Sherri Shepherd has urged Saturday Night Live to hire another Black woman after the exit of long-time cast member Ego Nwodim, who was the iconic sketch show‘s only Black female cast member.
On Monday’s (October 6) episode of Sherri, the daytime talk show host told her audience she watched SNL this weekend and noticed “something was missing,” pointing out how Nwodim was no longer part of the show.
“And she was their only Black female cast member, so now there are no Black women on SNL,” Shepherd continued. “So what do I say to SNL? Y’all gotta hurry up, and you gotta find somebody — this is a break glass in case of an emergency. It’s so important. We got to have representation on that show.”
Shepherd recalled how, when she was co-hosting The View from 2007 to 2014, SNL didn’t have any Black women on the cast, so when they spoofed the ABC talk show, Kenan Thompson would play Whoopi Goldberg.
“There was no Black woman to play me,” she said, adding with a laugh, “They had the nerve when Tracy Morgan guest-hosted, Tracy played me.”
She added, “So, SNL I’m trying to understand, I know Ego’s just leaving, [and you’re] trying to get your bearings, but you got to replace Ego. I don’t like hearing, ‘We can’t find anybody’… There are lots of talented Black female comics that you can cast on SNL.”
“If you go to any comedy club or improv place, they are out there waiting for this opportunity,” she stated. Shepherd even name-checked some potential replacements, including Tacarra Williams, B-Phlat, and Yamaneika Saunders.
Nwodim announced her departure from the long-running variety series back in September. She was one of several stars to leave ahead of Season 51, alongside Heidi Gardner, Devon Walker, Emil Wakim, and Michael Longfellow. Writers Celeste Yim and Rosebud Baker also confirmed their exit from the series.
“The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight,” Nwodim said at the time. “Week after week on that stage taught me more than I could have ever imagined, and I will carry those memories, and that laughter, with me always.”
Saturday Night Live, Season 51, Saturdays, 11:30/10:30c, NBC