Dana Edelson/NBCKenan Thompson is opening up about the lack of diversity on Saturday Night Live, namely, the fact that the hit TV sketch show hasn't featured a black female castmember since Maya Rudolph left six years ago.
Speaking to TV Guide, Thompson was asked what the show would do if they needed to impersonate a black female celebrity in one of their future sketches.
"I don't know," he said. "We just haven't done them. That's what I'm saying. Maybe [Jay Pharaoh] will do it or something, but even he doesn't really want to do it."
So it doesn't sound like Thompson, who's portrayed female characters on SNL in the past, won't be cross-dressing any more for your entertainment.
As for why there aren't currently any black female comedians on the show, he added, "It's just a tough part of the business. Like in auditions, they just never find ones that are ready."
Before their current 39th season began airing last month, SNL added six new featured players (Brooks Wheelan, Mike O'Brien, Noël Wells, Kyle Mooney, John Milhiser and Beck Bennet) who are all white. "They're all contributing in different ways I think," Thompson told TV Guide of the newbies. "They've been doing great job so far. They're all very, very smart and talented, so that's how it is. That's the kind of people I guess that get the job."
Jay Pharoah, Thompson's fellow black funnyman on the show, recently shared his top pick for a black female castmember. "They need to pay attention," Pharoah told theGrio. "Her name is Darmirra Brunson...Why do I think she should be on the show? Because she's black first of all, and she's really talented. She's amazing. She needs to be on SNL. I said it. And I believe they need to follow up with it like they said they were going to do last year."
Funny enough, one of TV top black actresses, Kerry Washington, will be heading to SNL very soon. It was announced earlier this week that the Scandal star will be hosting on Nov. 5. Additionally, singer Janelle Monae will perform as the musical act during SNL's Oct. 26 show.