Kenan Thompson Blames "SNL's" Diversity Issue on Lack of Talented Black Comediennes
Oct 14, 2013
by Sadie Gennis


When "Saturday Night Live" announced this season's six new cast members, many were shocked to see that the sketch comedy show would be devoid of a black female cast member for the sixth year in a row.

In a world where we have a black First Lady and pop culture is defined by "Scandal", Rihanna, Oprah, Nicki Minaj and Beyonce, this is beyond absurd. It's downright embarrassing. And after years of portraying seemingly every black female celebrity from Mo'Nique, Maya Angelou and Jennifer Hudson, Kenan Thompson has finally thrown in the cross-dressing towel.

When asked what the show would do now when confronted with potential black female characters or celebrity spoofs, Thompson told TVGuide.com, "I don't know. We just haven't done them. That's what I'm saying. Maybe Jay [Pharaoh] will do it or something, but even he doesn't really want to do it."





Instead of blaming showrunner Lorne Michaels or the series, which currently only employs three actors of color out of 16 cast members (Thompson, Pharaoh and the Iranian Nasim Pedrad), Thompson blames the lack of quality black female comedians. "It's just a tough part of the business," Thompson says. "Like in auditions, they just never find ones that are ready."

While Thompson's refusal to help "SNL" continue to ignore its own diversity issues is commendable, blaming the problem on an absence of talented black females only perpetuates the problem. There are countless brilliant black comediennes working right now, many of whom would likely be thrilled to take part in such an iconic series (even if the quality has slipped over the decades).





In the 38 years "SNL" has been on the air, the series has only had four black female cast members: Yvonne Hudson (1980-81), Danitra Vance (1985-86), Ellen Cleghorne (1991-95) and Maya Rudolph (2000-2007).

Of the four, only three were repertory players (Hudson was only a featured player before being fired midseason). This means, there were large gaps in "SNL's" history when there were no black women on the show at all.





Pharoah has recently spoken out about the series' diversity problem, telling theGrio, "They need to pay attention" and add a black woman to the cast. Pharoah even suggested his pick, Darmirra Brunson, who's currently on "Tyler Perry's Love They Neighbor".

"Why do I think she should be on the show? Because she's black first of all, and she's really talented. She's amazing. She needs to be on SNL. I said it. And I believe they need to follow up with it like they said they were going to do last year."

As to how the six new (all white) cast members are faring so far this season, Thompson says they're doing just fine. "They're all contributing in different ways I think. They've been doing great job so far. They're all very, very smart and talented, so that's how it is. That's the kind of people I guess that get the job," Thompson says.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/SNL-Diversity-Issue-Kenan-Thompson-1072056.aspx

While it is a dumb move in some respects given the characters they could portray. I do take issue with the idea of casting via quota. 3 out of 16 is proportional to the population numbers. SNL is not funny. Here's an idea, hire funny people, they should not feel like "oh we have to hire a ______ male or a ____ female. Cast funny people and get new writers. All races. Here's an idea go by qualifications.

http://defamer.gawker.com/snl-tries-to-duck-casting-controversy-with-kerry-washin-1446422535/

It's funny that Washington's hosting would be announce one day after Kenan Thompson's controversial comments on black comediennes. PLUS: Why Washington hosting "SNL" matters (http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2013/10/why-kerry-washingtons-snl-hosting-gig-matters/70606/).
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#uQkOuTOkxD38zoOG.99

While it is a dumb move in some respects given the characters they could portray. I do take issue with the idea of casting via quota. 3 out of 16 is proportional to the population numbers. SNL is not funny. Here's an idea, hire funny people, they should not feel like "oh we have to hire a ______ male or a ____ female. Cast funny people and get new writers. All races. Here's an idea go by qualifications.

Dear Kenan Thompson: Here are black women who'd be perfect for "SNL" (http://jezebel.com/kenan-thompson-blames-black-women-for-lack-of-black-wom-1445731409)

The thing is you have to dig deeper to find them.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#uQkOuTOkxD38zoOG.99

http://defamer.gawker.com/snl-tries-to-duck-casting-controversy-with-kerry-washin-1446422535/

It's funny that Washington's hosting would be announce one day after Kenan Thompson's controversial comments on black comediennes. PLUS: Why Washington hosting "SNL" matters (http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2013/10/why-kerry-washingtons-snl-hosting-gig-matters/70606/).
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#uQkOuTOkxD38zoOG.99
I doubt her schedule could be that flexible. I can not imagine a network show counting on booking celebrities on a few days notice.

http://defamer.gawker.com/snl-tries-to-duck-casting-controversy-with-kerry-washin-1446422535/

It's funny that Washington's hosting would be announce one day after Kenan Thompson's controversial comments on black comediennes. PLUS: Why Washington hosting "SNL" matters (http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2013/10/why-kerry-washingtons-snl-hosting-gig-matters/70606/).
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#uQkOuTOkxD38zoOG.99

http://www.buzzfeed.com/tracyclayton/kerry-washington-will-be-the-9th-black-woman-to-host-snl-eve

Seven of the nine black women who have hosted "Saturday Night Live" hosted in the past decade. PLUS: Could Kenan Thompson be right (http://thinkprogress.org/alyssa/2013/10/16/2786691/kenan-thompson-snl/)?, and here are more funny black women (http://photos.essence.com/galleries/black-female-comedians-saturday-night-live-snl-kenan-thompson), and even more (http://www.afterellen.com/10-funny-black-women-who-would-rock-saturday-night-live/10/2013/).
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#lb2qEJP62mg3rR1a.99

Considering the amount of parodies and comedic impressions Saturday Night Live does of famous people, it probably makes sense to have talented comedic actors and actresses from as many backgrounds and races as possible.
However, at the same time, I also get tired of something getting denunciated as "racist" if there isn't a certain amount of characters of such and such race on the show. I don't really believe in affirmative action. I prefer hiring by whomever is the most talented- thus, an open casting call for men and women of all races and backgrounds. Now, I understand the point of having a specific casting call for a specific role that is necessarily intended to be a certain gender and certain race and certain age, etc.
But for SNL, it seems like open casting calls for all people would usually be the best route. Go with the most talented and let the chips fall where they fall. It really doesn't matter to me what race the people are.

Well, there's Debra Wilson, who was a force to be reckoned with on MAD TV but she seems to have slipped under the radar.

They probably should consider hiring more people of color, especially when it comes to their celebrity impersonations, but they need to consider the writing as well. The commercial spoofs and parodies can be hilarious but the original sketches for a while have been pretty flat and not that funny.

well that tears it - Keenan is just going to have to get a sex change.

http://www.salon.com/2013/10/18/snls_gender_equality_movement_left_black_women_out/

The women on the cast took over the show during Tina Fey's time, yet "Saturday Night Live" was still left with black men in drag playing black women. PLUS: Why are there so few black women (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/10/17/snl-s-kenan-thompson-and-the-invisible-black-women-of-comedy.html) in improv groups?
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#VyVOsg8S87BOstGo.99

SNL needs to get with the times.

http://www.salon.com/2013/10/23/snl_alum_jerry_minor_on_the_shows_diversity_issues_i_thought_it_would_be_a_lot_different_now/

"You have a white dude from Canada pushing 70, how much is he going to be in tune with what a person like me or yourself wants to do?" says Minor, a black comedian who was part of the cast in 2000 and 2001.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#EuMjTSJyXMY5iOx3.99

What does being white and from Canada and close to the age of 70 have to do with understanding people of different backgrounds or even people of the same background for that matter? It just takes some communication and peace, love and understanding.:) :cool:
God brings that about for numerous people of multiple backgrounds in the church as we are one in Christ.:cool:

Good answer.

Thanks.:) :cool:

http://t.co/zV4wQVvzOx

A diverse cast is an asset in a world where black females are a major part of popular culture.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#F8IxVEUeACZKBjOL.99

Lorne Michaels Responds To Lack of Black Women on "SNL", Says He's Sure "It Will Happen"
by DAVID BAUDER
11/01/13


Kerry Washington's turn as host of "Saturday Night Live" this week gives that television institution something it hasn't seen much lately: a black woman onstage trying to make people laugh.

The show's diversity has become an issue, pushed to the forefront by comments from the two black male cast members.



No black women are among the 16 repertory or featured players currently on the show. While Eddie Murphy, Garrett Morris, Chris Rock, Tim Meadows, Tracy Morgan and current cast members Kenan Thompson and Jay Pharoah have been major "SNL" players, the 137 people who have been cast members since the show started on NBC in 1975 include four black women.

The most recent, and most prominent, was biracial Maya Rudolph, who left in 2007.





Founding producer Lorne Michaels, who is still the show's top executive and generally keeps the casting process mysterious, said he's well aware of the issue and is on the lookout for black women as potential cast members.

"It's not like it's not a priority for us," he said in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday night. "It will happen. I'm sure it will happen."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/01/lorne-michaels-snl-black-women_n_4193644.html?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2013/11/03/snl-lacks-diversity-in-the-cast-and-in-the-writers-room/

As Soraya Nadia McDonald notes, "Mammy, Jezebel and big booty ghetto girl are our ball-and-chain. We can’t shake them."
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#j1Q3HqAMY1s10Txl.99

Kerry Washington showed what "SNL" was missing by not including black females (http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/kerry-washington-shows-snl-what-its-been-missing-20131103)
The "Scandal" star was a natural for the hosting gig, says Gwynne Watkins, who says Washington "managed to make a fierce argument for the inclusion of black women on SNL simply by being so damn good in every sketch. If her secret agenda was to show SNL viewers what they're missing, well. . . Olivia Pope, you've done it once again." PLUS: Did Washington fix "SNL"? (http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2013/11/did-kerry-washington-fix-snl/71198/), joking about diversity doesn't fix "SNL's" diversity problem (http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/11/03/saturday_night_live_and_race_kerry_washington_episode_is_funny_awkward_and.html), and "SNL" hit a season high (http://www.deadline.com/2013/11/snl-hits-season-high-in-households-with-kerry-washington-eminem/) with Washington.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#j1Q3HqAMY1s10Txl.99

i thought she did an awesome job as host, and other than the musical guest it was a great episode.


- although Keenan would have been better off doing a couple roles in drag because he didn't really have a lot of airtime overall.

http://jezebel.com/snl-doesnt-need-to-hire-a-black-woman-it-needs-to-h-1458998109

If Lorne Michaels doesn't hire a black female castmember, she'll "carry on her shoulders the justification of an entire social movement," says Lindy West. "Every dud of a punchline 'proves' that black women don't deserve to be there. Every success is a fluke, or the work of the writers. The exact same prejudice that has shut black women out of the SNL cast also predisposes ********s to dislike them." PLUS: Bobby Moynihan (http://www.eonline.com/news/477131/bobby-moynihan-on-kerry-washington-s-snl-sketch-lampooning-show-s-diversity-issue-it-had-to-be-addressed) says the diversity issue needed to be acknowledged.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#X1QXqIx9PYooHJPa.99

http://jezebel.com/snl-doesnt-need-to-hire-a-black-woman-it-needs-to-h-1458998109

If Lorne Michaels doesn't hire a black female castmember, she'll "carry on her shoulders the justification of an entire social movement," says Lindy West. "Every dud of a punchline 'proves' that black women don't deserve to be there. Every success is a fluke, or the work of the writers. The exact same prejudice that has shut black women out of the SNL cast also predisposes ********s to dislike them." PLUS: Bobby Moynihan (http://www.eonline.com/news/477131/bobby-moynihan-on-kerry-washington-s-snl-sketch-lampooning-show-s-diversity-issue-it-had-to-be-addressed) says the diversity issue needed to be acknowledged.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#X1QXqIx9PYooHJPa.99
Whoever wrote this dreck is asinine. Everbody knows SNL's writing is not that great and the actors are just performing the scripts as best they can. The writer wants to have it both ways and seems to perceive a built in excuse which really is not needed. As though the fate of the world and the weight of the world is on the shoulders of any woman of color cast. Horsefeathers. They will fit right into the cast and do just fine just like always with people of any race or sex. I just wish SNL would hire funny writers, I don't know what race or sex the current writers are, just that their work is not that great. Just give me a good show and leave all this political agenda out of it.

Here Are The Black Female Performers Testing for NBC’s "Saturday Night Live"
by NELLIE ANDREEVA
December 12, 2013


One of these women could follow in the footsteps of Maya Rudolph and become the first black female "Saturday Night Live" cast member in five years.

No one is talking, but I have compiled the names of nine young performers rumored to potentially take the SNL stage on Monday to vie for a featured player spot on the venerable NBC sketch comedy show.



SNL chief Lorne Michaels told The New York Times today that he plans to audition 7-8 women. The in-studio test follows preliminary auditions, including one held in Los Angeles, where some 25 hopefuls we seen.

Michaels also told NYT that the show plans to add one black female cast member in January, with a slight chance of a second one.





Here are the names I’m hearing as being on the short list for the Monday test:

Bresha Webb, whose photo from the Los Angeles audition posted online brought to light SNL‘s casting plans

Improv player Tanisha Long

Cast member of MTV’s "Girl Code"; Misty Monroe, who comes out of Groundlings

Gabrielle Dennis, who recurred on BET’s "The Game"

Amber Ruffin, member of Boom Chicago, an Amsterdam-based sketch group

Actress-comedian Leslie Jones

UCB Theatre performers Sasheer Zamata, whose name had been floated as a suitable SNL candidate before, and Natasha Rothwell, who previously won an NBC Universal Diversity Scholarship; as well as Briana KC

http://www.deadline.com/2013/12/here-are-the-black-female-performers-testing-for-nbcs-saturday-night-live/

Wouldn't it be great if they all get in?

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-snl-black-token-syndrome-20131213,0,6261280.story

Shows like "Girls" and "Friends" had to deal with some awkwardness when, under pressure, they added a black character.

Sasheer Zamata Joins "Saturday Night Live" as New Cast Member
by NELLIE ANDREEVA
Monday January 6, 2014


Three years after she graduated from the University of Virginia, Sasheer Zamata is landing a very big break — the young comedy performer has been selected to join "Saturday Night Live" as a new cast member.

Zamata will make her debut on the venerable NBC late-night sketch comedy series on its next live show slated for January 18 with Drake as host and musical guest.



Zamata, who trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York, becomes the first black female "Saturday Night Live" cast member in five years since the departure of Maya Rudolph.

The lack of female black performers on the show stirred a debate last fall while SNL boss Lorne Michaels had been quietly conducting a talent search. Several dozen actresses were seen in multiple cities.



Zamata, whose name had been floated as a suitable SNL candidate before, was among 12 who received callbacks and were invited to test on the SNL stage on December 16.

She will now be a featured player on the show that has launched the careers of a slew of young comedians.

http://www.deadline.com/2014/01/saturday-night-live-adds-sasheer-zamata-black-cast-member/

while it is good news that they have finally added a black female to the cast, i think that the point made about adding two black females is a good one - what if one of them doesn't work out, or maybe they get lucky and they both DO work out and it makes the show better.

http://entertainment.time.com/2014/01/06/snl-diversifies-its-cast-now-to-diversify-its-characters/

That's how "SNL" can achieve real diversity with the hiring of Sasheer Zamata, says James Poniewozik. "hat will make Zamata's hire worthwhile, for her and for the show, is making sure that she gets written great, memorable characters who aren't black female celebrities as well," he says. "It's the difference between being an African American woman SNL star (a funny performer who is black and female) and being the African American woman SNL star (a performer who's specifically there to be black and female)."
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#6MFvCt7fr5RbBZAy.99

She is beautiful. I hope she succeeds.

http://entertainment.time.com/2014/01/06/snl-diversifies-its-cast-now-to-diversify-its-characters/

That's how "SNL" can achieve real diversity with the hiring of Sasheer Zamata, says James Poniewozik. "hat will make Zamata's hire worthwhile, for her and for the show, is making sure that she gets written great, memorable characters who aren't black female celebrities as well," he says. "It's the difference between being an African American woman SNL star (a funny performer who is black and female) and being the African American woman SNL star (a performer who's specifically there to be black and female)."
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#6MFvCt7fr5RbBZAy.99
i don't know - Maya Rudolph did a lot of celebrity impressions, but she usually had her own unique way of playing it up to such a ridiculous level that it was just hilarious. She did a lot of "generic housewife" roles, but she was usually good in those too. I don't really remember her having too many characters of her own - other than her caricatures of celebrities that she was so great at.

i think the real question is whether the writers will actually give the new girl anything good to work with - but that applies to the rest of the cast as well.

http://variety.com/2014/tv/opinion/diversity-done-wrong-how-snl-mishandled-casting-a-black-woman-1201032012/

Lorne Michaels made a spectacle of his diversity efforts by creating a "false urgency" to hire a black female, says Andrew Wallenstein. "The minute the show threw open its doors to the process–another rarity–this became a spectacle," he says. "It wasn't just that 'SNL' wanted to right a wrong; it wanted to be seen as righting a wrong." PLUS: "SNL" doesn't deserve praise (http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/01/snl_hires_black_female_comedian_show_doesn_t_deserve_praise_for_doing_the.html?) for doing the right thing.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#pQPA1SZrO5EpFZP8.99

"Saturday Night Live" Adds Two Black Female Staff Writers
by NELLIE ANDREEVA
Wednesday January 8, 2014


The talent search, which led to Saturday Night Live appointing Sasheer Zamata yesterday as the first black female cast member in five years, also has resulted in two staff writer hires on the veteran NBC late-night show.

Leslie Jones, who was one of the 12 finalists invited to audition on the SNL stage and was in serious contention for the cast spot, is joining the show as a writer, joined by LaKendra Tookes.

They are additions to the staff; none of the existing scribes are leaving.

http://www.deadline.com/2014/01/saturday-night-live-adds-two-black-female-staff-writers/

http://time.com/88130/snls-leslie-jones-uses-slavery-to-make-a-point-about-being-black-and-beautiful/

Jones made a very good point about being black and beautiful, says Roxane Gay, who adds: "I have watched the clip several times now. Beyond the surface of the joke, I see pain. I see rage. I see a woman speaking her truth.” PLUS: Jones is guilty of not being funny (http://flavorwire.com/455512/leslie-jones-snl-monologue-wasnt-funny-but-it-wasnt-offensive-either), Jones' skit could’ve been brilliant (http://thegrio.com/2014/05/05/leslie-jones-snl-skit-slave/), and the problem is it feels like the skit panders to a white audience (http://www.thewire.com/politics/2014/05/the-white-audience-is-the-worst-part-of-the-leslie-jones-snl-slavery-skit/361755/) at the expense of black people.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle/3#3I5WoPY1yE7GpFQY.99