In a display of comedic bravado, Saturday Night Live’s (SNL) Colin Jost found himself in the spotlight, delivering a joke about his wife, actress Scarlett Johansson, during the show’s traditional year-end “Weekend Update” segment. This episode marked the continuation of a long-standing SNL tradition where co-hosts Jost and Michael Che write and exchange jokes, often edgy and personal, for each other to read live on air without prior review.
The segment, a staple of SNL’s holiday programming, has become known for its surprise factor and humor, with this year’s exchange proving no exception. Che crafted a joke for Jost, poking fun at Johansson’s filmography. The joke, referencing a recent New York state law allowing alcohol in movie theaters, suggested that Jost could only endure Johansson’s “little art movies” while intoxicated. This quip was accompanied by an image of Johansson from her role in the Marvel film “Black Widow.”
Jost, married to Johansson since 2020 and father to their son Cosmo, navigated the joke with a mix of humor and visible discomfort. The audience’s reaction was a blend of laughter and surprise, a testament to the unexpected nature of the joke. Jost responded to the jest in stride, closing with a tongue-in-cheek remark, “I’m kidding, honey. I love all of your movies.”
Adding to the levity, Jost also read the conclusion of one of Che’s jokes, which humorously claimed Johansson to be a better “Black Widow” than Coretta Scott King. The segment also included a fictional, civil rights activist character, Dr. Hattie Davis, who displayed disapproval at the joke.
This isn’t the first instance where Jost has humorously critiqued Johansson’s roles on SNL. Their relationship, often the subject of light-hearted banter, has been a recurring theme in Jost’s comedic material. Johansson, known for her diverse roles in Hollywood, has previously faced criticism for taking on characters outside her identity. However, her performances, including her portrayal as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, have garnered widespread acclaim.
The “Weekend Update” joke swap, hailed by viewers as one of the funniest iterations of the tradition, also featured other controversial and crude jokes. Topics ranged from race and politics to pop culture, illustrating the hosts’ willingness to push boundaries in the name of comedy.
The segment’s format, wherein each host reads jokes penned by the other without prior knowledge, creates a dynamic filled with anticipation and unpredictability. This year’s swap included not only jokes targeting Johansson but also quips about current events and other celebrities, demonstrating the wide-ranging scope of the hosts’ humor.
SNL, a longstanding fixture in American comedy, continues to be a platform where humor intersects with current events, pop culture, and even the personal lives of its cast members. The “Weekend Update” joke swap, a now-annual feature of the show, remains a highlight for its ability to blend humor, surprise, and a touch of discomfort, all in the spirit of good fun.