The daytime TV host recalled being erased from &34;The View&34; sketches on &34;Saturday Night Live&34; because there was &34;no Black woman on the show to play

The daytime TV host recalled being erased from "The View" sketches on "Saturday Night Live" because there was "no Black woman on the show to play me."

Sherri Shepherd urges SNL to cast another Black woman after Ego Nwodim's exit: 'It is an emergency'

The daytime TV host recalled being erased from "The View" sketches on "Saturday Night Live" because there was "no Black woman on the show to play me."

By Emlyn Travis

Emlyn Travis is a news writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2022. Her work has previously appeared on MTV News, Teen Vogue, and *NME*.

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October 6, 2025 4:29 p.m. ET

Sherri Shepherd attends Tyler Perry's "Duplicity" New York Premiere at Museum of Modern Art on March 18, 2025 in New York City; Ego Nwodim attends the Fast Company Innovation Festival 2025 on September 17, 2025 in New York City. Credit:

Jamie McCarthy/Getty; Eugene Gologursky/Getty

Sherri Shepherd is imploring *Saturday Night Live* to cast another Black woman after Ego Nwodim's departure from the show. **

The actress and comedian called out the lack of diversity in the late-night sketch comedy show's season 51 premiere on Saturday, noting that it's an "emergency" that must be remedied immediately. **

"When I watched *Saturday Night Live* this weekend, I did notice something was missing: Ego Nwodim left the show," Shepherd said on Monday's episode of her talk show. "She was their only Black female cast member, so now there are no Black women on *SNL*. So what do I say to *SNL*? Y'all gotta hurry up and you gotta find somebody, this is a break glass in case of an emergency. It is an emergency."

Colin Jost, Ego Nwodim, and Michael Che during Weekend Update on 'Saturday Night Live.'.

Less than a month before *SNL'*s season 51 premiere, Nwodim confirmed that she would be exiting after seven seasons. The news came after *SNL* had already hired five new cast members — Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson, and Veronika Slowikowska — leaving no Black female representation onscreen (there are a few Black women on the show's writing staff).

Shepherd explained that it's "so important" that *Saturday Night Live* have Black women on its cast, adding, "We gotta have representation on that show." **

Otherwise, it simply doesn't have the talent to properly reflect the world its parodying. "When I cohosted *The View*, there was no Black woman on the show to play me," Shepherd recalled. "There was no Black woman to even play Whoopi [Goldberg] — Kenan Thompson would play Whoopi at the table when they spoofed us!" **

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With Thompson portraying Goldberg and no Black women on *SNL*'s cast at the time, Shepherd said that she was erased from the show's *View* sketches, until they found a host to play the part.

"Then they had the nerve, when Tracy Morgan guest hosted, Tracy Morgan played me on the daggone show," Shepherd said, laughing at a close-up image of Morgan dressed in a floral shirt and a brown wig.

The hilarious sketch saw Thompson, Morgan, Fred Armisen, Michaela Watkins, and Kristen Wiig bicker at the Hot Topics table over a collection of political headlines, with Morgan's Shepherd visibly confused by what the words 'Eeyore' and 'research' meant.**

"That was supposed to be me!" Shepherd continued. "They had Tracy Morgan in that old tired Shake-N-Go wig looking like he sits third row at church and serves the dinner after service. He's even still got a five o'clock shadow!"**

Kenan Thompson, Fred Armisen, Tracy Morgan, Michaela Watkins, and Kristen Wiig on 'Saturday Night Live'.

Shepherd acknowledged that she's trying to be understanding about the casting situation given that "Ego's just leaving and you're trying to get your bearings," but reiterated that the series needed to replace her with another Black female comedian ASAP.

"What I don't like hearing is 'we can't find anybody.' There are lots of talented Black female comics that you can cast on *SNL*," she pointed out. "If you go to any comedy club or improv place, they are out there waiting for this opportunity, getting ready for this very opportunity."**

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Shepherd even suggested a few of the comedians who have graced her talk show's stage over the years, including Tacarra Williams, B-Phlat, and Yamaneika Saunders. "And those are just three women who came on my show and were hysterical," she added. "So many more including my comedy producer Robin Montague, she is a comedy legend who keeps us laughing all day long."

She concluded, "*SNL*, do not disappoint us. You are charged!"**

Throughout its 50 year history, *Saturday Night Live* has only had eight Black women on its cast: Yvonne Hudson, Danitra Vance, Ellen Cleghorne, Maya Rudolph, Sasheer Zamata, Leslie Jones, Punkie Johnson, and Nwodim. There are currently only five female cast members on season 51, compared to their 12 male counterparts.

In her Instagram post, Nwodim explained that she is "immensely grateful to Lorne for the opportunity, to my castmates, the writers, and the crew for their brilliance support, and friendship" during her time on the show.

She continued, "Week after week on that stage taught me more than I could have ever imagined, and I will carry those memories (and that laughter) with me always."

*Sherri* airs weekdays on syndication. Check your local listings.

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