After Ego Nwodim departed SNL, Sherri Shepherd called out the lack of diversity in the late-night sketch comedy show’s Season 51 premiere on her own daytime talk show, urging them to hire a Black comic for the cast. She called it an “emergency.”
Here’s what Sherri Shepherd said about SNL needing a Black woman after Ego Nwodim’s departure.
Sherri Shepherd asks SNL to cast a Black woman following Ego Nwodim’s departure
Sherri Shepherd was quick to notice the lack of diversity in the premiere episode of SNL Season 51. Ego Nwodim’s departure left the episode with no Black women. Though the show hired five new cast members — Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson, and Veronika Slowikowska — Nwodim’s exit came after the new casting. This left little diversity in the group.
Addressing this, Sherri Shepherd said, “When I watched Saturday Night Live this weekend, I did notice something was missing: Ego Nwodim left the show. She was their only Black female cast member, so now there are no Black women on SNL. 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 is an emergency.”
She repeatedly emphasized that SNL was the kind of show that needed diversity. “We gotta have representation on that show,” she added. She went on to recall the lack of diversity in the show from earlier years. Shepherd pointed out that the show often lacked enough Black cast members to portray real-life figures. She recalled, “When I cohosted The View, there was no Black woman on the show to play me… There was no Black woman to even play Whoopi [Goldberg] — Kenan Thompson would play Whoopi at the table when they spoofed us!”
Shepherd acknowledged that Nwodim’s departure was a big blow, and it might be difficult to find a replacement right away. But she emphasized that there were a lot of talented people out there, and SNL should continue its search for someone to replace Nwodim. “SNL, do not disappoint us. You are charged!” she added.
Hopefully, SNL will address this soon.
Originally reported by Sourav Chakraborty on ComingSoon.
