of food on the beach. So you did not find LSD there and then took it on a whim. You brought it with you. You had the tab in the Prada Dopp kit ready to go. Exactly. It was in the Prada Dopp kit. But also, solo trip to Turks and Caicos has Drake energy to it, I would say. Yeah. You need to just really reset and find yourself. I felt that. And then I just mostly like walked along the beach and then ate a bunch. And then, and then you want to, you want to hear like the gross thing. And then like, this is, I haven't told many people this, but of course I was, I was just, I was, I had of course this imposter syndrome about being on camera and especially on that show on SNL. And I was just like, I will probably be bad. And then, but then I was tripping and then I pulled up like,

just youtube videos of sketches that i love and i was like and then like in the trip i was like hallucinating being on the screen in a way that was but in a way that was nice and comforting i was like oh wait no i can do like i know what this feels like in a way um and i work at the show and like i kind of like i'm i'm developing this like false maybe sense memory of like what it feels like to be like at weekend update or, you know, like in a sketch. And I was just like, okay, yeah, I can do this. So it was like, it was a beautiful, beautiful trip. That's a very good trip. That's a very good. I feel like that's like as good as it's going to be. That's like really great. But so I don't know, like, I don't know what the equivalent of that. I don't know how to like extrapolate to, to now where it's like, I think I know, I know what intention I want to set before I go into something and to like another psychedelic experience. But I'm like, but how do I like, what's my, What's my hack to make sure this goes well? I don't know. I think there's nothing you can really do. You're always sort of in God's hands. But I think you can do everything to have the set and setting prepared for you. Have the full pack of American Spirits ready to go. Make sure that your inbox is cleared. There's no weird things looming around. You get everything sorted and cleared away. And then you can focus on it. You're right. So I didn't fully realize this, but did you ever have any desire to be on camera? Did that just kind of come about while you were there? Well, the way I got hired was because I had screen tested slash auditioned like four different times over the course of the year. I didn't know they did. Did they do that many? um well it depends so for a lot i mean for a lot of people i mean sometimes like someone will just audition once and get put on the cast like chloe did that and she might have done it twice but like yeah i mean like it's it's it just depends it just depends and um for me it was auditioning four times over the course of a year and then every time you know clearing the next hurdle and then by the end i remember my last meeting with oran before i got hired as a writer was um him being like

I got up to leave and he was like, and Bowen, you get better and better every time. And I was like, oh, thank you. So that felt good. And then I got hired as a writer. But growing up, though, it was a show that I was obsessed with. But I never even gave myself the voice in my head. I never allowed myself to be like, I'm going to be on that show one day. Because it just felt... Just felt like I'm preposterous. Yeah, totally. And then when they, when they asked me to submit and then they asked me to showcase, I was like, this is never going to happen. They're never ever going to hire this like faggoty Asian guy, semi Asian guy to be on the show on camera. So I'm just going to put on a wig and do Michiko Kakutani and like call it a day. And, and it was fun and I had fun with it. And I think that's. I think that was kind of my like inadvertent secret to like making it far along enough to be like, Oh cool. This, this, this could be a thing. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, were you doing improv before? Yeah, I was doing improv and then I was doing sketch and I was like dabbling in standup. I was not, I was, I was kind of developing into this like jack of all trades, master of none thing. And I really, I don't think I mastered improv or standup. Um, and I'm probably not even like, that artisanal as a sketch performer or writer either i'm just like kind of figuring it out as i go um but now but it's nice to like have like this lane that i can stay on now for a while and be like okay like i am a sketch actor and a writer and i can just get good at this one thing because i'm being told to and i'm being paid for it whereas like in the past it was just about casting a white net and seeing what was what was working yeah yeah yeah what I would like you to walk us through the first time. Did you feel super prepared to go on camera? Oh, the first time? Not your first sexual experience. I'm sorry, I should have been more specific. They're both similar. The first time I was on camera was while I was a writer technically, and then I was thrown into the sketch with Sandra Oh.

so that was fun and that was, that was very nerve wracking, but she was great the entire time. And during blocking, she was like giving me back rubs cause she could tell I was nervous and I was like, Oh wow. That's crazy. Yeah. She, yeah, she was just being, she was just tending to me when, when this was like her week, you know? Um, and then, uh, my first episode of the season. Yeah. It was crazy. It was just, um, you know, they, The moment, the indelible moment from that week was I was in this sketch just with one line. It was an apple picking farm ad, and I was a customer who they cut to in the testimonial, and I was just kind of playing normal dude, and they didn't put a wig on me or anything, and they just threw me into this costume. But in the fitting for this costume, the people were like, so you're going to keep your glasses on, right? And I was like... um should i and then they asked me uh they asked me well how do you want to be known and i was like oh damn shit i was like yeah i was like i i guess with the glasses like i guess that's like part of the look do i have to let you know right now well i know yeah can i call you back or like can i call you back i know it was wild but it was it was on friday and like friday at like 11 p.m and We get in the next day at noon. It was kind of this split-second decision where I was just like, yeah, I guess I want to be known as the guy who wears glasses. That's actually really profound. That's such a deep question to ask someone. Sure. Thank you for standing up for glasses, Hive, like that. As a signature glasses wearer myself, I know you're known for the shape of your glasses. Mine are color is usually what people point out. Yes. And it actually has stopped me from getting LASIK because I'm like, I don't think people would recognize me. Isn't that – what a weird little holding – I know. Yeah, what a weird liminal place to be in. I know. It's really – this is the kind of stuff I struggle with. You mean to look worse without glasses? Jason? Yes. I don't think I look – Speaking for myself. Chris, no. Chris looks good without them.

I don't know if I, I, I think it's just, Jason, shut up. I think it's just, um, I, I've literally had them. I mean, you've probably had them your whole life too. I've had them since fifth grade. So it's like, I don't know. I don't know a world without them, but it seems freeing. Like, do you wear contacts ever? I do. Um, I wear contacts, you know, this is dumb. This is a core thing. I wear, I put on contacts when I've been giving myself haircuts in quarantine. Because you can't go around the ears when you have your glasses on? Exactly. And I can't see shit with the glasses off. And I need to be close to a mirror. And so what I do is I stand in the tub. Classic. Have the mirror on the hinge swing to face me while I'm in the tub. Have my contacts in. And then the hair catches in the tub. And then I can just sort of worry. I don't have to worry about them. You rinse your problems away down the drain. I am a genius for figuring that out for myself. You have tackled men's grooming yet once again. Have you not gotten a real haircut the whole time? I got one two weeks ago here. And it made me very nervous. Also, you're not just doing like a head shaving buzz cut yourself? Are you giving yourself an actual haircut haircut? But I am just buzzing the sides and kind of fading the corners. And then when I went to get this professional haircut. Still impressive to do that to yourself. Do you have a cosmetological background? I don't. I have none. One thing I am excited about. Wow, guys. The thing I'm excited about. going to go back to New York for is, um, is that I can, I have like two people who are like, yeah, I'm doing these outdoor haircuts. Um, just call me up and we'll figure it out. And it seems like safe. I got an outdoor haircut yesterday. It came to me. Lovely. It was amazing. Yeah. It was really cool. Like on the porch, just like had all those tools in a suitcase pulled up. It was done in 30 minutes. Nice. This seems, I mean, and this is like a very cool, like.

porn setup too right um it could have you know it could have gone that way if the wind blew differently you know but i yeah yeah with a nice fade and you know the whole thing but it was a that was my that was my first ever out outdoor haircut uh which is something that i probably had never thought about my life until this shit sure totally totally the outdoor haircut sex scene does right itself though yeah absolutely yeah absolutely If there was an outdoor shower, then we're really cooking with gas. Damn. Bo, and I was listening to your podcast earlier, which is a great one, Las Culturistas. Yep. Everyone should listen to that if you have not. You guys were talking a little bit about dating comedians, and I wanted to get into that with you. As somebody who is a comedian yourself, what do you think makes it easier or hard to date you? And then, you know, if you have dated a comedian before. I haven't dated a comedian before. I don't think. I mean, what's hard about dating me, I feel like I am pretty, I don't know if fatalistic is the right word. I just, I shut it down pretty quickly. And I use. And I blame my, and I'm like, I am the person to blame in that situation where I'm like, well, it's not working because I'm, I'm doing this and this wrong. And so I like to cut and run a little bit, but it's not a cut and run where it's like, uh, I'm, I'm inflicting something on someone else. It's a cut and run where it's like, I am not going to be good at this. So I'm just going to abort, abort, abort. Yeah. But dating comedians, I mean, we were talking about dating comedians in the context of our guest, who's my friend Sudi, who's staying with me in this house. She just feels like, in this hetero way of a woman, a female comedian dating a male comedian, she seems to be generalizing that there is this...

gap in emotional awareness or what have you, uh, that she is having a hard time with. And I feel like gay men, I can't tell where we're at relative to that. We're either better or we're worse. I don't know. Yeah. But yeah, I mean, I mean, I, I'm just, uh, I feel like I'm very quick to call things off. Have you been in a relationship ever that you would consider to be healthy and successful as a good case study firm? No. Really? No. Nothing longer than three or four months. I feel like nothing that's substantive enough for me to hang my hat on. Do you still feel confident that it's out there still? Yeah. I do. Um, but I'm just, I'm trying to get out of this mode of like scapegoating myself in every situation and just being like, okay, cool. Like this could work out. Like why not follow the thread, um, all the way. Uh, are you, do you use dating applications? I do. I do. And it is. Once you went on national television, what happened to the inbox? The inbox was just – I guess it's just harder to parse out people's intentions in a way that is ultimately fine, but it's like someone will be like, hey, like – good job on TV. And I'll be like, okay, cool. And I'll be like, okay, does this mean, does this mean like, are we like, like, what are the terms of engagement here? Like, are you, is this for tape? Like, like, yeah, like I don't, it's, it's, it's just become harder for me to. Right. Are you, are you saying like, Hey, this is, you know, I can't believe this famous person's on here anyway. That's crazy. Or like, are you trying to go on a date with me? Right. And I, and I, um,

It's hard to see if there are any points of entry into that kind of tone in the conversation. I feel like as a famous person, you can turn every one of those situations into some dick. But doesn't that feel predatory? Doesn't that feel gross? I don't know. If they come to you, then it's not that predatory. Sure, but you know, this is annoying. This is sort of like... a concentric circle from the searching for myself on Twitter. I'm thinking, you know what I'm thinking about? I'm thinking about them telling their friends, oh yeah, I had a really awkward conversation with them and Yang on Grindr or whatever, you know? You're afraid you could get into a Delia situation. Not Delia. My prank show has to survive. I'm just worried that it'll be like this thing. And not that I even really care about any gossiping narrative outside of myself. But it's like, oh, I don't want people to come away from an interaction with me and being like... oh, wow, that was really uncomfortable, or I didn't know how to approach that. And it's just a matter of not wanting to put someone in that emotional situation. I mean, that's probably a better way to approach it. Yeah. But some people are very clear about what they want, and that's great. And some people aren't, and that's also fine. I'm okay just not... But it ends up being this thing where I have to sort of... not initiate most of the time are you on raya as well i am on raya i gosh my hit rate on raya is really depressing i'm like okay yeah like every every talent agent in la thinks that i'm unfuckable like it's it's it's weird um the mailroom is not feeling you no the mailroom people hate me uh but yeah are you guys on raya

No, no, no. We're both actually in relationships. I've never even looked at Raya, to be honest with you, like the interface. Maybe once, like when it first kind of came out. Like I'm not even that familiar with the way it works, except everyone describes it to me as everybody on it's like an Australian bathing suit model. And then it's like every person with a beard in Mexico City. There's a lot of people from Mexico City, and they're all the coolest people you've ever seen. They're all into Wanderlust. Yeah, yeah. And their Mezcal company is about to really take off. I would love to date a Mezcal owner. Mezcal owner. Someone who owns Mezcal. Sorry, sorry, sorry. We just got a round C on our Mezcal company. Go ahead and bang my line. Yeah. Oh, doesn't that sound cool? I don't think I would ever be able to pick the Raya song. I think that would be my biggest roadblock. Yeah, what is your song? Oh, get ready. It's like, this was like first month of quarantine. I think it's like a Waxahachie song or something. Oh, you know what, Bowen? Damn, bro, you really got the sauce, man. That record, that's my shit. It's a good record, but no one's... That is not a good Raya song. That is not a good Raya song. But if you find somebody who thinks that is a good Raya song, your dick's getting sucked that night. For sure. That could be marriage material, to be honest. That could go beyond dick sucking. It's a huge filter. That is the next step. The next step is marriage. So your approach, I see your approach is a song you truly like that's a little bit niche versus like blasting a third eye blind song that would be like a wide net. Right. But I mean, I also marry someone who appreciates a third eye blind song too. You contain multitudes is what you're saying. I do. I do. I do. I can tweet about Taylor Swift and then also have a Waxahachie song on my Ryan profile. You know what? Me too. Damn. There you go. There you go. You guys are both great.

You got to do a live chat with Z-Way. I did. Oh, no, I did not. Wait, you did not. I did not. But I love her. I love Z-Way to death. Who did that? Jeremy O'Harris. Jeremy O'Harris did it recently. I don't think an Asian person's done it. Alison Roman did it with her, and then Z-Way asked Alison Roman to name five Asian people, and I was the second person she named. Oh, that's your inclusion in the process. So that's my inclusion in the process. But no, but there is a story with Z-Way where she had invited me back when this was a YouTube show, like two, three years ago. I was booked to be a guest on it. And she prepared all these segments that were specific to me. And then the day before the shoot, I had to cancel on her because I was shooting another show. and they had just shifted production schedule nonsense. And so I just had to pull out, and I was very apologetic. And then Z-Way didn't shoot me up, but the producers did. And they were like, Z-Way worked really hard to prepare all this stuff for you. And then I've never really... And I sent her an apology, but I feel like that sort of tainted my friendship with her. And we're still friends, and she's a genius. But I'm like, I don't think I can ever be on that show. um because i kind of she's been burned by you before she has and i and i get it and like she can she she has the most she wields the most cancelable offense uh on on my account more than anybody else do you think there's any do you think there's any way or like after watching all those vids any way to you know come out not not to win the conversation or come out on top but just to sort of hold your ground and keep up with her? Or is it a losing battle to begin with? I feel like it's proved out that there are scenarios where both outcomes are true or both outcomes play out. I feel like the Alison Roman one was like, God, you just cringed along with her and it was so upsetting. It was tough.

It was tough, but I feel like she came out of that looking... I kind of sympathized with her or something. I admired her knowing what she was getting herself into. Because the Caroline Calloway thing was like, oh my god, what is going on? This is new territory. But with Alison Roman, it was just like, okay, this woman who still has all these ridiculous... still doesn't really know how to talk about race is, is making an effort. And I don't, I don't know. I feel like, I feel like if anyone's going to go on that show, that they don't tense up at the line of questioning too much, that they just sort of giggle along with it. Even though Z-Way staring you down the barrel of the camera, like you can still just like kind of have, just laugh at yourself. I know that sounds so. simple and well you have you have to be prepared to laugh at yourself or it's going to come off it's going to be very bad yes yes yes um and she's doing one tonight with my friend george severus and um and he's nervous but i'm like no you'll be fine like he yeah he'll be great i would be so nervous yeah i mean yeah yeah same i don't fully understand agreeing to do it Like I don't fully, I like don't, I still can't fully comprehend. Like, I guess you're right though. There is that element of like, well, you did it. So there's like a, that's an achievement in itself. Yeah. And you could gain some sympathy for going through that in the public eye. So I do, I do see those sides of it. Well, for me, it's like, here's, here's what I, here's what I think I mean is that I think you should just. own up to whatever racist streak you've lived up to your whole life and then just sort of like and not be flip about it but like in the way that like like like the reason why i think the caroline calloway thing was successful was that she was like being her like narcissistic self but she was also like yeah like i'm i'm racist like like i and i feel and i feel like i feel like um

Alison Roman kind of did that too, but also got very nervous to make sure she had to prove that she wasn't racist and that kind of worked against her. But I feel like if you're able to just be like, yeah, sorry, I don't know who W.E.B. Du Bois is. I suck. That can come off charming in a way. You're still a racist, but yeah. But I think that that, I think people, a lot of people can just sympathize with that alone. Like they're, they're in their head saying, Oh, I don't know the answer to that either. So it's like, there's a relatable, there's like a relatability there, you know, for better or worse. Totally. Anyway, I love it. It's, it's an, it's a, it's a brilliant show. I hope it doesn't get, did it get, did somebody buy it already? I'm sure there's like 10 different pitch decks or something like. a different place because i don't know what's going on that some stuff just has to live where it lives i i think it's i just like that john krasinski bullshit getting bought like a bit and then he's not even gonna host it anymore it's like that doesn't need to happen like you know yeah anybody else a tv show that does not need to happen that does not need to happen but i think some i think some things and that's like i think some things belong on YouTube or belong on Instagram. So like, that's where it works the best. And you can't, not everything is ready for the big screen. And then it just, and then it just sort of underlines the value of Instagram. I mean, it just, it just means that if it works on Instagram, that means that Instagram works as a platform for this kind of show. Yeah, exactly. No, for sure. I agree. I mean, that like, like there's, there's like something flawed about being like, well, we should scale it up to a network or like a, like a, like a Netflix thing or something. It's like, well, no, it doesn't have to be. I know, but I mean, I get it because you want to get fucking paid. From the creator standpoint, I totally understand, but I do think there is value in holding on for as long as you can because it's only going to get better. Totally. But Z-Way would, I trust Z-Way too because she's very agile with this. It used to be this above average show that was sort of differently formatted. I feel like she is smart. Can you navigate?

Totally. And she's, she's an anarchist and she can like, she can fuck up whatever container she's in, you know? Hmm. Well, for the record, we would, we would sign a TV deal tomorrow. So I didn't want to rule that out. You know, do it, do it, do it. I just want to put that out there while, while we're talking about it, while we're talking about it, you know, are you working on, do you have a bunch of shit in the cooker right now? Um, I had two things I was supposed to shoot this summer. pushed i don't know when they'll ever be shot uh but um i yeah got some got some things the the main thing uh that i was trying to work on coming out here was uh get ready to eye roll a screenplay uh but i but that's it's so hard and it's just look you know yeah bowen we're not you know we're not tainted members of the hollywood elite you know we still think a screenplay is sexy and cool Is this screenplay for a movie or a TV show? It's for a movie and it was going to be a TV show. And then my managers were like, well, when would you shoot it? And I was like, Oh, that's right. Like not all of us. I mean, you only get to be like, you only get to be 80 Bryant and do shrill when you're like seven seasons in, uh, at SNL. And so I kind of, I kind of want to get something going. I want to get something started now so that like, let's say worst case scenario, like, not worst case scenario, but like four years from now is when it gets made. Then it's like, okay, by then I'll be like sort of kind of somewhat firmly rooted at my job, my day job here. And then I get to sort of do this on the side and shoot it over the course of like a summer. But that's, that's, that's assuming that I stay at SNL. Like if they don't fire me, I should say. Yeah. I love your rosy outlook. You will not be fired. Well, I'm not ruling out anything. Unless you really fuck up and get canceled. Yeah. And who knows? If you do get canceled, what do you think it'll be for? For canceling on Z-Way. I don't know. I'm sure. Maybe it's, who knows? Honestly, the title of my podcast, which I want to change because I've had enough people come up to me and be like, hey, you're kind of, I mean, the title is sort of.

touching on the frivolity of the Spanish language in the context of the title of your podcast that has nothing to do with Latinx culture. I'm like, yeah, totally. I totally agree. It's more of a discussion with the network and Matt, my co-host. We've got the Washington Redskins of the podcast world over here. The chicks of the podcast world. The chicks. Who knows? It'll probably be for a tax thing. Who knows? White-collar crime doesn't count. I'm pro-white-collar crime. I stand firmly with white-collar criminals. You know what? I want to get away. This is what the script is. This is what the screenplay is. I'd be playing the gay son of a Chinese drug lord. I'm in. I'm very young. it's inspired by trying to chalet. So it's, so then he takes the dim sum hall. That's like the mob. That's like the front business. Sure. And he turns it into this queer nightlife space. And suddenly he's like being like celebrated in the queer space. And then his family loves him. Um, but they're also like, kind of not cool from being gay it's yeah i don't know like damn that sounds good wait are you improvising off the dome or is this your actual idea because no this is this is this is the actual idea okay somebody will steal that because this is very good um i've like tweet i've tweeted about it enough times now that i feel like someone will um but i'm like this is like this is i like i want to like be able to shoot a gun in a movie like that's my dream I'm not a gun person, but yeah. It feels like this is the role you're born to play. Like an irritable, gay, bratty person who knows how to fire a gun. I don't know. It's fun. It's a fun image in my head. This is what I need to do. I need to trip on acid or no, I need to do shrooms and I need to watch Goodfellas or something.

I can be in that movie. This is a world that I want to live in. I think it could be fun. You've already cracked the code. Wow. Do you have a name for this? Yes. And I reached out to this guy, Eric Hu. He used to be... Yeah, we know. We know design legend Eric Hu. I cold DMed him. I was like, hey, I'm working on a screenplay and I'm kind of in this weird blocky phase of it. And so... can you, this is a weird request. Can you design like a type lockup? But it would just be for my like purposes only. Like I would never like publish this or post it. Like I just want to look at it and like have it be on my like phone screen or whatever. And just like be sort of like inspired and almost accountable because I'm like, Oh, well Eric who designed this thing. And so that's a good, that's beautiful actually. Yeah. I like that a lot. Yeah. So. He was like, yeah, sure. I explained to him the concept and then I gave him the Chinese character. It's called Oolong Hall for now. Oolong Hall. He was like, yeah, just Venmo me $25,000 and I'll send you a PDF quickly. It's no big deal. I was like, I will pay you whatever you want. I just want it to be from you because he does... do all these crazy like type designs with Chinese characters too. And I was like, this is perfect. Like he, I told him that's like the inspiration should be like Chinese restaurant signage and like all this stuff. And he got it, he got it. So we'll see. Like that's, that's my way of just like, that's a great way to visualize and will something into existence. Yeah. I've never, I've never thought about that before, but I do, I could see how that would be like really helpful to keep that around and feel like there's like something work that you're working towards. A few more of those and maybe we'll get a masterclass phone call soon. Wow. That's what we want. Yeah, for sure. It's just a way to get a return of investment on the whole thing. Anyway, yeah. We love ROI at this podcast. ROI. We understand. Bowen, thank you for joining us, King.

Thank you for having me, Kings. An honor to have you on. Thank you. Yeah, it was a pleasure. And we can't wait to see SNL this season. When is it coming back? We don't know yet. I would say mid to late September. It's an election year, so they want to start early-ish. I didn't even think about that. Last question, who are you voting for? Just kidding. You can answer it. Look, I'm celebrating the DSA sweep in New York. And it'll be Biden, whatever. Z-Way tweeted, Angela Davis is voting Biden. What do you know that she doesn't? I'm just like, yeah. Great point. Anyway. Bye, Kings. Are we all set tech-wise? Well, actually, besides national television, where can they find you online? Oh, at Bowen Yang on Twitter, at Faye Dunaway on Instagram. I think that's it. And tell them about the podcast. Oh, Las Culturistas. It is on iHeartRadio slash Big Money Players or anywhere you find your podcasts. Damn, you got the iHeartRadio deal. We need to talk to your people. Fuck. That's a nice little bag. No, oh my God. I'm like trying to like, they're going to talk to us about like. us EPing our other shows. If you guys want me creatively lording over you, if that sounds cool to you at all. We would pay money to have that happen. I think we need all the help we can get. That would be a step in the right direction for this little budget podcast. Send us your day rate and chat. Yes. I love being a pod dom. Sounds good. Sounds good. Bye.