Ego Nwodim may have raised some eyebrows on the “Saturday Night Live” stage, but for Bowen Yang, she’s the voice of the people.
During a guest-hosting spot on “Today with Jenna & Friends” on Monday, the “Wicked” actor, 34, praised his “SNL” castmate after she recently went viral for her racy “Weekend Update” sketch, in which she inadvertently prompted the studio audience to curse.
“She’s carrying the handbag like she’s one of the queens of comedy,” Yang said. “That was such a funny bit. I’m telling you, as a cast member, there’s no better feeling than scoring on ‘Weekend Update,’ and that’s one of the all-time great (bits).”
Nwodim’s risqué hilarity ensued during a bit inspired by the White House Correspondents’ Association’s decision to drop comedian Amber Ruffin from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner to avoid “the politics of division.” In response to the news, Nwodim jokingly argued she should host the event, but she would avoid controversy by focusing her entire performance on the food being served.
The comedian, 37, then launched into a sample stand-up routine mixing jokes about food with complaints about men, performing as if she were in her 50s and married with five children.
Identifying herself as “Ms. Eggy,” Nwodim included audience participation in the parody set, at one point turning her microphone toward the crowd and asking, “These men ain’t what?” The audience responded by shouting a curse word, sparking a shocked reaction from Nwodim and “Weekend Update” anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che.
Nwodim indicated the response she was looking for was “worth a damn.”
She later joked: “We finna get fined for that. … Y’all gonna have to pay for that. Lorne gonna be mad at y’all,” referencing “SNL” producer Lorne Michaels.
Yang reflected on the “Today” show that the “SNL” audience’s unexpected candor speaks to the relatability of Nwodim’s joke.
“I think the way it was written was, it was supposed to play to silence,” Yang said. “The audience doesn’t know what the catch phrases are, and I think this says something about the state of men in this current year of 2025 that everyone knew what to say at the same time.”
Viewers on the East Coast reported hearing the curse word air uncensored while watching the show live, although it was removed when the segment was uploaded to YouTube. The uncensored version was initially available on Peacock Sunday morning but was later replaced with an edited version that removed the profanity.
“They didn’t even say, ‘Ain’t worth a damn,’ which I think we are allowed to say,” “Today” host Jenna Bush Hager said. “They really went for it because we’re tired, man.”
Yang concurred: “Look, I’m tired. Me, too. I’m tired of guys, also.”
Jack Black hosted Saturday’s “SNL” episode, which also poked fun at President Donald Trump’s recent tariffs and made multiple quips mocking musical guest Morgan Wallen for abruptly exiting the show in late March.
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