Michael Che is still working on that new late-night project he’s been workshopping in front of live audiences in New York.
Che announced his intention to host his own late-night show earlier this summer, setting live “test episodes” of the show—titled Don’t Sleep with Michael Che—at New York City venues like City Winery and The Comedy Cellar. LateNighter was on-site for the first taping, where the Saturday Night Live star led a loose hour interviewing comedians, reading fake ads, and moderating an impromptu Dating Game-style game with audience members. At the time, he mentioned showing a tape of the test show to Lorne Michaels.
Now Che is now offering a few new details on the project. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the “Weekend Update” co-anchor confirmed that he’s discussed the project with Michaels, telling the outlet that he’s going to continue testing the show onstage before shopping it around.
“I always think comedy fans select what they want to see,” he explained,“and so, ideally, I’d just do it live for a while and listen to what the response is and find the identity of the show that way and then have something to sell.”
Che remained noncommittal when asked by the outlet if this new late-night show might lead to his exit from Saturday Night Live.
“I try not to think about it because then I think it ruins the morale for the rest of the year,” he said. “I just, I don’t know, you never know.”
For what it’s worth, the comedian hedged just as much when discussing Don’t Sleep with Michael Che. “I’m having fun, but it’s like any relationship that’s new,” he said of the show so far. “You can’t start talking marriage too soon.”
Che also doesn’t have any specific designs on where the show might wind up. “I have no idea where this goes,” before adding “but you never know, maybe NBC will put it on at three in the morning.”
For Che, it seems like the lack of a long-term plan is the point. As he explained to THR, Don’t Sleep was born of a need to keep things fresh. “Sometimes you just got to motivate yourself to get on stage and try things, especially me,” he said, “because I’ll come up with an idea and then I’ll get bored and it dies in my imagination.”