Jay Pharaoh

Former SNL cast member and stand-up comedian Jay Pharaoh was unmistakably at his best when he was nailing impersonations of Katt Williams, Barack Obama, Denzel Washington, and Jay-Z in front of a live studio audience every Saturday night at 30 Rock Plaza. Sure, he may have pigeonholed himself into being an impressionist-for-hire, but the SNL’s writers may have also been culpable in that mismanagement. And like many SNL alums, he attempted to translate his sketch routine talent into more scripted pastures. He wound up with White Famous—a Showtime sitcom based on the life of a crossover black comedian—which, unfortunately, only had a three-month shelf life. Now, it may seem as if the Virginia native has been relegated to lending his winning personality to Old Navy and Wix ads, but don’t let the shiny commercials fool you: He can still hold an audience’s attention, even if it isn’t under Lorne Michaels’s dominion.