Sherri Shepherd urges ‘SNL’ to cast a Black woman: ‘I don’t like hearing … “We can’t find anyone”‘

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Sherri Shepherd publicly called on “Saturday Night Live” to hire a new Black female cast member, following the departure of Ego Nwodim, who was the only Black woman on the show.

During a recent broadcast of her talk show, Shepherd mentioned that Ego Nwodim had departed from ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Shepherd pointed out that Nwodim was the only Black woman in the show’s cast, meaning ‘SNL’ currently has no Black female performers.

Television

Following a hugely successful 50th season, “Saturday Night Live” is adding five new cast members to replace those who have recently left the show.

We need to act fast and find someone to help – this is a critical situation. It’s a real emergency,” she explained.

In its 50-year history, “Saturday Night Live” has featured only eight Black women as cast members: Yvonne Hudson, Danitra Vance, Ellen Cleghorne, Maya Rudolph, Sasheer Zamata, Leslie Jones, Punkie Johnson, and Ego Nwodim.

Just before Season 51 began on October 4th, and following the announcement of new cast members in early September, Sarah Sherman announced she was leaving ‘Saturday Night Live.’ This marks the first time since 2013 that the show has started a season without a Black woman as a cast member.

From 2007, when Rudolph departed, until Zamata joined in 2014, the show went seven years without having a Black woman as a cast member.

Awards

I’m a huge fan of Yang on SNL! He’s quickly become a favorite, and it’s so well-deserved. He’s amazing at creating these totally unexpected and hilarious moments that everyone shares online – it’s no surprise he’s been nominated for an Emmy four times now!

Between 2020 and 2024, the show featured two Black women cast members, Chloe Fineman and Ego Nwodim. However, Ego Nwodim departed the show in 2024.

The show has a reputation for being incredibly difficult for comedians, and many former cast members have talked about the challenges it presents. Just before the show premiered, during a cast farewell event, Johnson shared her own experiences with the intense pressure she felt while working on it with People magazine.

Johnson believes his experiences have prepared him for any challenge, even in a tough place like Hollywood. He feels he’s overcome so much that nothing can really faze him anymore, and that those experiences actually made him a stronger person mentally.

Even though many cast members reportedly experience digestive issues from working on “Saturday Night Live,” the show has launched the careers of comedians like Maya Rudolph and Jon Jones. Actress Amanda Seyfried suggested several performers who she thinks are talented and deserve a look from producer Lorne Michaels.

Television

Returning for its 51st season on Saturday, ‘Saturday Night Live’ has often been criticized by President Trump, who has repeatedly expressed his dislike for the show.

Honestly, one of the most frustrating things I hear in this industry is when someone says they just couldn’t find any talent. It’s so discouraging! Luckily, I was able to give the thumbs-up to a few comedians recently – even one of the people who works with me, which is always great to see.

Tacarra Williams, B-Phlat and Yamaneika Saunders.

I’ve had many hilarious guests on my show, including three women who were particularly funny. My comedy producer, Robin Montague, is another one – she’s a true comedy legend and always keeps everyone laughing.

Your move, Michaels.

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2025-10-08 22:02