The convenient intimacy of listening to podcasts endears them to Bowen Yang: “Podcast listening folds really well into those transitional moments in peoples’ days. The times when you’re getting from place to place, doing the dishes, or fumigating the garage. It’s something just passive enough.” He adds, “I’m on either end of a deep parasocial relationship with someone I’ve never met. It’s beautiful and bizarre!“

The award-winning actor and comedian is known for his work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, as well as recent film performances. He’s also known for the hilarious and long-running pop-culture podcast Las Culturistas.

Bowen says one of his favorite things about Las Culturistas is co-hosting it with friend and fellow comedian Matt Rogers. “The friendship going through its seasons is sort of a beautiful little four-dimensional tapestry. And on top of that, you have the Venn diagram of what Matt and I are interested in in pop culture: There’s the fun, specific overlap that gets us going, but then outside of that I’ll tell Matt why the latest Zelda game made me cry, or he’ll tell me who was rude to Kelly Clarkson at the 2002 VMAs.” Bowen loves how they round each other out. “I think Oprah plagiarized me when she said ‘I don’t know a better person,’ because I said that about Matt Rogers years before she said that about Gayle King.”

The last couple of years have been packed for Bowen, with emotionally moving and explosive film roles, including a turn in the beloved musical extravaganza Wicked. He’s also appearing in the 2025 remake of The Wedding Banquet.

In this collection, Bowen has rounded up what he feels are “must-listens” for podcast fans. “These are all podcasts that don’t demand too much of the listener, and I mean that in the best way,” he laughs. “They’re my go-to shows because they connect me to something either global or local (in the case of Brian Lehrer), and I can see myself having a torrid affair with some of the hosts (in the case of Brian Lehrer).”

Check out Bowen’s picks below!