“SNL” comedian and writer Michael Che is once again on the hot seat because of a Weekend Update sketch, this time as a result of jokes about a 67-year-old woman who gave birth that many fans call sexist and ageist.
“The birth set a record for most friction,” he joked, drawing groans from the audience. He said he had better punchlines but “the fellas at NBC standards said they were all too dirty.”
He went on: “Like, at first I was gonna say, ‘Well I hope that kid likes his milk chalky!’ But they said, ‘You can’t say that on TV.’ It was my second favorite punchline! My first favorite being, ‘She can breastfeed just by standing over the crib.’ That’s a good one, right? Nope, NBC said, ‘Too gross,’ which is ridiculous. Too gross would be like if I said, ‘Doctors described the birth as pulling a penny out of a wad of gum.”
“Now that is too gross,” he added. “Even I wouldn’t tell that joke on TV.”
You can watch the bit in the video at the top.
Many on social media were appalled, calling his jokes “misogynist” and “ageist.”
https://twitter.com/AnnMB608/status/1191083966633304065
https://twitter.com/runawaywithmani/status/1190869081253011457
https://twitter.com/EpiscopalHeart/status/1190848459177431040
What the f@ck with the #MichaelChe misogyny, @nbcsnl ? Ageist, sexist, and worst, not even slightly funny. We expect better. Boo.
— DJ Cat Pick (@clp772) November 3, 2019
Still, there were others that took the comedian’s side, saying comedy is “fair game.”
Grow up. He’s a comedian.
— MyLadyKat (@MyLadyKat) November 3, 2019
Perhaps those that are easily offended shouldn’t be watching satirical news shows
— Sandra Cann (@SandraCann6) November 3, 2019
@nbcsnl as a woman I am not offended by Michael Che's recent ageist jokes. I am 58 and a woman giving birth at 67 is ridiculous. Comedy is fair game, no topic off limits.
— Luanne Goldman (@nurseylu) November 3, 2019
Michael Che and Colin Jost doing Weekend Update is the only thing funny on SNL.
— Woody (@Woody_258) November 3, 2019
It was just last week that Che was under fire after referring to Caitlyn Jenner as “a fella.”
“Now, you might think that I’m crazy, but about five years ago, there was a fella named Bruce Jenner, and he moved to Calabasas…” Che said as the audience groaned. After it aired, fans and members of the LBGTQ community called foul, calling the comedian transphobic.
NBC did not immediately return TheWrap’s request for comment.