"Saturday Night Live" cast member Michael Che minced no words in his response to President Donald Trump‘s comments about Puerto Rican politicians and Hurricane Maria relief during the show’s 43rd season premiere.
During Saturday night’s (September 30) episode, the "Weekend Update" co-anchor compared the president’s tweets attacking San Juan mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz and the people of Puerto Rico to his far-less-antagonistic treatment of Hurricane Harvey and Irma survivors in the continental United States:
Oh really, Donald? You bitch! Was [Cruz] nasty to you? How nasty? Are you shaking? You want to go smoke a Virginia Slim until your hand stops moving?
This isn’t that complicated, man, it’s hurricane relief. These people need help. You just did this for White people twice! Do the same thing: go tell Melania to put on her flood heels, get some bottled water, some food, pack up some extra Atlanta Falcons Super Bowl t-shirts, and write them a check with our money, you cheap cracker!
In one month, you’ve mishandled Puerto Rico, DACA, the NFL— it’s like whenever anybody darker than your golf pants has a problem, you’re thinking, "How can I make this worse?"
Similar to his commentary during last season’s premiere about NFL players’ protesting for racial justice—in which he let out a brief, uncensored n-word—Che’s comments about Trump received a round of praise from social media users:
Michael Che calling tr*mp a cheap cracker is the fucking highlight of the night lmao #SNLPremiere
— Maia (@MJanan20) October 1, 2017
#SNLPremiere How I feel when I heard Michael Che call Trump a b**** pic.twitter.com/6msMnix7zy
— Richelle Woodley (@chellied25) October 1, 2017
"Donald You Bitch" needs to trend after that SNL skit with Michael Che.
Make this happen.
— Deon (@imnottayediggs) October 1, 2017
Che’s comments also received criticism from those who thought they didn’t go far enough to redeem "Saturday Night Live" for letting Trump host in 2015:
LOL @ everyone praising #SNL for badmouthing @realDonaldTrump, forgetting that time when they let him host an entire episode & dance 2 Drake
— Sam Sanders (@samsanders) October 1, 2017
This is a "moment?" Calling the president a "cheap cracker" is the best SNL can muster?https://t.co/BHBZD0EfyX
— thebradfordfile (@thebradfordfile) October 1, 2017
Che wasn’t the only person to address public debates about structural racism during the episode. Musical guest Jay-Z performed his "4:44" track "Bam" while wearing a Colin Kaepernick jersey that did not include a team name, per the athlete’s forced free agency.