Michael Che extended some kindness to his grandma’s neighbors to honor her after she died from the coronavirus earlier this month. The Saturday Night Live head writer pledged to cover rent for every tenant in his grandmother’s New York City Housing Authority building this month. “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,†Che posted on Instagram, not Instagram Stories — a rare occurrence. “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. 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.â€
He finished by asking New York City mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo to “page†him, saying, “Let’s fix this!†Che’s grandma, Martha, died on April 5, according to a since-deleted, heartfelt post on his Instagram, where he still managed to crack a few jokes. The comedian has found his own unique ways to celebrate her life. Just last Saturday, on SNL’s first remotely produced show, Che signed off of “Weekend Update†as “Martha’s grandbaby.â€