‘SNL’ writer Leslie Jones sparks criticism over ‘No. 1 slave draft pick’ comment

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Laugh at my pain works for Kevin Hart but it isn’t for comedy writer Leslie Jones. This past weekend on “Saturday Night Live,” the writer joked during the Weekend News Update segment, “Back in the slave days, I would have never been single. I’m 6 feet tall, and I’m strong, Colin. … I mean, look at me, I’m a Mandingo. I’m just saying that back in the slave days, my love life would have been way better. Massah would have hooked me up with the best brotha on the plantation. … I would be the No. 1 slave draft pick. All of the plantations would want me.”

Some are arguing “SNL” was not the proper venue for this social commentary. Jones defends the comment on Twitter saying that she was expressing a lifetime of pain and Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Kanye West nor Jay Z would have received praise and been called “brilliant.”


Check out her response on Twitter to the backlash. 

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