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Bowen Yang is Moo Deng, Devon Walker is Eric Adams


Bowen Yang is Moo Deng, Devon Walker is Eric Adams

Moo Deng, the viral pygmy hippo played by an anxious Bowen Yang in a bulbous purple animal costume, has had enough.

While Saturday Night LiveOn the Season 50 premiere of “Weekend Update” with hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che, Yang demanded justice for the beloved zoo animal who faced harassment from visitors in real life.

“I've been going non-stop for 10 weeks: walking around, eating salad, trying to bite the water out of a hose, and the reaction has been overwhelming, but it's gotten to the point where I need to set some boundaries,” he said. “Reminder: Women don’t owe you anything! When I'm in my enclosure, tripping over things, or biting my trainer's knee, I'm at work. This is 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.”

When Jost asked what Moo Deng's talent was, Yang quickly replied, “I have a slippery body that bounces.” He added that before his online appearance, the only “hippo portrayal” was with the popular children's game “Hungry Hungry Hippos and the character of Jada Pinkett Smith Madagascar.

As the segment continued and several off-screen shots of Yang chewing in his mouth and splashing Jost were seen, it became clear that Yang's Moo Deng was also a replacement for Chappell Roan, who has been vocal about mistreating fans has. “I'm your favorite hippo's favorite hippo,” Yang said, paying tribute to Roan's catchphrase. Yang's Moo Deng continued the skit and also announced that as a 10-week-old hippopotamus, he would not run for the presidential election.

“Ugh, I'm getting stressed again Colin, can I bite you in the knee?” Yang asked, which Jost graciously declined.

Prior to Yang's star turn, “Weekend Update” featured a visit from Devon Walker as Eric Adams, who claimed his vocabulary was “offensive.” In the mocking account, Walker's Adams claimed that he had turned New York City into a “swag tropolis,” taking crime off the streets by putting it on the sidewalks and subways instead.

“The internet would have you believe that as mayor I did nothing but…declared war on the rats,” he said. “The rats are winning right now, but the game isn’t over yet, baby.”

The SNL The actor also poked fun at the mayor, who was recently federally indicted and indicted on bribery charges related to illegal campaign donations, and his involvement in Turkey, in which he accepted luxury trips on the country's airline in exchange for political influence. He joked: “Have you ever eaten Turkish delights? It’s a briefcase with $100,000 in it.”

He ended the chaotic stretch with a final call to “Free Diddy,” referencing the photo of Adams and the disgraced rapper hugging again that made the rounds online after the former gave the latter a key to the city.

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