Report: The Women Of ‘SNL’ Are Pretty Pissed About The New Weekend Update Change

UPDATE: Those Latest ‘SNL’ Rumors Aren’t True After All

It seems like Michael Che isn’t making any friends on Saturday Night Live after his Weekend Update appointment. According to sources, the ladies of the sketch comedy show aren’t too happy with the all male news desk change. Before the current season aired, the show announced that cast member Cecily Strong would be replaced by newcomer and former Daily Show correspondent Michael Che. Colin Jost got to keep his seat which meant it would be the first time in the show’s history that the long-running news segment would feature two male anchors. And that’s just not sitting well with the women on set.

A source told the NY Daily News that some members of the cast including relative newcomer Sasheer Zamata have been vocal about their disapproval of Lorne Michaels decision:

She was saying that it’s bull—- that in 2014 there would be two males and no women in such a prominent position on the show. She said that there should be at least one man and one woman or, if anything, two women. She was incredulous about it. It’s obviously something that she feels very passionately about. She said they think it’s unfair.

This isn’t the first time two members of the same sex have anchored the desk. In 2004 Amy Poehler and Tina Fey were drafted to man the show’s popular segment. But it seems like the bigger issue with Che and Jost, unlike Poehler and Fey, is the reason for their appointment. Back when the change-up was first announced, Michaels gave the reason for Strong’s replacement as a chemistry issue. Che and Jost both worked together as two of the show’s top writers so when it was obvious the segment needed a pick-me-up, Che was called in for the job:

Michael is a strong writer, and he’s really funny. It’s always difficult to make changes and make ‘Update’ different from what’s gone before. It struggled to find an identity last season… because what had come before had been pretty brilliant.

While Che for his part has done arguably well in the first couple episodes of this season, getting rid of one of the show’s strongest female comedians on its most recognized segment didn’t sit well with the ladies of the cast or fans of the comedy series.

I guess we’ll just have to wait until next season for SNL to wise up.

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