Caitlin Clark Dunks on Michael Che During ‘Saturday Night Live’ Appearance

It’s an obsession bordering on the sad: Michael Che, the well-regarded writer, standup comic and co-anchor of Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update, has seemingly made a name for himself as a critic of women’s sports. His digs against female athletes, which often trade humor for audience discomfort, have raised brows even on anti-feminist strongholds such as Reddit, and recently inspired this publication’s SNL chronicler, Karen Valby, to mull “starting a petition for Michael Che to reconsider making lame and willfully obnoxious WNBA jokes.” In apparent acknowledgment of its audience’s waning patience with the (one hopes) bit, the nearly 50-year-old show brought Caitlin Clark, one of college basketball’s biggest stars, onto its stage last night, where she told some jokes of her own.

Clark, the 22-year-old point guard whose record with the Iowa Hawkeyes is one of the greatest in NCAA history, is widely expected to be chosen by the Indiana Fever in Monday’s WNBA draft. But before landing in the Hoosier state, the top scorer across Division I women’s and men’s basketball stopped by Studio 8H, where she “interrupted” Che’s most recent sexist remarks, this time about Clark’s jersey being replaced with an apron.

Clark, who did a better job reading cue cards than one suspects Che would play basketball, then encouraged Che to read some jokes written at his expense. The setup, which struck a similar tone to the segment’s “Christmas Joke Swap” in terms of its alleged spontaneity, followed a so-called “supercut” of Che’s jabs at women who dare take the field or court. “We’re just having fun,” Che said in his own defense, without explaining who the “we” in that assertion was.

The bit ended with Clark handing Che an apron. “Thank you, I can’t wait to give this to my girlfriend,” he said as he accepted the pink garment. Sure, that remark might have been a setup for Clark’s rejoinder, “You don’t have a girlfriend, Michael,” but it also served to demonstrate that no lessons have been truly learned. Men, after all, “have fun” and play sports that people enjoy and take seriously. Meanwhile, women—even imaginary ones—wear aprons. 

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