After losing his grandmother to COVID-19, comedian and “Saturday Night Live” star Michael Che has vowed to pay one month’s rent for everyone living in her building.
The Weekend Update co-host disclosed his decision in an Instagram post, saying it’s “crazy” to him that residents of public housing are still expected to pay their rent when so many New Yorkers can’t work due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Obviously I can’t offer much help by myself, but in the spirit and memory of my late grandmother, I’m paying one month’s rent for all 160 apartments in the NYCHA [New York City Housing Authority] building she lived in, ” he wrote. “I know that’s just a drop in the bucket. So I really hope the city has a better plan for debt forgiveness for all the people in public housing, at the very least.”
He ended the post by also calling on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and rapper Sean Combs (Diddy) to reach out to him and “fix this.”
Fans were quick to offer praise for his actions with comments like, “Props to you for putting your money where your mouth is” and “Your grandma will be so proud of the man you’ve become.”
While Che did not specify the building where his grandmother lived, the 36-year-old comedian previously discussed her death in a now-deleted Instagram post, saying, “I’m obviously very hurt and angry that she had to go through all that pain alone.”
Che also mentioned her passing in last Saturday’s first-ever from-home edition of “SNL,” speaking to his Weekend Update co-host, Colin Jost.
“As you know, Colin, I lost my grandmother this week and coming back to work really made me feel better,” he said. He signed off the segment, which you can rewatch below, with, “For Weekend Update, I’m Martha’s grandbaby.”
Disclaimer: This is “SNL” we’re talking about, so the humor in the clip below may not be suitable for all ears.
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