In her newly released memoir, “Leslie F*cking Jones”, comedian Leslie Jones delves into her time on Saturday Night Live and shares an eyebrow-raising sketch idea that never made it to air. The sketch, co-written with fellow cast member Kenan Thompson, involved a dark “Weekend Update” segment featuring The View moderator Whoopi Goldberg.
The premise of the sketch revolved around a meta twist, with Whoopi Goldberg herself appearing on “Weekend Update” alongside hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che. In the sketch, Jost would question Goldberg’s true identity, to which she would insist that she was, in fact, Whoopi and not portrayed by Leslie Jones. The dark twist came when Jost pulled out a prop gun, leading to a dramatic confrontation where he pretended to shoot Goldberg.
Jones and Thompson found the concept hilariously absurd, and they envisioned the sketch including cutaway shots of SNL creator Lorne Michaels engaging in mundane activities, serving as humorous interludes between the dark comedic bits.
However, their pitch was met with mixed reactions from their SNL colleagues. Although Jones and Thompson couldn’t contain their laughter during the pitch, others in the “Update” office were less enthusiastic. When they took their idea to Lorne Michaels, the response was equally tepid. Michaels expressed concerns about the sketch’s appropriateness, suggesting that killing Whoopi Goldberg on national television for a personal joke was a step too far.
While the sketch never made it to air, Leslie Jones’ memoir sheds light on the creative process at SNL, revealing that even outrageous ideas have their place in
the world of comedy.
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Written by:
Dana Sterling-Editor
