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Shame the Devil

Michael Che

Netflix · 2021 · 58 min

A quiet, cynical hour on patriotism and mental health.

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Michael Che brings his signature conversational detachment to the stage, treating massive cultural shifts and personal neuroses with the same flat, indifferent shrug. He is at his best when poking at the contradictions of public discourse, such as his breakdown of how corporate commercials misrepresent the reality of menstrual cycles, or his extended closing bit on the slow, awkward acceptance of mental health care in Black communities. Rather than chasing theatrical moments, he relies on a quiet, rhythmic delivery that feels more like an after-hours conversation than a performance.

Taped at the Fox Theater in Oakland, California, the 2021 special arrived during a busy period for Che, who was balancing his duties as co-anchor of Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update with his HBO Max sketch series, That Damn Michael Che. Released on Netflix shortly after a period of intense public controversy for the streaming platform’s comedy division, the hour features Che leaning into his reputation as a low-key provocateur. He tackles the aftermath of the 2020 protests, American patriotism, and the absurdity of modern leadership with a skepticism that keeps the audience slightly off-balance.

While some critics and fans felt the hour did not quite match the tight consistency of his 2016 release, Michael Che Matters, the set succeeds on the strength of its individual premises. The closing segment on therapy and emotional vulnerability represents some of the most focused and sincere writing of his career.

The set list

5 bits

  1. Men's obsession with penis size and measuring with household items

    Riffs on seeing a homeless man with a giant penis and observes that men use remote controls in bathrooms to get a sense of scale.

  2. COVID-19 vaccine skepticism and mask requirements

    Jokes about wanting a fully vaccinated crowd, comparing mask guidance to condom usage, and distrusting a government offering free medicine in America.

  3. American patriotism, flags, and the national anthem

    Explains being uncomfortable around too many American flags and compares hearing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' to listening to R. Kelly.

  4. What to do if you encounter a bear

    Suggests making yourself big and loud, knowingly using an offensive word solely to get an audience laugh.

  5. The closer (spoiler). Show it

    Black mental health in America closer

    Shares serious and pointed remarks addressing why America historically ignored the mental health of Black Americans.

How it plays

Tone
Irreverent, downbeat, melancholic, and confessional.
On stage
Low-key, sleepy, conversational, and amiably relaxed; performing slouching on a stool without moving.
Pace
Downbeat, understated, slow late-night musing tempo with a lullaby-like cadence.
About
American patriotism, Black leadership, COVID-19 vaccination and pandemic restrictions, Male obsession with penises, Public criticism and controversies, Black mental health

What the critics said

Received mixed reviews: some praised its low-key, thoughtful, and refreshingly downbeat vulnerability, while others criticized it as under-rehearsed, lacking energy, and feeling like leftover material compared to his previous work.

In the room: Supportive Bay Area venue crowd laughing at his riffs, though home audience and critic ratings leaned polarized and tepid.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: bbfc.co.uk, rottentomatoes.com, filmalist.com, vulture.com, decider.com, springfieldspringfield.co.uk, deadline.com.

Backstory

Filmed in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns under venue vaccination requirements; arrives five years after his previous Netflix special Michael Che Matters.

Details

Released
Taped
Fox Theater, Oakland
Runtime
58 min
Where
Netflix
Director
Kristian Mercado
Topics
Before
Michael Che Matters (2016)
After
Shot in Minnesota (2026)

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