"Saturday Night Live" decided to the handle recent controversy over their lack of diversity with the same tact that they use when handling any other controversy or topic of interest, with biting satirical commentary and shrugging-of-shoulders.

The opening skit of "SNL" featured Jay Pharaoh as President Barack Obama in the Oval Office and guest host Kerry Washington entering the room, posing as first lady Michelle Obama. Within moments of her arrival, secret services entered and informed the president and his wife that television personality Oprah Winfrey had arrived. First lady Obama is asked if she would like to change due to Winfrey's arrival, and quickly becomes apparent that "SNL" is teasing about the fact that there is no black female cast member to play the secondary role.

So, Washington leaves the room and returns as Oprah Winfrey. No more than a minute after, it's stated that Beyonce had arrived to the White House, and Kerry Washington is forced to hurry off again, in order to enact the role of yet another black female icon. After, Al Sharpton appeared to make one unclear statement, and then delivered the famous "Live in New York" line.

During the skit, the show's producers showed this message on the screen, addressing the show's lack of diversity with this lighthearted, un-quenching statement:

"The Producers at 'Saturday Night Live' would like to apologize to Kerry Washington for the number of black women she will be asked to play tonight. We made these requests only because Ms. Washington is an actress of considerable range and talent and also because 'SNL' does not currently have a black woman in the cast. As for the latter reason, we agree that this is not an ideal situation, and look forward to rectifying it in the near future...unless, of course, we fall in love with another white guy first."

The slew of freshman cast members unveiled this past September included five white men and one woman who appeared to be white, but apparently has mixed Tunisian and Latina roots. Nonetheless, she exclusively portrays white characters on scene. The absence of a black woman from the lineup was shocking to many, who noticed that the show has not had a black female cast member since biracial Maya Rudolph left the show in 2007.

Kenan Thompson, one of two black cast members presently on the show, often made to portray a black woman, indicated in an interview that black women simply were not funny, and/or not prepared when it came time for the "SNL" interviews. Though, it has been said that Jay Pharaoh, the other black cast member, has lobbied for Damirra Brunson to be an addition to the show.

It's great that "SNL" can quip about the obvious, but it's about time that they do something to change the current situation. Clever jokes are dandy, but they do little to pacify the problem. Being that the two black men have said that they will no longer do drag, there seems to only be two options if they want to have a skit that includes a black female character. Those choices are: 1.) Hire someone or 2.) Do blackface. And, the latter promises not to go over well.