Saturday Night Live star Michael Che says he agrees with Donald Trump’s criticism that the sketch comedy show is too “one-sided.”
“Oddly, I agree with him,” Chi said in an interview with Esquire magazine published Wednesday. “We try to write that way. But I do agree with him. I think the show should show all views and we make a conscious effort to do so.”
Earlier this month, the President-elect called SNL a “biased show” that spends most of its time roasting conservative politicians and points of view. Trump has been played by actor Alec Baldwin this season.
“I watched parts of @nbcsnl Saturday Night Live last night. “It is a totally one-sided, biased show – nothing funny at all. Equal time for us?” Trump tweeted Sunday.
“That’s why I loved ‘The Bubble‘ sketch,” Che said of the Emmy Award-winning show’s newest sketch, which roasted progressive Americans in need of a “safe space” in the form of an actual bubble.
“That was a great sketch poking fun at ultra-liberals,” Che said. “We put him on the show when he was the most controversial man, and people said that wasn’t fair. I don’t think he has much grounds to speak on that because, if anything, we’ve been the most friendly show to him.”
“But comedy should take both sides,” he added. “No matter who is in power, we should be making fun of them.”
Che anchors SNL’s “Weekend Update” segment. His co-host on the live news-style sketch, cast member Colin Jost, was criticized over the weekend for a joke that was deemed transphobic by some social media users.
Weighing in on what he called a “polarizing” election, Che said there’s little interest in finding middle ground.
“It’s very tribal in America, especially now,” Che told Esquire. “So if you’re a liberal, you’re liberal about everything. You have your mind made up before you’ve even heard the details, you know? When you read the headline, you already know the story.”
“If you’re conservative, it’s the same thing,” he continued. “That’s why this election was so polarizing. Nobody was saying, ‘Both of them have things I like, but I’m considering one over the other.’ It’s always, ‘I hate this guy.’ Or, ‘I hate this lady.’ It was split. So with big, heavy issues, they have their minds made up and they’re angry about it because they think if you give up one thing you’re giving up everything.”
The 33-year-old comedian says his new Netflix comedy special, “Michael Che Matters,” is meant to add levity to what are otherwise ‘heavy’ political issues.
“When you have people make issues not feel so heavy, like Black Lives Matter, it’s easier,” Che said. “I’m not yelling at you. You can laugh about it. Then you can say, ‘I’ve never thought of it that way.’ Other than the laughs, the biggest thing I want to get from comedy is ‘I never thought of it that way.’ It’s easier to understand, and you’re more sensitive to the other side when it’s funny.”
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