SNL Holds 'Secret' Audition Just for Black Female Comedians

Last week, a select group of talented and funny black women were invited to the Groundlings theater in Los Angeles for a “secret,” last minute audition for a spot on the cast of Saturday Night Live. Apparently, SNL is not only “ready” for a female cast member, they’re actively looking for one.

The “secret” audition (secret is in quotes because, like, it was on Gothamist. And on Twitter. And on Instagram. And some other places on the internet.) was set up by a “source inside SNL” and women who were invited were only given two days’ notice, invitee Bresha Webb told Jasmine Brand. Here’s invitee Tiffany Haddish performing stand up:

Simone Shepherd (omg her Beyonce impression) was also in attendance.

And here is Bresha Webb and Simone Shepherd in a sketch about the Super Bowl blackout:

Also invited to audition were Gabrielle Dennis, Beth Payne, Lekendra Tookes, Azie Dungey, Amber Ruffin, Darmirra Brunson, Nicole Byer, and Misty Monroe. Pretty talented, gorgeous bunch.

The women invited to audition come from a mix of stand up and improv backgrounds. Some have web series (Azie Mira Dungey, for example, stars in “Ask A Slave”), others are big on Vine. And all of them would be 10000000% more fit to play Michelle Obama in sketches than Keenan Thompson.