Most families are at their wits’ end trying to survive from the fallback of the novel coronavirus. Those who lived paycheck to paycheck are having the hardest time, especially when some landlords are still demanding rent.
To commemorate his grandmother’s death due to COVID-19 last week, and knowing how difficult times are, Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” host and head writer, Michael Che, is paying a month’s rent for the remaining 160 families who live in her housing complex to honor her.
“It’s crazy to me that residents of public housing are still expected to pay their rent when so many New Yorkers can’t even work,” he wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday, ABC news reported.
The 36-year-old said he might be paying only a month’s rent for 160 residents, but his goodwill gesture does not go unnoticed.
“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 building she lived in,” he continued.
Che beckons artists like Diddy and Cuomo, The New York mayor and Governor to also come to the aid of the many other residents in various apartments in New York, who have been asked to stay at home and yet produce rent at the end of every month.
“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 added before calling on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and music mogul Diddy. “Let’s fix this!”
In a deleted Instagram post, he announced his grandmother’s passing on April 6, saying she died from COVID-19. He, however, later confirmed the news about her passing on his “Weekend Update” show, which he co-hosts with Colin Jost.
“As you know, Colin, I lost my grandmother this week,” he disclosed. “And coming back to work really made me feel better, especially with you.”
“Martha’s grandbaby” was how he signed off from the show that day and in the segment of the show where the hosts swap and read each other’s written jokes, the comedian made everyone believe that was his grandmother’s favorite part of the show.
In a classic Che style, he got Jost to read out an ‘offensive joke’ and later said his grandmother didn’t even watch SNL.
“She woke up at like 4 a.m. to pray, you think she was watching ‘Saturday Night Live’? Never,” he wryly revealed and added, “I really appreciate it. That made this night perfect. Thank you.”
