SNL fans are still reeling the loss of Taran Killam and Jay Pharoah (well, and Jon Rudnitsky), but little did we know, the pair already had backup plans. Showtime confirms that Killam will lead new comedy Mating, while Jay Pharoah lands the lead role in Jamie Foxx comedy White Famous.

Showtime confirmed as much at Thursday’s TCA press tour panel, fortuitously admitting that the pair’s SNL departures made their commitment slightly easier. Executive produced by Jamie Foxx, Tom Kapinos, Tim Story and Jamie King, White Famous describes itself thusly:

Tim Story, the prolific director who helmed the movie franchises Barbershop, Fantastic Four, Ride Along and Think Like A Man, has joined the project as an executive producer and showrunner and will direct the pilot. WHITE FAMOUS will be written by Kapinos, based on an idea by Jamie Foxx, who will guest star in a recurring role. A co-production between Lionsgate Television and SHOWTIME, the project will focus on a talented, young African-American comedian, Floyd Mooney (Pharoah), whose star is rising, forcing him to navigate the treacherous waters of maintaining his credibility as he begins to cross-over towards becoming “white famous.”

Meanwhile, Taran Killam’s less developed (and tentatively-titled) Mating will serve as an anthology, described as such:

A new half-hour comedy project entitled MATING (working title), executive produced by Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights, Parenthood), and written and executive produced by Stu Zicherman (The Affair, The Americans). Taran Killam (Saturday Night Live) has been cast in the lead role. The comedy anthology pilot will center on a recently divorced guy who married young and now finds himself completely unprepared for the brave new, frank and fluid world of dating and hooking up. The project, produced by SHOWTIME, Universal TV and True Jack Productions, is an “annual anthology” as each season will focus on a different protagonist’s journey through modern dating and relationships.

Fr what it’s worth, Showtime boss David Nevins noted that they’d planned to shoot White Famous and Mating around Pharoah and Killam’s SNL schedules, but consider the problem solved! For his part, Jay appears to be taking it in stride:

Which series should we look forward to more?

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