Saturday Night Live is an American television institution, running on NBC for 32 years. Legends like John Belushi, Bill Murray and Eddie Murphy cut their teeth on it and recent alumni like Mike Meyers and Will Ferrell are now top box office draws. I’ve always loved it, but something recently occurred to me. When was the last time we saw a regular black female cast member on NBC’s weekly laugh fest?
Current popular regular cast member Maya Rudolph is bi-racial – her father is white, her mother black. She’s does Oprah perfectly and a wickedly, wacky version of fashion designer Donatella Versace. Rudolph joined SNL as a featured player in 1999.
We must go all the way back to the 90’s for a black woman featured regularly. Ellen Cleghorne was hired by producers after seeing her in episodes of In Living Color. In 1991, she joined SNL, then left for her own sitcom on the WB four years later.
From 1985-1986, Danitra Vance was on SNL. Before her Yvonne Hudson became the first black woman to become a cast member or featured player. Hudson joined up in 1980 and lasted a year. SNL deals in terms like “featured player” or “featured extra” – considering things like screen time and salary I imagine. Whatever their official status, this fact remains:
In 32 years, there have been only 3 black female members of SNL.
How do black men fare?
Garrett Morris, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Tim Meadows, Tracey Morgan, Finesse Mitchell and Kenan Thompson.
Black men are hired at SNL at double that of black women – with Murphy and Rock attaining super stardom.
I’ll be clear. I’m not accusing producer Lorne Michaels of racism nor sexism. I’m not accusing anyone connected with SNL with anything other than perhaps a lack of comic vision. Comedy should be one thing: Funny. But can a national comedy show be fully representative of a nation as culturally diverse as ours without more of a balanced racial mix?
My SNL candidates:
Wanda Sykes
Wanda is regularly employed now and doing well. She’s a cast member on the CBS hit The New Adventures Of Old Christine with Julia Louis Dreyfus. She can also be seen in the hit film Evan Almighty. Sykes may not need the work, but I’d love to see her shake up the placid SNL scene with her exceptionally acerbic wit.
Debra Wilson
Debra is one of my all time favorite performers on MAD-TV. Her Oprah is only eclipsed by her Whitney Houston impersonation. Wilson’s original characters like Bunifa Latifah Halifa Sharifa Jackson or in Reality Check as Tovah McQueen with Arie Spears was instant classic TV sketch comedy. Debra is such a strong presence in everything she does and she’s not attached to anything currently. Please, Lorne Michaels, consider Debra Wilson!
Sherri Shepherd
She’s been most visibly seen as a cop in Everybody Loves Raymond. Interestingly enough, she was also a cast member on Ellen Cleghorne’s WB sitcom. Shepherd has hosted The View a few times and her no holds barred demeanor and quick comebacks are a natural for SNL’s improv like environment. Currently, she can be seen in the summer blockbuster Transformers, produced by Steven Spielberg.
Mo’nique
Monique is unique. She’s a brassy Queen of Comedy, most known for the sitcom The Parkers. Monique doesn’t apologize for her larger size and isn’t afraid to admit it for a moment by writing cookbooks and celebrating it in such flicks as Fat Girls. SNL would be more than lucky to have her comedic charms around for a season or two.
