UPDATED 3/28, 1:55 p.m. ET: Michael Che took to Instagram to clarify that he’s not leaving Weekend Update.
Che clarified that he was simply making a joke during a stand-up set, and it wasn’t meant to be taken literally.
See original story below.
Michael Che has been anchoring Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update segment for 8 years now. But, according to him, it’s time to walk away from the desk.
The comedian, according to a report from the Star Tribune, is putting his anchoring days behind him and announced the change during a set in Minneapolis.
“This is my last year,” Che said during a pop-up at a hair salon. “You know my tie is a clip-on, right? What man wears a clip-on tie to work for eight years — that’s embarrassing.”
Eight years is certainly a long time in Update years, as Che holds the title for hosting the segment more than any Saturday Night Live alum before him, including Seth Myers. Che beat out Myers’ anchoring numbers back in January. Still, it isn’t entirely clear if he intends to continue writing for the segment or plans to pull the plug on his involvement all together.
During his gig, he joked that he had no interest in the Russia/Ukraine “news,” telling listeners that he doesn’t “really do jokes. If I had jokes, I would’ve like, booked a theater. I’m in a beauty shop.”
Just last month, the artist formerly known as Kanye West made a proposal to Che on Instagram, telling him that he’d “double whatever they paying you just so you don’t have to look at that pawn ever again big love,” in reference to SNL and Pete Davidson. In response, Che joked that he’d never betray his friends “for anything less than triple salary.”
“That’s right, $90k per year,” he shared. “Full medical. Full dental. Four weeks vacay. Corner office. Plus, a pair of Red Octobers. Size 12. And you gotta make some beats for my band ‘The Slap Butts.’ And you gotta tell me what you’re gonna wear to work the night before so we can look like twins. You do that for me, and I’ll Rambo that whole building.”
Ye likely didn’t meet Che’s demands, but either way, he’s seemingly out of the segment soon, so maybe he’ll finally get those four weeks of vacation.
