SNL Writer Leslie Jones Officially Joins the Cast

Saturday Night Live just added its second black female cast member for season 40. Writer Leslie Jones tweeted that she had been added to the cast, a message quickly confirmed by the show’s official account, which sent out its congratulations to the comedian.

It's official I'm a cast member!!! Get ready! Get ready!! @nbcsnl

— Leslie Jones (@Lesdoggg) October 20, 2014

Congrats Leslie! #SNL RT @Lesdoggg It's official I'm a cast member!!! Get ready! Get ready!! @nbcsnl

— Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) October 20, 2014

Jones will begin her stint as a featured player after one season as a writer on this week’s Jim Carrey-hosted episode. The comedian was initially hired to join the writing staff this past January along with LaKendra Tookes after it was announced that Sasheer Zamata had been cast as the only black female actor on the show following months of controversy.

In a “Weekend Update” commentary piece as herself, Jones stirred controversy by performing a stand-up piece in which she bragged about how coveted she would have been in the days of slavery for her larger-than-average body.

“It saddens me that BLACK PEOPLE bitch and moan about the most stupid shit,” she wrote on Twitter following the backlash. “I’m a comic it is my job to take things and make them funny… to make you think. Especially the painful things.”

Watch Jones’ first Weekend Update appearance below, via NBC:

[Photo via screengrab]

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