Michael Che wants everyone to know that he’s most definitely not retiring from the Weekend Update desk on Saturday Night Live.
Over the weekend, several publications picked up on the story that the comedian had reportedly stated during a Minneapolis show that he was done doing the Weekend Update segment.
“This is my last year,” he allegedly said during his set. “You know my tie is a clip-on, right? What man wears a clip-on tie to work for eight years – that’s embarrassing.”
He went on to joke to the audience that he had no interest in news stories like the Ukraine and Russia conflict. “Did you guys think I was gonna talk about the news?” he reportedly asked the audience. “I don’t really do jokes. If I had jokes, I would’ve like, booked a theater. I’m in a beauty shop.”
Just hours after the news broke, however, and Che has taken to social media to refute the claims. “To comedy fans; please stop telling reporters everything you hear at a comedy show. You’re spoiling the trick.” he wrote in a post, accompanied by a picture of the Huffington Post‘s article about his supposed Weekend Update departure.
He also wrote, “I said it at a comedy show, and some dork transcribed it & wrote an article,” and insisted that several other jokes he made weren’t to be taken as statements of truth either.
Che joined the Weekend Update desk at the end of September 2014 for SNL‘s 40th season, replacing Cecily Strong. Three years later, he made history on the show by becoming the first black co-head writer.
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Alongside Colin Jost, Che and his c0-anchor are now the longest tenured Weekend Update duo in the show’s history, with Che appearing on 158 episodes across eight seasons and Jost out in front on 166 episodes.
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