Print
Millennial Michael Che just got a lesson in writing about Gen Z, thanks to social media critics who accused his “Gen Z Hospital” sketch of placing African American Vernacular English (AAVE) in the mouths of “Saturday Night Live” cast members and calling it comedy.
Che, 37, initially thought the sketch had simply bombed but got another impression after reading social media.
“This Gen Z hospital skit on SNL is so stupid. I’m so tired of nonblack people throwing random AAVE terms in their sentences and calling that horse s ‘Gen Z language,’” one Twitter user wrote Saturday night.
In the sketch, host Elon Musk played a doctor who’s caring for the “bestie” of five stereotypical Gen Z folks portrayed by Bowen Yang, Kate McKinnon, Heidi Gardner, Mikey Day and Ego Nwodim. Melissa Villaseñor played a Gen Z-style nurse, clad head to ankles hair included in hot pink, while the others awaited results from the doc.
Saturday Night Live faces mounting criticism for AAVE appropriation in Gen Z Hospital sketch
Moises Mendez IIMay 11, 2021, 21:36 IST
Melissa Villaseñor, host Elon Musk, Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, Kate McKinnon, Bowen Yang, and Mikey Day in the Gen Z Hospital skit on Saturday Night LiveWill Heath/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images Saturday Night Live made fun of Generation Z in a sketch called Gen Z Hospital.
Social-media users said the show passed off African American Vernacular English as Gen Z slang.
John Rickford, a linguistics professor at Stanford University, called the sketch an embarrassment. Saturday Night Live tried to poke fun at teens during Saturday s episode with a sketch called Gen Z Hospital, but the scene garnered major backlash online, with critics saying it tried to pass off African-American Vernacular English as Gen Z slang.
Updated: 11 May 2021, 21:03
Bernadette Giacomazzo, Reporter
Invalid Date,
MICHAEL Che used the word bro in a recent SNL sketch and his critics say he s a culture vulture for it.
The sketch he wrote called Gen Z Hospital, which aired on Saturday night, prompted a huge response online and some negative comments
6
6
6
Elon Musk hosted the SNL episode that featured the controversial Gen-Z Hospital sketchCredit: Getty
Phrases like gang gang, stan and no cap were used in the skit, which originates in AAVE, or African-American Vernacular English, according to Deadline.
“I’ve been reading about how my “gen z” sketch was misappropriating AAVE and I was stunned cause what the f k is ‘AAVE’? Che said in a since-deleted Instagram post.
What the f is AAVE? Michael Che takes responsibility for sketch mocking Gen Z on Elon Musk s SNL show that critics say appropriated African American Vernacular English for non-black cast
Michael Che posted on Instagram Monday that he had to look up what AAVE was in response to backlash over his Gen Z Hospital skit
He said he meant no offense to the AAVE community when he wrote the skit
It aired in the May 8 episode of Saturday Night Live, and featured cast members using words associated with African American Vernacular English
They used the terms bro, bestie, sus, and catch hands among others
Michael Che Stunned by Cultural Appropriation Accusations Over His SNL Sketch
TV
Kate McKinnon, Mikey Day, Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim, Bowen Yang and host Elon Musk have angered many after they used slang terms from African American Vernacular English (AAVE) in the skit Gen Z Hospital written by Che. May 11, 2021
Michael Che has addressed backlash over his latest
Saturday Night Live sketch. After Gen Z Hospital skit written by him was accused of cultural appropriation, the stand-up comedian admitted that he was stunned by the accusations. I ve been reading about how my gen z sketch was misappropriating AAVE, and I was stunned, cause what the f k is AAVE ? I had to look it up, the 37-year-old wrote on Instagram on Monday, May 10. Turns out it s an acronym for African American Vernacular English. You know, AAVE! That ol saying that actual Black people use in conversation all the time.