CIA Sketch Spotlights Bowen Yang, Who Returns to Play Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on SNL
A CIA lesson for tech leaders
The cold open gathered prominent technology executives, including Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, at a CIA event designed to teach them how to spot women who might be deceiving them. John Mulaney, the host and a former “SNL” writer, played the guide.
Mulaney rejected that answer and other responses. James Austin Johnson, portraying PayPal cofounder Peter Thiel, defended the executives. Mulaney then pointed to Thursday’s global Microsoft glitch and Friday’s nationwide flight ground stop.
Huang at center of sketch
The sketch used the story of Huang, who resigned from Nvidia on Thursday after reports that he had extramarital relationships, including one with a suspected spy for China. Yang portrayed the former CEO.
Yang appears in musical spoof
Yang also appeared in “Little Park of Horrors,” a spoof of Broadway musicals about the city outlawing horse-drawn carriages. Marcello Hernández and Kam Patterson played two men who want to ride in one.
After recognizing the dangers and limits of a carriage, the pair choose to travel by vehicle through the Lincoln Tunnel. Yang appears as Mary Todd Lincoln, singing about the drawbacks of the underground journey.
Yang’s years at SNL
Yang began as a writer at “Saturday Night Live” in 2018 and joined the cast the following year. He left the show in December 2025. In September, he made his Broadway debut as Lincoln in Cole Escola’s play “Oh, Mary!” “SNL” airs on NBC, which is part of NBCUniversal, the parent company of NBC News.
Key points
- Bowen Yang returned to “SNL” as former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
- The opening sketch featured tech executives at a CIA session about spotting possible deception.
- The scene referenced reports about Huang’s relationships, including one with a suspected spy for China.
- Yang also played Mary Todd Lincoln in a musical spoof involving the Lincoln Tunnel.