Bill Hader, Kenan Thompson Tackle Diversity Controversy in ‘SNL’ Promos (Video)

“We got a ton of black people now,” Thompson says about what’s changed since Hader left the show

Bill Hader is heading back to “Saturday Night Live” this weekend with musical guest Hozier. Hader left the show in May 2013 after eight seasons.

He filmed the week’s promos with his former cast-mate Kenan Thompson, so it makes sense that Hader wanted to check in with his old friend to see what’s changed since he was last there.

“They renovated the bathroom, there’s spaghetti and meatballs in the cafeteria, and we got a ton of black people now,” Thompson said.

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“SNL” came under fire last season for its lack of cast diversity after bringing on five white, male featured players. In response, Sasheer Zamata was added to the cast mid-season, along with several minority writers. Zamata returned this season.

In another bit from the promos, Thompson and Hader made a callback to one of their most famous recurring sketches,” What Up With That?”

In the sketches, Thompson played the show’s host while Hader was always on as his third guest, Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham. As Thompson talked and sang way too much, he never got to Buckingham, leading to an exchange where he begged him not to be mad, with Hader eventually laughing it off.

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It happened again in the promo, with Thompson talking the whole time and then having to apologize to Hader for monopolizing all the time, begging him not to be mad.

Watch the “Saturday Night Live” promos above, and a classic “What Up With That?” sketch, with Robert De Niro and Robin Williams, below.

“Saturday Night Live” airs Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

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