The cast of Saturday Night Live proved they are willing to poke fun at themselves this week, with a cold open sketch that forced Kerry Washington to make up for the show’s lack of a black female cast member.
The Scandal star took on the roles of First Lady Michelle Obama and even Oprah in the same segment, openly teasing fellow cast member Kenan Thompson for his refusal to dress in drag to play women.
The show has taken heat in recent weeks after introducing six new players to the cast, reinforcing the abundance of white men. The cast does not include a single black woman.
The last black female cast member, Maya Rudolph, left in 2007, more than a year before the Obamas moved into the White House, and leaving the show routinely unable to capture the First Family’s presence.
Rev. Al Sharpton joined the sketch too, to help audience members figure out what lessons they could glean from the comedy.
Watch the clip below.
Morgan Whitaker