During the Saturday Night Live 40th anniversary special show on Sunday night, Jerry Seinfeld took center stage to field questions from the audience. After calling on former SNL writer Larry David, he called on former cast member Ellen Cleghorne.
And Cleghorne had an interesting question:
The show's lack of diversity has gained a lot of attention in recent years, and was incorporated into sketches as well.
In December 2013, the show held an audition exclusively for black women. And currently, there are only two black female cast members, Leslie Jones and Sasheer Zamata.
But then, Cleghorne clarified:
"Because I was in the dentist the other day and I went in and there was only like one or two black women and I was like, what?" she continued. "I was like, wouldn't it be cool if there were more, like black women popping out of drawers and stuff?"
"How many black women were on the Seinfeld show?" Cleghorne asked. "Good point, Ellen. We did not do all we could to cure society's ills," Seinfeld replied.
And some people on Twitter were not too happy with the joke.
Okay this "black women" joke is just a wee bit awkward. #SNL40
That part about black women not being on SNL…#welp #SNL40
Others pointed out the show should stop making jokes about the lack in diversity and take action.
We can retire the "no black women on SNL joke" and hire them now, right? Put your money where your mouth is, Lorne. #SNL40
Ellen Cleghorne on why there aren't more black women is very funny. But isn't that also SNL making fun of that complaint, again? #SNL40
And others took aim at Seinfeld specifically.
"If you think there should have been more Black women on SNL, why weren't there any on Seinfeld?"
Loved #SNL40 until @JerrySeinfeld made jokes about how having more black women on television is a moral obligation Seinfeld did not address
Is there also a pic of Seinfeld flipping off Black women? RT @EW: Now THAT's a reunion. #SNL40
And some just thought the topic was not a joking matter.
@MrMokelly oh yeah, SNL wrote the worst stuff for Kerry Washington. Being Black is NOT a joke. That appears to be their punchline these days