Comedy

Former ‘SNL' Stars Taran Killam, Jay Pharoah Land Pilot Deals at Showtime

Well, they weren't out of work very long.

Just a week removed from the surprise announcement that "Saturday Night Live" veterans Taran Killam and Jay Pharoah would not be returning to the NBC late-night sketch comedy series, Showtime announced Thursday both comedians have scored separate pilot deals at the cable network at the TCA Summer Press Tour.

Killam, will star in a show tentatively called "Mating" described as a comedy anthology series that focuses on a newly-divorced man trying to understand the complicated dating world.

Pharoah will star in a half-hour comedy "White Famous," co-executive produced by Jamie Foxx. The show is described as a comedy revolving around Pharoah, a comedian who attempts to hold onto his credibility in the African-American community as he increasingly crosses over into mainstream. 

Prior to the announcement, Killam shared with Uproxx News that he was surprised and confused that the final year of his seven-year contract wasn't picked up by "SNL."

"I don't know the other side of it. You sign for seven years, so I had one more year," Killam said. "I had sort of had it in my head I would make this upcoming year my last year, but then heard they weren't going to pick up my contract. I was never given a reason why, really."

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