Michael Che Matters
Netflix · 2016 · 61 min
Michael Che brings his Weekend Update cynicism to a Brooklyn warehouse.
Michael Che succeeds in this hour by refusing to give his progressive Brooklyn audience the easy, self-congratulatory applause they expect. Instead of offering comforting political consensus, he spends his time poking at the boundary between liberal pieties and actual progress, making the crowd squirm before letting them off the hook with a sharp analogy. His defense of Black Lives Matter bypasses standard talking points, comparing “All Lives Matter” to a husband telling his wife “I love everyone” when she asks if he loves her.
Released on Netflix in November 2016, the special was filmed at the Greenpoint Terminal Warehouse in Brooklyn. At the time, Che was two years into his run as co-anchor of Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update, and the hour captured the same casual, slightly contrarian style he brought to the news desk. He wanders the stage with a microphone in hand, dealing in laid-back provocations that target both sides of the political aisle. Notable bits include his blunt assessment of police relations, a routine questioning why historical art depicts Jesus as a white guy, and a dismissive riff on the public outcry over Harambe. He even coaxes a few boos from the crowd by admitting he finds Donald Trump amusing. Reviewers appreciated this willingness to agitate, pointing out that his loose, unpredictable style stood out in a sea of highly rehearsed political sets.
The set list
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Rebuttal to the 'All Lives Matter' counter-slogan
Uses an analogy comparing it to a husband responding to his wife asking 'Do you love me?' with 'Baby, I love everybody!'
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Finding Donald Trump personally hilarious despite his political unfitness
Argues before an uneasy crowd that while Trump should never be president, he is a funny person who would make a fun friend.
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Jesus Christ's dual legacy as a miracle worker and carpenter
Contrasts his biblical miracles with his unremarkable carpentry career, pointing out the lack of any carpentry museum dedicated to the son of God.
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Accusations of homophobia regarding having a gay child
Defends himself by explaining his discomfort stems from an innate protective fear of anyone being sexually involved with his children, straight or gay.
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Learning why the term 'tranny' was offensive
Recounts how an honest conversation with a trans friend who asked how he would like being called 'blackie' caused him to retire the slur.
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Gentrification in Brooklyn
Humorously blames wealthy white girls from Seattle for Biggie Smalls' murder as part of 'phase one' of taking over Brooklyn.
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Street harassment and the viral Harlem catcalling video
Acknowledges catcalling as humiliating while joking about the woman being able to walk around Harlem for 10 hours without losing her camera.
How it plays
- Tone
- Honest, provocative, unfiltered, raunchy, and questioning.
- On stage
- Laid-back, unostentatious, and blunt, leaning casually on the mic stand with a cocky yet approachable presence and laughing at his own jokes.
- Pace
- Relaxed and deliberate tempo that builds into an assured swagger and entrancing rhythm as the set progresses.
- About
- Black Lives Matter and racial semantics, Donald Trump and politics, homophobia and LGBTQ issues, gentrification in New York City, religion and Jesus Christ, catcalling and sexism
What the critics said
Critics praised Che's mastery of razor-sharp analogies, charismatic ease, and willingness to avoid cheap applause ('clapter') by embracing honest, challenging viewpoints, though some felt his material on women, catcalling, and religion was less developed.
In the room: Uneasy and mixed during polarizing topics like Donald Trump, which elicited boos, but warm and engaged during crowd interactions, personal confessions, and playful teasing.
Backstory
Filmed in Brooklyn in August 2016 amidst the contentious 2016 presidential election and national debates over Black Lives Matter, police brutality, and political correctness.
Details
- Released
- Taped
- Greenpoint Terminal Warehouse, Brooklyn
- Runtime
- 61 min
- Where
- Netflix
- Director
- Oz Rodriguez
- Topics
- Before
- The Half Hour (2014)
- After
- Shame the Devil (2021)
More from Michael Che
-
Shot in Minnesota
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-
Shame the Devil
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-
The Half Hour
Comedy Central
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