Finally! SNL’s Newest Cast Member Is a Black Woman

Kenan Thompson said something dumb. We all responded. And Saturday Night Live listened. Yay for democracy. Suggested Reading Post #3 6-18-2025 Post #2 6-18-2025 Post #1 6-16-2025 Video will return here when scrolled back into view To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Deadline…

Kenan Thompson said something dumb. We all responded. And Saturday Night Live listened. Yay for democracy.

Video will return here when scrolled back into view

Deadline reports that Sasheer Zamata will join SNL as its newest cast member. She'll be the first black female cast member on the show since Maya Rudolph left five years ago.

Zamata, who first made a name for herself with her YouTube video "Shasheer Meets Her Flasher," was one of several comedians invited to a secret audition for black women only, which SNL held last month. The outreach was in response to criticism that the show's producers consistently overlooked talented black-girl comedians.

This ain't a bad gig for a semirecent college graduate to land. Zamata trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York and graduated from the University of Virginia three years ago. She'll make her debut on SNL's next live show on Jan. 18, when Drake will be the host and musical guest.

And of course, the Internet is very happy:

If you want to see what's hot on black Twitter, check out The Chatterati.Akoto Ofori-Atta is the editor of The Grapevine. Like her Facebook page and follow her on Twitter. 

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