Sasheer Zamata became the most famous performer on Saturday Night Live yesterday when the show announced her addition to the cast.
Zamata was hired after two of SNL’s black comedians, Kenan Thompson and Jay Pharoah, declared they would no longer accommodate the sketch-comedy show’s lack of black women by getting in a dress. Thompson and Pharoah’s comments instigated a much-needed media blitz against Lorne Michaels for only featuring four African-American comediennes during the entirey of SNL’s near four-decade run.
Zamata will be the first black woman castmember to join the cast in six years. She has been a regular performer at Upright Citizens Brigade and has appeared on Inside Amy Schumer and Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell.
She will make her debut on January 18 during an episode hosted by the rapper Drake. We’ll be rooting for her.