‘SNL’ Star Bowen Yang Takes Break From Podcast Due To ‘Bad Bouts of Depersonalization’

Bowen Yang announced that he will be taking a break from his podcast Las Culturistas to focus on his own mental health. 

He posted a short statement over the weekend on his Instagram story. 

“Taking a very short break from [Las Culturistas],” he wrote. “Bad bouts of depersonalization are f—ing me up bad, but I am doing my best to get better! Please take care, back soon.”

Yang has co-hosted the show since 2016 with Matt Rogers. They focus on pop culture and have had many celebrity guests on air, including Andy Cohen, Reneé Rapp, Keke Palmer and Kelly Clarkson. 

Depersonalization is a serious mental disorder where a person will constantly feel like they are not in their own body and are observing their actions from outside. Each person’s experience with the disorder is different and it is also possible that you can feel like things around you and your life aren’t real. Many describe is as feeling like you’re in a dream. 

Rogers will continue the show while Yang takes his break. He announced on his own Instagram story that Yang will be absent and that this absence will be spoken about on the most recent episode of Las Culturistas, which was released today. 

“For those asking: [Las Culturistas] will continue while Bowen is on break. Will elaborate a bit more on this week’s episode.”

Big Money Players Network by Will Ferrell and iHeartMedia produce the podcast and it recently won 2023’s Podcast of the Year Award at the iHeartRadio Podcast Awards. 

Yang is a well-known writer, comedian and actor and has starred on SNL since 2019. In addition to this, he has acted in Fire Island, The Lost City, Bros and Isn’t It Romantic. He has been nominated 18 times for various projects and won five of those nominations. 

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Yang has openly spoken about being the first Chinese-American to act on SNL and being one of the first openly gay actors on the show. He also spoke about his personal life several times, including being sent as a teen to gay conversion therapy. 

Rogers is also a writer, comedian and actor. He has acted on Fire Island, Q-Force, I Love That for You, Gayme Show, Haute Dog and more. 

Both actors attended New York University, which is where they met as students.