Kate McKinnon, a Saturday Night Live featured player since 2012, won the American Comedy Award for Best Supporting Actress, TV at a ceremony Thursday night.
![via Zimbio](https://develop.autostraddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Kate+McKinnon+2014+American+Comedy+Awards+WuSjeEBmcxOl.jpg?resize=395%2C594)
via Zimbio
Before she was on SNL, she was a star of Logo’s Big Gay Sketch Show. McKinnon is SNL‘s first openly lesbian cast member (Danitra Vance, also the first African American woman to be a repertory player on the show, wasn’t out during her run) and only third LGBT cast member ever. Last year she was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Emmy for her work on SNL, but did not win.
She’s largely known for her skill at celebrity impressions, whether it’s a perky and mischievous Ellen DeGeneres, a defiantly confident Billy Jean King headed to the Sochi Olympics or a smoldering hot Justin Bieber. She, along with Aidy Bryant, is also the co-creator and one half of “Dyke and Fats,” probably the funniest thing SNL has done in years.
Other awards went to Amy Poehler for Best Actress in a TV Show (Parks and Recreation), Melissa McCarthy for Best Actress in a Film (The Heat), Katie Dippold for Best Screenplay (The Heat) and Maria Bamford for Best Club Comic.
Kate McKinnon is a GODDESS. I just really love all the women of SNL right now.
Also, how the hell did I miss Dyke & Fats?? brb saving this to watch when I get home.
Thank you for validating my feelings re: the smouldering hotness of her Bieber impersonation. It was messing with my head a little, given how young and off-putting I think the real one is.
She is actually the funniest person on the show, in my (totally unbiased) opinion. I think it’s awesome that she won. Well done Kate!!!
Amy Poehler and Kate McKinnon winning, yesss
Um. Has she ever referred to herself as ‘queer’? Because I’ve seen her use ‘lesbian’ and ‘gay’ and ‘dyke’ but not anything else and I think it’s good to not label people with things they don’t identify as (especially since ‘queer’ is still a hurtful word to some lgbtq people).
Bieber link for the lazy: http://hulu.com/w/hrh8
I’m glad she’s getting some good recognition as a comedian. She’s beyond hilarious and beautiful if I may add