Michael Che explained the choices behind “Shot in Minnesota” as a local comedian questioned one joke and praised his support.
Michael Che said he avoided naming victims of Minnesota killings in his new Netflix special to address frustration around violence while keeping the focus on comedy.
That backdrop included George Floyd’s 2020 death and the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents earlier this year.
The “Saturday Night Live” star explained the choice to MPR News after “Michael Che: Shot in Minnesota” arrived on October 13. He taped the hour at First Avenue in Minneapolis over four shows in August, but its title carried a broader message.
“It’s not necessarily about those people individually,” Che said. “You have to be very careful, and making jokes about things like that, and keeping the mood up for a special, you know, it is a comedy special. I didn’t want to invoke those names in a joking way and sort of kill what we were trying to do. But it’s really more about the frustration of what’s happening, as opposed to the nuts and bolts of everything that’s ever happened.”
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Che also discussed the pressure on Black comedians in a new Vanity Fair interview. He recalled arriving at “SNL” in 2013 as its only Black writer and finding his footing with help from Kenan Thompson and Jay Pharoah.
“Coming here, it was tough because I was the only Black writer here,” he said. He became the first Black co-anchor of “Weekend Update” in 2014.
The subject has remained part of his public commentary. In May, AllHipHop covered his criticism of the white writers behind Shane Gillis’ material at Kevin Hart’s Netflix roast.
Che told The Ringer that he initially wanted to join the roast out of respect for Hart and Gillis. He said travel around his “SNL” schedule and the prospect of harsh jokes about friends made it less appealing.
He also pushed back on the idea that Black comedians needed to speak for everyone. He argued that they could serve their own audiences without winning over every viewer, and explained why he still valued his network platform.
Che said “SNL” gave him a live audience on 20 Saturdays each year, with the chance to create moments people remembered. The show also left room for him to make specials, write and produce his own work.
“I’m from poverty, man. We don’t just give up jobs,” he said.