Michael Che at The Wilbur

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Critics and audiences agree, NY-based writer, actor and standup comedian Michael Che is a star on the rise. Having been named one of Rolling Stone’s “50 Funniest People,” Buzzfeed’s “50 Hottest Men in Comedy,” and Variety’s “Top 10 Comics To Watch,” he is quickly leaving his mark on the media landscape. A native of lower Manhattan, Che’s comedy uses humor to identify humanity in the most controversial actions. He applies street culture to world issues with a delivery that The New York Times describes as “a reflective, laid-back stage presence with jokes that draw as much from his city upbringing…as from blunt, insightful points that bring the abstract into focus.”

Che is currently the co-anchor of Saturday Night Live’s iconic “Weekend Update” segment where he is also a staff writer for the show. He also recently released his first hour-long stand-up special entitled Michael Che Matters on Netflix. His first special aired in 2014 on Comedy Central’s The Half-Hour stand-up series. Prior to joining SNL, Che was part of “The Best F*&#ing News Team Ever!” as a correspondent on Comedy Central’s Emmy & Peabody Award-winning program The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. In February of 2014, he became the first-ever standup [comedian] to perform on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers, which marked his second late night appearance following his 2012 late night television debut on CBS’s Late Show with David Letterman.

Che has made numerous other television and film appearances including Chris Rock’s Top Five, Comedy Central’s hit series @midnight, and as a weekly cast member on Vh1’s Best Week Ever.

In August 2013, Che headlined a successful month-long run of standup shows entitled “Cartoon Violence” at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, with The Guardian raving, “his effectiveness as a comic is instant.”

Che has performed on the Oddball Comedy and Curiosity festival tour, at The Melbourne International Comedy Festival, The Montreal Comedy Festival, Comedy Central’s South Beach Comedy Festival, The Moontower Comedy Festival, and Bonnaroo, where The Nashville Scene proclaimed “Straight up: Michael Che is going to be a star.” He was crowned the winner of the New York’s Funniest Stand-Up competition at the 2012 New York Comedy Festival, and both Time-Out NY and Comedy Central have listed him as one of their “Comics To Watch.” He headlines comedy shows nationally and internationally.

Michael Che plays The Wilbur Theatre on Friday, July 2. Showtimes are 7:30 and 10 PM. Tickets $29