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Sasheer Zamata finds her voice away from ‘SNL’ in new show

By The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Some believe you haven’t really made it in comedy until you’ve landed a one-hour stand-up special. If that’s true, then “Saturday Night Live” writer and comedian Sasheer Zamata has officially, made it.

Zamata, a former member of the Upright Citizens Brigade who plays a mean Beyonce and Rihanna on NBC’s “SNL,” debuts her first special, “Pizza Mind,” on the internet platform Seeso on Thursday.

The Associated Press sat down with the 30-year-old funny woman at the offices of media company Refinery29 to ask about her special, her sketch skills and why you shouldn’t ask her to “do Beyonce.”

Associated Press: You were hired to appear on “SNL” in 2014 in the wake of criticism of a lack of ethnic diversity. It was all very public. How did you handle that?

Zamata: That stressed me out. I kind of just stayed at home a lot. People knew too much. People would text me and be like, ‘What’s the process like?’ ‘What’s Lorne Michaels like?’ I was like, ‘This shouldn’t even be your business.’

AP: How have the last few years been on “SNL”?

Zamata: As a writer and a performer, I’m definitely evolving because I’m learning the language of the show more and learning how to fit my voice into the mold that they’ve already created.

AP: What about outside the show?

Zamata: My actual act and voice has become more political and biting. I feel like before ‘SNL’ I was more cute and maybe I’d beat around the bush. Now I’m very direct.

AP: What was a favorite sketch you wrote this season?

Zamata: The ‘Stranger Things’ sketch that happened in the fall, where parents come and snatch a character from the woods. That came from a real thought. I was watching ‘Stranger Things’ — I ate it up; immediately I was a fan — but the whole time I was watching, I was like, ‘My parents would FLIP if I was in the woods running around looking for monsters.’ I was like, ‘Where are his parents? Why aren’t they concerned?’

AP: How does it feel to have your first special?

Zamata: It’s so cool to be able to put all my work in one spot and have people see what I do best.

AP: What can we expect?

Zamata: Definitely a collection of stories and material that I’ve had over the years. Some newer stuff, too. And different mediums and art forms used to express my thoughts in different ways. Like music and songs and little sketches and characters. It’s a mix. It’s not just a standard stand-up format. I mean, there’s an hour of stand-up, but there’s also extra goodies in there, too.

AP: In it, you make fun of strangers who come up and demand impressions from you. Does it really bug you?

Zamata: I just joke about it. It doesn’t bother me that much. But anyone asking someone to do an impression on command or tell a joke on command is asking for it. I’m not a dog.

AP: You rock your natural hair. Have you had any pressure to look a certain way?

Zamata: I am really glad that no one told me to change my hair. Since I’ve been doing comedy, my hair has been an Afro. I’ve never had anyone be like, ‘You need to straighten it’ or ‘Could you wear a wig?’ or anything like that and I think that’s really cool. I’m glad people get to see me look the way I do because it’s good to have representation in different areas and looks.

AP: Have you gotten any feedback from viewers?

Zamata: I’ve gotten messages from people like, ‘My daughter has the same hairstyle as you and she was so excited to see you on TV.’ That makes me really happy. Because there was a time, not too long ago, where you didn’t see that. You didn’t see natural hair on TV. And natural hair is still being demonized in the country for some reason. They just let women in the military wear their hair natural. Just ridiculous things like that. It’s just hair! I’m hoping just me being me will, by default, normalize it a bit.

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Online: http://sasheer.com

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Follow Mark Kennedy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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