Sherri Shepherd urges SNL to add a Black woman after Nwodim exit

Sherri Shepherd on Monday urged Saturday Night Live to quickly add a Black woman to its cast after the departure of Ego Nwodim left the long-running sketch show without any Black female performers ahead of Season 51. Shepherd made the appeal on her daytime talk show, saying the vacancy is an urgent matter for a program that frequently parodies public figures and relies on a diverse cast to reflect the audience it mocks and serves.

Nwodim, a repertory player who had been with the show for seven seasons, announced her exit in September and thanked creator Lorne Michaels, the cast and crew. In her statement she wrote, "The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight," and said she would carry the experience and laughter with her. Her departure came after new casting for Season 51 was finalized, leaving the premiere episode without a Black woman in the cast despite a group of new hires.

"Y'all gotta hurry up and you gotta find somebody. This is a break glass moment in case of emergency," Shepherd said. She emphasized the cultural and personal importance of representation on a show that regularly portrays public figures, recalling that in past seasons male cast...