Bowen Yang didn’t let a little wardrobe malfunction stop him from making a big statement.
During the October 4 episode of Saturday Night Live, Yang returned to the Weekend Update desk for a sharp and satirical sketch that tackled transphobia, J.K. Rowling’s ongoing controversies, and the absurdity of magical servitude, all while dressed as Dobby the house elf from the Harry Potter franchise.
The sketch, which opened with Yang in a makeshift burlap costume and floppy ears, immediately turned heads as he launched into a biting impression of Dobby preparing to comment on gender identity. “Why would Dobby be scared, sir?” Yang said in a high-pitched, tremulous voice. “Dobby’s just about to publicly weigh in on trans people, that’s all.”
The joke, which referenced Rowling’s increasingly controversial views on transgender rights, was met with a mixture of shocked laughter and applause from the studio audience.
“Master sent Dobby to go on the telly and define once and for all what a woman is, sir,” Yang continued, drawing a clear line between Rowling’s public persona and her fictional universe. The sketch escalated quickly as Yang, in full character, began dramatically bashing his head against the desk in apparent guilt, a nod to Dobby’s self-punishment trope in the books.
But in the process, the moment took an unexpected turn. The force of the head-banging caused part of his costume to slip loose at the shoulder, exposing his chest mid-performance.
Not missing a beat, Yang paused briefly, glanced at the camera, and quipped, “Oh, Dobby’s come undone,” while quickly clutching the fabric to cover himself. “Sorry! My fatigues are not well-made,” he added with impeccable comedic timing.
The slip-up only added to the chaos and charm of the performance. Fellow cast members Colin Jost and Michael Che, seated next to Yang at the desk, could be seen stifling their laughter as Yang powered through the sketch with total commitment.
At one point, Yang leapt over the desk to bash his head against the Weekend Update camera, intensifying Dobby’s exaggerated shame and keeping the energy high, even as he tried to keep his costume from falling apart further.
“Dobby doesn’t know,” he said when asked why he was punishing himself so harshly. “Perhaps because house elves are somehow always the problem, even though we’re only 1% of the population. But house elves aren’t the victims. Master Rowling is. She gets so much hate mail.”
The sketch, which aired during the SNL Season 51 premiere, landed on a night already packed with headlines. Host Bad Bunny and musical guest Doja Cat delivered high-energy performances, and the episode marked a new chapter for the show following the exit of cast members Devon Walker, Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, and Emil Wakim.
Yang’s bold performance was one of the most talked-about moments of the night, both for its political edge and its camp appeal. The accidental exposure only amplified the moment for queer viewers and Harry Potter fans who have long watched the franchise’s legacy splinter under Rowling’s public statements.
Online, fans quickly turned the “Dobby’s come undone” line into a rallying cry, with clips circulating across queer Twitter and TikTok within hours of the episode airing. For many, the image of Yang — a gay, Asian-American cast member — poking fun at Rowling’s perceived victimhood while literally holding his costume together was as symbolic as it was hilarious.
It also underscored Yang’s ability to blend razor-sharp commentary with physical comedy and sincerity, something that’s become his hallmark on SNL.
In a recent interview, Yang acknowledged that his time on the show is constantly evolving. “I’ve always gone by the instinct of, ‘Do I have more to do?’” he told People in September.
According to Yang, SNL creator Lorne Michaels encouraged him to stay on, telling him, “You have more to do,” even as Yang admitted he sometimes wonders if audiences are growing tired of him.
“I have to honor that,” Yang said. “That man has changed my life, and I owe a lot of my life to that show. And I love working there. The people are the best. I really love each of them so much.”
Love him, laugh with him, or meme him — Bowen Yang continues to prove that even when a costume falls apart, the moment doesn’t have to. In fact, it might just make it unforgettable.
