Bowen Yang denies claims that his “Saturday Night Live” sketch of Moo Deng Chappell “mocks” Roan.

Bowen Yang’s interpretation of Chappell Roan’s discourse sparks a debate of its own.

On September 28th Saturday Night Live returned for its 50th season, enlisting Jean Smart and Jelly Roll for the coveted hosting and musical guest positions. Still, it was Bowen Yang who stole the show, delivering several viral performances as JD Vance, Charli XCX and Moo Deng. But while his impressions of the Republican politician and British brat were widely praised on X.com, his portrayal of the hippo influencer was far more controversial.

During Yang’s appearance on “Weekend Update,” he used Moo Deng (and a very dewy hippo costume) to comment on the evolving discourse surrounding 26-year-old Midwestern pop star Chappell Roan. As Moo Deng, Yang set boundaries with fans, echoing the sentiments Roan recently expressed in a series of viral TikToks. Of course, Yang tailored Moo Deng’s requests to the baby hippo’s specific experiences.

“Reminder: Women don’t owe you anything,” said Yang as Moo Deng. “If I’m sitting in my enclosure, tripping over things or biting my trainer’s knee, then I’m at work, that’s the project. Don’t call my name or expect a photo just because I’m your parasocial best friend or because you appreciate my talent.” The talent, of course, is “having a slippery body that bounces.”

As if it wasn’t obvious enough that Yang was referring to Roan, he described Moo Deng as “your favorite hippo’s favorite hippo” before directly addressing the pop star, who received a mix of criticism and support from fans for her thoughts on fame than got as well as this year’s presidential elections. After facing backlash for noting “issues on both sides,” Roan confirmed that she is voting for Kamala Harris but doesn’t want to support a candidate who doesn’t fully align with her values. A few days later, she canceled two festival appearances to focus on her health after an “overwhelming” few weeks, which only led to further debate about what celebrities “owe” to their fans.

“Leave her alone,” Yang’s Moo Deng said of Roan. “Let her take as much time as she needs for her mental health. We both deserve patience and grace, so stop harassing her and stop throwing shellfish at her… That’s what society does: It puts young women on pedestals only to throw shellfish at them.”