‘SNL’ Holds Auditions For Black Female Cast Hopefuls At Groundlings

‘SNL’ Holds Auditions For Black Female Cast Hopefuls At Groundlings

NBC late night show Saturday Night Live held an audition of African-American comediennes at The Groundlings in Los Angeles this month. SNL holds showcase/auditions for potential new talent with some regularity in various locations. But this one attracted more media attention than usual because it was set up for black female hopefuls. It took place a few months after the NBC late night series announced its lineup of newbies, and:

a) TV critics noticed the list included no African-American women and noted the fact, adding that the show had not had a black female cast member for six years,  and

b) two black male cast members talked about that. Specifically, Jay Pharoah told web site The Grio he hoped the show would add a black woman, “like they said they were going to do last year, ” and Kenan Thompson told TV Guide the problem is “they never find ones [black comediennes] that are ready.”

One of the women who participated in the December 1 audition, Bresha Webb (Love That Girl) told blogger Jasmine Brand yesterday she’d had the opportunity to audition for SNL last summer, but it conflicted with her schedule on TV One’s Love That Girl.

“We were just happy that some new black women in comedy were being considered and given a shot. We even held hands, prayed after the showcase,” she is quoted as saying; her interview was  accompanied by a photo of about a dozen African American women together backstage.”

We’ve reached out to Michaels for comment.

Earlier this month, exec producer Lorne Michaels addressed the controversy when Kerry Washington guest hosted, having her play FLOTUS, Oprah, and Beyonce â€" all in one, cold-open sketch set at the White House, though she didn’t actually deliver any FLOTUS, Oprah, or Beyonce humor â€" it was all about SNL itself, with Washington running on and off stage to play all those parts, because â€" to recap â€" the show once again is starting a new season without a black female cast member, and Thompson is no longer doing drag.

“The producers at Saturday Night Live would like to apologize to Kerry Washington for the number of black women she will be asked to play tonight,” Voiceover Guy said as Washington ran on and off stage changing costumes. “We make these requests both because Ms. Washington is an actress of considerable range and talent â€" and also because SNL does not currently have a black woman on the cast. As for the latter reason, we agree this is not an ideal situation and look forward to rectifying it in the near future, unless, of course, we fall in love with another white guy first.”

Earlier this season, the show’s season debut devoted an entire sketch to the subject in which Thompson played host of a game show called New Cast Member or Arcade Fire, with that week’s guest host, Tina Fey playing a competitor tying to guess, for every couple trotted out, which was the new SNL cast member and which a member of that week’s musi act. When the last couple stumped her, Michaels was brought onstage  and, unable to pinpoint which was his new hire, he looked pointedly at Thompson and picked him, snarking, “Is it the black one?” to which Thompson made no response.

Deadline.com