Longtime Saturday Night Live writer and co-anchor of Weekend Update Michael Che is set to tape his third comedy special in late August in Minneapolis.
It’s still not certain if Che will come back for Season 52 of Saturday Night Live. He’s been a cast member since Season 40 in 2014. His 12 years at the Weekend Update desk as an anchor is second only to the 13 years by his co-anchor Colin Jost.
Che routinely debates whether he will return to SNL each summer. Usually he makes a social media post and ponders his future, but so far he’s returned time and again to be a noted writer and contributor to the late night NBC program. In recent seasons, Che has served as a co-head writer of the show, which will debut its 52nd season on September 26.
Che’s next special, which is as of yet unnamed, will be taped over the course of four sets on two dates at the First Avenue comedy club in downtown Minneapolis. He appeared in that city on stage last month at a different venue. It’s possible that visit was in part to scout out a spot for the taping of this special.
All three of Che’s specials have bene produced for NetFlix. His previous specials are “Michael Che Matters” in 2016, and “Michael Che: Shame the Devil” in 2021. This taping continues his schedule of one Netflix comedy special every five years.
If Che is leaning toward leaving SNL, his work schedule should still be busy. He has a development deal with HBO under which the last two years he has delivered two seasons of “That Damn Michael Che,” a sketch program.
