Hey! Kumail Nanjiani will be hosting Saturday Night Live this weekend. Why is that noteworthy?
The number of Asian or Asian American hosts SNL has had in the past four decades on one hand: Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, (and earlier this year, Aziz Ansari. )
In fact, in the show’s 42 year history, the lack of Asian or Asian American cast members has been noted. I guess the show’s producers must think none of us can be funny.
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That’s too bad because the lack of comedic actors of Asian heritage has prevented the show from creating any skits on whitewashing, or poke fun at the unfunny jokes about Asian kids in the Oscar telecast two years ago.
How can you make fun of whitewashing when your show is guilty of the same practice?
It’s a deficiency the show itself addressed last fall when new cast member Melissa Villaseñor appeared in a sketch about the 2016 Vice-Presidential debate. “Hello, I’m the new Hispanic cast member,” she said in a fourth-wall-breaking moment, “and I’ll be playing Asian moderator Elaine Quijano. Because … baby steps.”
It’s a deficiency the show itself addressed last fall when new cast member Melissa Villaseñor appeared in a sketch about the 2016 Vice-Presidential debate. “Hello, I’m the new Hispanic cast member,” she said in a fourth-wall-breaking moment, “and I’ll be playing Asian moderator Elaine Quijano. Because … baby steps.”
Although Nanjiani has been in the business for years, he’s a hot commodity right now with the critical success of his movie The Big Sick and his regular role in TV’s Silicon Valley.
So this Saturday, be sure to record SNL. Unfortunately, Nanjiani’s presence is still considered noteworthy enough to mention.
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