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‘SNL’ Personality Defends Jokes About Slavery

May 5, 2014  •  Post A Comment

A show writer who made her on-screen debut over the weekend on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" is defending her material after getting fallout for jokes about slavery.

TV Guide reports that Leslie Jones appeared during the "Weekend Update" segment as the show's "in-house image expert." She first talked about being single and about People magazine's choice of Lupita Nyong'o as the most beautiful person of 2014.

Us reports: "Jones then talked about slavery, saying, 'Back in the slave days, I would've never been single. I'm 6 feet tall and I'm strong!' She then continued by saying, 'I do not want to be a slave. I don't like working for you white people now, and ya'll pay me. I'm just saying back in the slave days, my love life would've been way better. Master would've hooked me up with the best brother on the plantation.'"

Her routine sparked criticism online, and Jones responded on Twitter.

She reportedly wrote, in part: "It saddens me that BLACK PEOPLE bi— and moan about the most stupid sh–. I'm a comic it is my job to take things and make them funny. Now I'm betting if Chris Rock or Dave [Chappelle] did that joke or jay z or Kanye put in a rap they would be called brilliant. Cause they all do this type of material. Just cause it came from a strong black woman who ain't afraid to be real y'all mad."

leslie jones.pngLeslie Jones

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