In addition to adding Sasheer Zamata[1] to its cast, Saturday Night Live[2] has hired two new black female writers. According to The Hollywood Reporter[3] , LaKendra Tookes[4] and Leslie Jones[5] will start work on the sketch show on Monday.
Both comedians were discovered during the recent auditions Lorne Michaels[6] held in response to criticism of the show's lack of diversity.
Jones is a stand-up comedian who was a finalist for the spot eventually given to Zamata. She has guest-starred on The League [8] , Sullivan & Son [9] , and has written and appeared on Def Comedy Jam and 1st Amendment Stand Up.
Tookes is a former news reporter-turned-actress-comedian. Watch her impressive character reel below, featuring impressions of Oprah[10] , Chris Rock[11] , NeNe Leakes[12] and Michael McDonald[13] .
As of now, there are no plans to have Tookes or Jones appear on screen, but it's not an uncommon trajectory for writers on the series.Tina Fey[14] , Jason Sudeikis[15] , John Mulaney[16] and most recently Mike O'Brien[17] all began in the writers' room.
With the addition of Tookes, Jones and Zamata, it seems as though Michaels is taking the diversity criticism very seriously. The series added six new cast members this fall, all of whom are white and only one of whom, Noel Wells[18] , is a woman. In an interview with TVGuide.com in October, cast member Kenan Thompson[19] blamed the lack of a black female comedian[20] on the show for seven years on the fact that "in auditions, they just never find ones that are ready."
Bobby Moynihan praises new SNL cast member Sasheer Zamata[21]
When asked whether the series was going to add a second new cast member this season as Michaels previously hinted, cast memberBobby Moynihan[22] told TVGuide.com[23] that he's as in the dark as us. "I found out about Sasheer about 10 minutes before the world found out. So, they don't tell me anything," he said. "As far as casting and all that stuff, sometimes I just show up and they're like, 'These are your new coworkers,' and I'm like, 'Oh, neat!'"
SNL returns Jan. 18 at 11:30/10:30c on NBC.
View original Saturday Night Live Adds Two Black Female Writers at TVGuide.com[24] [25]
Other Links From TVGuide.com
View the original article on TVGuide.com[26]
References
- ^ Sasheer Zamata (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ Saturday Night Live (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ The Hollywood Reporter (www.hollywoodreporter.com)
- ^ LaKendra Tookes (www.seattlepi.com)
- ^ Leslie Jones (www.seattlepi.com)
- ^ Lorne Michaels (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ SNL adds Sasheer Zamata (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ The League (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ Sullivan & Son (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ Oprah (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ Chris Rock (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ NeNe Leakes (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ Michael McDonald (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ Tina Fey (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ Jason Sudeikis (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ John Mulaney (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ Mike O'Brien (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ Noel Wells (www.seattlepi.com)
- ^ Kenan Thompson (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ the lack of a black female comedian (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ Bobby Moynihan praises new SNL cast member Sasheer Zamata (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ Bobby Moynihan (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ told TVGuide.com (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ Saturday Night Live Adds Two Black Female Writers (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ TVGuide.com (www.tvguide.com)
- ^ View the original article on TVGuide.com (www.tvguide.com)
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