CELEBRITY

Michael Che Makes SNL History as First Black Head Writer

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE: WEEKEND UPDATE — Season: 1 — Pictured: Michael Che — (Photo by: Mary Ellen Matthews/NBC)

Michael Che becomes the first black head writer for ‘Saturday Night Live.’

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE: WEEKEND UPDATE — Season: 1 — Pictured: (l-r) Michael Che, Colin Jost — (Photo by: Mary Ellen Matthews/NBC)

In the history of the 43 seasons of the comedy sketch show, there has never been a head black writer…until now.

THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON — Episode 0717 — Pictured: (l-r) Comedian Michael Che during an interview with host Jimmy Falon on August 2, 2017 — (Photo by: Andrew Lipovsky/NBC)

The news was announced on December 12th by NBC. In the past, head writers have included people such as Seth Myers, Tina Fey, and Adam McKay.

Che joined the show in 2013. Before joining, Che was a correspondent on “The Daily Show’. The Manhattan native has been named among Rolling Stone’s ’50 Funniest People’, BuzzFeed’s ’50 Hottest Men in Comedy’, and Variety’s ‘Top 10 Comics to Watch’.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE — “Melissa McCarthy” Episode 1724 — Pictured: (l-r) Alec Baldwin as President Donald Trump, Michael Che as Journalist Lester Holt during “Lester Holt Cold Open” in Studio 8H on May 13, 2017 — (Photo by: Will Heath/NBC)

Che is commonly known on SNL for his segments on the sketch ‘Weekend Update’ with Colin Jost. Jost was also named a co-head writer. He is returning to this position after holding it from 2012 to 2015.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE — Season: 40 — Pictured: Michael Che — (Photo by: Mary Ellen Matthews/NBC)

Che has also had some success writing some hit sketches for SNL, including an episode of “Black Jeopardy” which featured Tom Hanks as a white, ‘Make America Great Again’ hat, Southerner who somehow ends up finding some common ground with his fellow contestants and the host who was played by Keenan Thompson.