WINONA, Minn. – In a departure from the usually high-brow Lyceum speaker series at Winona State, stand-up comic Michael Che and university President Scott Olson swapped chuckles and also insights about life. Although a free-wheeling conversation, the subject of politics was inevitable. It’s the weekly grist of Che’s “Saturday Night Live” schtick, Referring to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelezny, a one-time stand-up comedian, Olson asked if something about comedians makes them good politicians. “Comedians have a way of stating the obvious that a lot of politicians have a hard time doing,” Che said. “People relate to comedians a lot more because we tell it the way we see it and the way everybody else sees it, as opposed to politicians, who tell it the way they want you to see it.” On another point about his craft, Che noted that he was the youngster of seven brothers. “It taught me how to listen, how to observe,” he said.
