Cedric The Entertainer Says People Losing Food Stamps Is Not a Joke

Cedric the Entertainer doesn't like all the jokes being made about food stamps over the weekend ... unless they were really good.

We caught up with one of the Original Kings Of Comedy in NYC, where our cameraperson brought up people making jokes about the U.S. government's impending halt to the country's largest anti-hunger program.

Cedric had a more serious response than we were expecting, saying, "No, that's not a joke. There's so many people living with food insecurity in the United States."

The comedian continued, "The fact that the government is willing to let its own citizens starve and not eat is ridiculous."

According to Cedric, we should have empathy for those in need, because "All of us are one paycheck away from being dead broke in this country."

So no more jokes about it? He didn't go that far ... "Well you know ... if they're funny..." Cedric said with a wry grin.

"I do understand that we're going to joke about everything," Cedric allowed.

SNAP -- the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- runs out of money November 1 due to the ongoing government shutdown, putting the nearly 42 million people who rely on it at risk.

SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, dates back to the Great Depression and, according to NPR, caters mostly to seniors, families with kids and people with disabilities.