Sigifredo Macias
It’s understandable and intriguing to see a “Saturday Night Live” cast member create something that isn’t a part of “SNL.”
“That D— Micheal Che” is a new sketch comedy show on HBO Max created by and starring Micheal Che himself. It’s a good sketch show that brings up many of the issues society is focusing on today — all from Che’s point of view.
The show’s sketches are controversial, but it’s not really a show that tells the audience what to think. Rather, it communicates the experiences of a Black person born in Queens, New York, and the experiences that others go through.
The program has featured guest stars such as Wu-Tang Clan’s Method Man, Sam Jay, Colin Quin, and Billy Porter, as well as “SNL” cast members such as Cecily Strong, Heidi Gardner and, of course, Colin Jost.
The first episode tackles policing from the perspective of Che and others. One part of the episode is about a mediocre policing video, the end result being a group of kids arguing with police and the officers shooting the kids’ basketball.
There’s a commercial parody on a Fitbit for Black Lives Matter protesters and their opposing demonstrators, and an X-Men cartoon parody poking fun at what people believe is and isn’t a threat. All of this is going on while Che, playing himself, is stuck in an elevator with a White woman (Strong) who opposes police violence.
It’s uncomfortable for Che because the woman apologizes for “everything going on” because he’s part of a marginalized group. Che then provides his perspective about protests and policing. By the end of this episode, it’s kind of clear how the rest of the show will roll out.
Other episodes cover dating, healthcare, vaccine paranoia and Che’s take on why people think he had to “kill someone or do some weird s—” to get where he is today.
“That D— Michael Che” doesn’t seem to have a big problem with who it offends. It sometimes feels like “SNL” sketches that were too controversial to make the cut — but the skits are good.
This show finds ridiculous but hilarious ways to explain truths about our society.
In one episode, there are two characters who suspect the government is trying to get them every time something new comes and changes the world or their neighborhood. It turns out those two characters have been saying the same thing since 1901, when they believed pigeons were a source of communication and decided not to use them because of their own conspiratorial theories. Their antics go as far back as 1807, when they had a mistrust of a way to free slaves.
The show has a weird way of explaining things, such as COVID-19 ignorers and deniers eventually just killing or infecting themselves and those around them.
At the same time, it presents many reasons why people should be suspicious of the government, such as the Tuskegee Experiment, a study about untreated syphilis that was purposefully practiced on many Black males without their consent.
While the show presents what Che believes is true, it gives people interesting perspectives on many topics that affect everyone today.
It’s not for everyone but it’s an interesting and really funny show.
