'SNL' Hopeful Comedian -- Secret Audition for Black Women Was a Publicity Stunt

Saturday Night Live's secret audition to find an African-American female was total BS -- at least according to one actress who tried out, but thinks it was only thrown together to quiet SNL's critics ... not to find a new cast member.

Comedian Tiffany Haddish tells TMZ the Dec. 2 talent search at The Groundlings Theatre in L.A. felt like it was a dog and pony show, partially because executive producer Lorne Michaels wasn't there -- and he's known to attend most auditions.

Other sources at the try-out tell us it seemed too conveniently timed -- coming on the heels of current cast members Jay Pharoah and Kenan Thompson publicly blasting 'SNL' producers for not hiring a Black female.

If 'SNL' found the right chick ... they're not saying yet -- but Tiffany thinks "they already know who they want ... they're just wasting all these black women's time and gas money."