Do you have a favorite player or sketch from Saturday Night Live? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The late-night sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live has been bringing laughter to our weekends with hysterical parodies and celebrity impressions for 50 years. The show started out as a whacky collection of satirical sketches from a scrappy group of unknown white comedians in 1975. Black players, like the show’s firsts, comedian Eddie Murphy, and bit player Yvonne Hudson, both introduced in 1980, found themselves working mainly as stereotypical characters, even using the N-word at times. Making matters worse, Black female cast members were noticeably missing, causing backlash from fans and forcing the show to change with the times.
What hasn’t changed is the show’s irreverence, meaning it will “go there,” whether it’s race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, anatomy, politics, pop culture and crude language—to the delight of many and the distaste of many. Some older sketches have aged better than others. Some newer ones hit better than others. But the players’ talents transcend the material.
The SNL stage has catapulted many Black comedians into the national spotlight. Many have gone on to become household names, namely cast members Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, Kenan Thompson (the longest running cast member) and Damon Wayans (who’s “Two Snaps Up” character from “In Living Color” was born on SNL). But what about the sisters? How many Black female cast members have made their mark on Studio 8H? Leslie Jones, my friend in my head, immediately comes to mind, of course. And there’s Yvonne Hudson and a few others (some readers will remember, and some will be schooled today).
Here’s the rundown on all of the Black women who were crowned funny enough to snag a spot on the SNL cast or as a featured player, along with, according to me, their funniest sketches.
Ego Nwodim
Formerly of Los Angeles’ Upright Citizens Brigade improv comedy group and the creator of her 2018 one-woman show “Great Black Women and Then There's Me.” Nwodim is the only Black female cast member on the show today.
Hometown Baltimore, MD
Years Active Featured player 2018 to 2024. Cast member Sept 2024 to present
Best Known Characters Her “dead on” Dionne Warwick impression and the incredibly rude Lisa from Temecula
Funniest Sketch “Lisa from Temecula, Cook My Meat” with Pedro Pascal and Punkie Johnson. Lisa (Nwodim) is out to dinner with her sister’s friends but disrupts the entire dinner with her inconsiderate ways.
Other Projects Her podcast, Thanks Dad (2024), Peacock’s Mr. Throwback (2024), and featured roles on Law & Order: True Crime (2017), 2 Broke Girls, K.C. Undercover and more
Punkie Johnson
Johnson’s first job in comedy was waitressing at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles before finding her way on stage as a comic. A SNL featured player, she left the show in August 2024 after deciding sketch comedy wasn’t for her.
Hometown New Orleans
Years Active Featured player 2020 - 2024
Best Known Characters Playing herself, a proud gay woman, on the news segment, “Weekend Update”
Funniest Sketch Angel Reese on “Weekend Update.” Johnson plays the WNBA star with unapologetic swagger.
Other Projects Bottoms (2023) and HBO Max’s Love Life, featured roles on HBO’s Black Lady Sketch Show, Adam Ruins Everything, Netflix’s Space Force and CBS’ Ghosts.
Sasheer Zamata
A former member of New York’s Upright Citizen’s Brigade improv comedy troupe, Zamata caught SNL’s attention while performing stand up around New York City.
Hometown Indianapolis
Years Active Featured player 2014 - 2017
Best Known Character Her snarky Michelle Obama impression
Funniest Sketch “The Bachelorette” with Chris Pine. Zamata is Rachel Lindsay, the Black bachelorette, meeting the awkward bachelors for the first time.
Other Projects ABC’s Home Economics, Hulu’s Woke, Comedy Central’s Robbie, the horror comedy film Spree, Lionsgate’s comedy The Weekend, her stand up special Pizza Mind streaming now online and Best Friends, a podcast with comedian Nicole Byer.
Leslie Jones
Hired at age 47, Jones is the oldest comedian to join the SNL cast. Coming from the LA stand-up comedy scene, Jones started on SNL as a writer and was promoted to cast member the same year.
Hometown Born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Grew up in Los Angeles
Years Active 2014 - 2019
Best Known Characters Her high energy commentary as herself on “Weekend Update.”
Funniest Sketch “Etiquette Lessons” with Emma Thompson, where Jones portrays Meghan Markle’s ghetto cousin Shantay learning to take afternoon tea
Other Projects Leslie Jones: Time Machine (Netflix, 2020), Our Flag Means Death (HBO Max, 2022), The Daily Show guest host (Comedy Central, 2024), Coming 2 America (2021), Ghostbusters (2016) and her autobiography Leslie F*cking Jones.
Maya Rudolph
The singer, actress and comedian came to SNL from the sketch comedy troupe, The Groundlings. She will return this season to reprise her impression of presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
Years Active 2000 – 2007, 2024
Hometown Born in Gainesville, Florida, raised in Los Angeles.
Best Known Characters Fun Aunty Kamala Harris and the always serious Beyonce Knowles Carter. A talented singer (and daughter of the late Minnie Riperton), Rudolph can hit Beyonce’s famous notes.
Funniest Sketch “Celebrities Visit Blue Ivy.” Beyonce and Jay Z introduce their firstborn daughter Blue Ivy to Prince, Nikki Minaj and Taylor Swift.
Other Projects Executive producer and actor on Loot (2025) for Apple TV+ where she also has a first look deal. Bridesmaids (2011), Grown Ups (2010) Grown Ups 2 (2013)
Ellen Cleghorne
Stand-up comedian and the second Black female full cast member, Cleghorne left SNL for her own show on the WB, “Cleghorne!” (1995), which lasted one season.
Years Active 1991 - 1995
Hometown Brooklyn, NY
Best Known Character Super enthusiastic NBC employee Zoraida
Funniest Sketch Zoraida with Joe Pesci, De Niro and Scorsese. Zoraida mercilessly harasses actor Joe Pesci.
Other Projects That Damn Michael Che (2021), Armageddon (1998) Coyote Ugly (2000) and Cleghorne! (1995). She earned a doctorate from NYU and is now a professor teaching acting and comedy theory.
Danitra Vance
SNL’s first Black female comedian and full cast member. She was one of the first lesbian players on the show and was also a trained Shakespearian actor. Vance passed away from cancer in 1994.
Years Active 1985 - 1986
Hometown Chicago
Best Known Characters “Cabrini Green Harlem Watts Jackson,” a stereotypical single mother in the drug-infested neighborhood.
Funniest Sketch “Shakespeare in the Slums,” where classically-trained actress Flotilla Williams (Vance) interprets the famous Romeo and Juliet balcony scene from a fire escape.
Other Projects The War of the Roses (1989) Sticky Fingers (1988), Limit Up (1990), Jumpin' at the Boneyard (1992), and the play Spunk by George C. Wolfe (NY, 1990).
Yvonne Hudson
The first Black female featured player on the SNL cast. Hudson began working at the show as the receptionist and, because there were no Black women in the cast, occasionally worked as an extra before briefly becoming a cast member.
Years Active Cast member, 1980-1981. She continued to play bit parts after1981.
Hometown New York City
Best Known Character Uppity Trish Conklin, married to equally uppity Stan Conklin (Garrett Morris)
Funniest Sketch “Bad Clams” with Garrett Morris and late iconic comedian Gilda Radner. A bizarre talk show parody where a Black Couple force celebrity guests to eat spoiled clams.
Other Projects She has no other acting credits other than SNL and has apparently left show business.
Do you have a favorite player or sketch from Saturday Night Live? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
