SNL’s Bowen Yang wants NBC to allow five “s—” and five “f—” per season on Saturday Night Live to add authenticity and edge under FCC censors.
Bowen Yang’s recent on-air rant has ignited a conversation about the boundaries of live television comedy, as the “Saturday Night Live” cast member laid out a spirited case for limited profanity on the network sketch show.
On an episode of his Las Culturistas podcast, Yang argued that allowing a modest quota of curse words would ground sketches in the “real world,” rather than an artificial “sketch reality,” giving the show fresh comic energy. Joined by fellow co-host Matt Rogers and guest Amy Poehler, Yang sketched out a proposal to permit five uses each of “s—” and “f—” per season, a move he believes could inject SNL with both authenticity and edge.
This isn’t just about bad language—it taps into a decades-long tug-of-war between broadcast indecency regulations established by the FCC and comedians pushing the envelope since George Carlin’s 1972 “Seven Words” monologue led to FCC v. Pacifica in 1978. For now, SNL continues to air weekly on NBC and stream on Peacock under the existing standards and practices regime.
Yang’s Profane Plea on “Las Culturistas”
During an “I Don’t Think So, Honey” segment on Las Culturistas, Yang wasted no time laying into “Standards and Practices,” lamenting that the ban on “s— and f—” leaves the show “so hampered in our comedy”. He proposed, “We should be able to say at least five s—s and five f—s on SNL per season,” insisting that even a small allotment would “bring a sketch to the next level”.
Citing a recent viral moment when Ego Nwodim’s “Ms. Eggy” character on Weekend Update prompted the audience to shout “s–t,” Yang argued that viewers are already craving that kind of unfiltered spontaneity. He pointed out that other network comedies like Abbott Elementary and Ghosts face the same restrictions, asking NBC bluntly, “Can you give SNL an exception?”. “S— and f— are so comedically powerful as words,” he continued, underscoring his belief that these expletives are essential tools in the sketch-comedy arsenal.
Poehler’s Pitch & Rogers’ Riff
Amy Poehler, who graced SNL’s cast from 2001 to 2008, chimed in with a cheeky monetization idea: turn curse privileges into a viewer-voted competition, à la American Idol, letting fans decide which cast member earns the right to swear on air.
Yang ran with it, joking that the proceeds could fund a “fundraiser for our FCC fines,” a tongue-in-cheek nod to the potential cost of breaking indecency rules. Meanwhile, Rogers quipped that long-time stalwart Kenan Thompson should be granted a profanity-filled farewell when he eventually departs the show.
A Nod to SNL’s History with Profanity
SNL’s live format has occasionally led to fleeting expletives making it past the censors, most famously when Norm Macdonald mumbled “What the fuck was that?” during a 1997 Weekend Update segment, a slip that became part of the show’s lore.
And while the show has generally complied with FCC guidelines, it has found creative workarounds, such as releasing the un-bleeped “Dick in a Box” digital short online after the FCC objected to the word “dick” on air. The recent audience-led “s–t” moment during Ego Nwodim’s Weekend Update sketch only reinforces how live comedic spontaneity can resonate with viewers in unpredictable ways.
Censorship, Comedy, and What’s Next
Yang’s proposal intersects with ongoing debates over indecency regulations: the FCC’s Pacifica decision still shapes what can be uttered on broadcast TV, even as cable, streaming and online platforms enjoy greater freedom. Poehler countered that part of the show’s charm lies in the tension created by what can’t be said, warning that unleashing curses might deflate that comedic “balloon”.
Yet Yang’s argument underscores SNL’s historic role as a cultural touchstone that mirrors—and occasionally mocks—the world in real time. As of this writing, NBC has not signaled any shift in its standards, and SNL marches on under its existing rules, leaving fans and critics alike to wonder if even five expletives a season could really change the game.
source ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
