Why the night is black?

Why was there such a big uproar about Saturday Night Live lacking a black female cast member?

• There were already two black men on the show, out of sixteen total, which is similar to the percentage of the American population that is black. Latinos are a significantly larger minority, and there are still no Latinos on the show. If the show is supposed to perfectly reflect American demographics, shouldn't they kick off Nasim Pedrad, since Iranians and Middle Easterners are too small of a minority? I just don't see how it makes sense.

• Answer:

  Black women have spent a long, long time as objects of humor in American pop culture, but not nearly enough time as subjects and creators of pop culture, especially of humor. Maybe the tipping point has just been reached: in a diverse America and a city like New York that has a hugely diverse population and a well-developed comedy community SNL hadn't been able to find a funny black comedian? Really? Because that smacks of not having tried. And yet another season of white people is just really fucking boring. I think even white people are getting tired of homogenous media by, for, and composed of white people. More: black women are a part of our culture. Black women can be funny and creative as creators and protagonists, not just the butt if the jokes, the sidekicks, or the subjects of sad dramas. A black woman is First Lady, but SNL doesn't have a black female in its cast and hasn't for how many seasons? Black women deserve representation. Black women deserve more representation than just one cast member, but this is a start. edit: Please read 's comments on men in drag portraying black women and women in brownface portraying characters on SNL in the comments. I hope Monika writes her own answer for this question, but in the mean time please read her comments.