Saturday Night Live has done some of its best work when its actors have impersonated politicians, particularly during a presidential campaign.  The writers strike prevented us from seeing some of what would have occurred with the impersonators of candidates who bit the dust while the strike was ongoing.  SNL is back, and some are questioning (click here) how the show is dealing with Barak Obama. 

The guy impersonating Obama is of white and Asian heritage and is wearing makeup that makes his complexion darker, which has resurrected the questions of whether Obama is black enough and why SNL doesn’t have more black actors.  It’s also caused some to argue that, given the historical importance of Obama’s candidacy, SNL must use an African-American to impersonate him in its skits.  Following that argument to its logical conclusion, however, it seems that SNL would have to use a person who has a black father (preferably from Kenya) and a white mother (preferably from Kansas).

Like I’ve been saying for a while, this presidential campaign makes the subject of race unavoidable.  It forces us to talk about it, which is a good thing.  So far, SNL is sticking with its choice of the Obama impersonator (who, in my opinion, does the senator from Illinois pretty well).

As the race issue makes its way into all aspects of life, including work, it’s important that we make sure the discussion is civil and productive, instead of inappropriate and destructive.  As far as the workplace is concerned, I continue to believe the discussion that will ensue can help us resolve some of the lingering employment issues dealing with race.