Culture 2 min read By Mason Emerson
Michael Che Sidesteps Shane Gillis Backlash in Awkward Today Show Interview
The Weekend Update co-anchor deflected questions about the controversy surrounding Shane Gillis's SNL appearance, telling Today he hadn't thought about the backlash.
Michael Che largely avoided discussing the backlash over Shane Gillis's recent Saturday Night Live appearance during an awkward segment on the Today show, telling the morning program that he had not given the controversy much thought. The Weekend Update co-anchor, who had anticipated the line of questioning, had already joked on social media beforehand that he needed to do more press to promote the show.
The exchange put Che in the uncomfortable position of being asked to address a controversy that has followed Gillis since his brief and widely criticized tenure on SNL. Gillis was hired as a featured player in 2019 but was dismissed before his first episode aired after clips surfaced of him using racist and homophobic language on a podcast. He has since built a following as a stand-up comedian and returned to the show as a host, a decision that drew renewed scrutiny.
Che's response — that he simply had not thought about it — reflects the delicate position of SNL's cast members when the show's booking decisions become the story. As a co-head writer and the face of Weekend Update, Che is one of the program's most prominent figures, but he is not typically the person who explains or defends the show's guest choices. His deflection kept the focus on his own promotional duties rather than on the internal debate over Gillis.
The interview also highlighted how the late-night sketch institution has become a recurring flashpoint in the broader cultural conversation about comedy, offense, and second chances. Gillis's return was framed by some as a test of whether audiences and institutions are willing to separate a performer's past remarks from his current work, while critics argued that the hosting slot amounted to a normalization of those remarks.
For Today, the segment was a brief and somewhat tense celebrity interview. For SNL, it was another reminder that its casting and hosting decisions now generate as much attention as its sketches. Che, for his part, appeared eager to move on, offering little beyond his initial comment and leaving the controversy to speak for itself.
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