"I wasn't even mad" — Chappell Roan talks about Saturday Night Live star Bowen Yang's Moo Deng skit

Modified Apr 18, 2025 03:45 GMT

Andreas Kronthaler For Vivienne Westwood: Front Row - Paris Fashion Week - Womenswear Fall/Winter 2025-2026 - Source: Getty — Chappell Roan attends the Andreas Kronthaler For Vivienne Westwood AW25/26 runway show during Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2025-2026 at Pavillon Cambon (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images)

Pop singer Chappell Roan asked her fans not to get mad on her behalf when it comes to a particular Saturday Night Live skit. She appeared on Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers' podcast, Las Culturistas, on April 16, 2025, where she discussed the topic at hand. In the skit, Bowen had compared Chappell’s success with the internet-famous pygmy hippo Moo Deng.

While talking about various aspects of her life and fame in general, the trio turned their attention towards the reaction the skit got online. Chappell Roan herself thought the skit was funny and "harmless." She also mentioned that she didn't see why her fans were getting upset on her behalf.

"I wasn’t even mad! That is SNL, it’s comedy,” stated Chappell Roan about the parody skit.

According to Chappell, the skit was "light-hearted," and she didn't take it seriously.

Chappell Roan opens up about Saturday Night Live mistake, fan boundaries, and crafting her music

In the podcast, Bowen recalled communicating with Sasha Colby, the season 15 winner of RuPaul's Drag Race, who disclosed Chappell Roan's reaction to the Saturday Night Live skit. Sasha thought Chappell was handling the situation well and even enjoyed it.

“I was like ‘Is she okay?’ Sasha was like, ‘Yeah girl, she’s laughing, she’s loving it,” revealed Saturday Night Live star Bowen Yang.

Meanwhile, Matt Rogers, the co-host of the podcast, found it confusing that people were worried about Bowen Yang and Chappell Roan's relationship after the skit. Matt expressed that he wondered at the time why people assumed that celebrities couldn't take a joke. Chappell Roan chimed in and stated that the situation showed how often fans overstep boundaries online.

Further in the podcast, Chappell shared her experience writing her country single The Giver. She explained that she tends to prioritize creating music that resonates with her fans. Talking about the intricacies of the creative process, she revealed that crafting the bridge for the song was particularly challenging.

Despite that, Chappell's goal remained similar as she hoped to produce music that makes sense both on record and in live performances. The pop singer talked about performing the song live on Saturday Night Live in March. She noticed that fans hoped to hear a more lyrical bridge in the song.

The recorded version has a repetitive "na na na" section, which fans seemed to miss in the live performance. Chappell revealed that she had struggled to write a bridge for the song and had tried many different approaches. She eventually came up with a new idea for the bridge that she planned to use in live shows.

“Do you not think I tried over and over and tried different sayings and tried different... The bridge was the hardest thing to figure out. Now, I have an ever better idea for it live," stated Chappell.

Chappell even admitted to making a mistake on Saturday Night Live, where she sang incorrect lyrics to one of her songs. She recalled the incident and revealed she got "nervous" during the performance. Chappell noted that she often changes her songs during live performances, adding or replacing things that don't work in studio recordings.

Giving an example of this, Chapppell mentioned her song The Subway, which has been performed live but not yet released. My Kink Is Karma was another one of Chappell's songs where she screams at the end during live shows— a part that isn't included in the studio version.

Watch new episodes of Saturday Night Live on Saturdays at 11:30 pm ET on NBC and the next day on Peacock.

About the author

Amijeet Singh is a reality TV writer at Sportskeeda who completed his master’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. A true jack of all trades, Amijeet has more than 6 years of work experience under his belt. He loves reporting on reality TV particularly for its transparent depiction of real emotions, conflicts, and stories that resonate with viewers. This motivates him to offer fresh insights and perspectives to foster empathy and understanding among readers.

Amijeet’s portfolio features stints at Rainforest Communications, ENNOBLE IP/WIEF, UX Technologies, and Deselk Studios. He has worked on ad campaigns and market research, subtitled TV shows and movies, and created and managed his own YouTube channel. Amijeet has also written and acted in over 100 skits for an entertainment platform, which collectively reached over 100,000 views.

To ensure factual accuracy, Amijeet conducts thorough research and cross-checks information with multiple sources. While writing, adhering to journalistic integrity is the top priority for him, and he stays up-to-date with trends and ethical guidelines to ensure he is respectful toward those he is writing about. Amijeet maintains his voice in his reportage, all while striving for bias-free reporting.

Amijeet’s favorite celebrities are Gordon Ramsay, Frank Lampard, and Hayao Miyazaki, who honed their crafts by working on them constantly. Their creative journeys and dedication to their craft he admires. When not closely following his favorite actors and icons, Amijeet likes to write sci-fi stories, watch horror films, and play team sports. In his free time, he also plays the guitar and drums.

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Edited by Ahana Mukhopadhyay