As a cinephile with a keen eye for comedy and a heart for understanding cultural nuances, I have to admit that this bit between Colin Jost and Michael Che on SNL was both hilarious and uncomfortable in equal measure. The way they push each other’s boundaries is a classic SNL trope, but this year, the stakes seemed higher due to the personal nature of some of the jokes.

Year after year, the last episode of “Saturday Night Live” features a “Weekend Update” segment where co-anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che improvise jokes, with one reading them for the first time live on air. Often, these jokes, written by Jost, involve racially charged topics that can come off as insensitive and overly exaggerated – yet, within the context, they’re usually quite humorous.

This year, instead of his usual methods, Che decided to tease Jost in a novel way: By getting him to make embarrassing comments about Scarlett Johansson on camera, with Johansson herself visible reacting in real-time in the corridor outside the studio. During the show’s opening segment, Jost joined host Martin Short as they both entered the Five Timers Club, and it seems that Che couldn’t help but take advantage of the opportunity to poke fun at their relationship.

Jost initially mentioned his plan for this year: to deliver jokes in a manner mimicking Black speech, to avoid any potential issues. This then transitioned to him telling a joke concerning Kamala Harris and her stance on reparations for slavery.

Indeed, I concur,” replied Jost, struggling to speak due to his bursts of amusement. “It’s because we should return the funds due to the ancestors who were enslaved, considering those who managed to escape.

What Jost was about to reveal regarding his wife was merely a taste compared to the full story. A simple glimpse of her face on a screen behind Jost sparked excitement among many in the crowd, hinting at the dramatic revelations yet to be unveiled.

Jost announced that he was about to share the following jest in honor of his sweetheart, Scarlett Johansson. The scene switched to Johansson, visibly anxious, tightly gripping a beverage while watching Jost’s performance on a screen hovering above her.

“No! No!” Jost said, as he realized what was happening. “Oh my gosh, she’s so genuinely worried!”

Then he got to the business of reading, for the first time, the jokes Che had written for him.

Everyone knows Scarlett recently turned 40, so I guess it’s time for me to move on!” Jost joked, bursting into laughter before he could even complete his sentence. After regaining his composure and when Che reminded him that there was more to the joke, Jost continued. “Oh, come on! I’m just kidding,” he said. “We just had a child together, and you haven’t seen any photos of him yet because he’s extremely dark-skinned!” At this point, a Photoshopped image of Jost and Johansson holding a very dark-skinned baby appeared behind Jost.

Che certainly had his fair share of comedic humiliation, forced to make jokes about “Moana 2” and Jeffrey Epstein, Jay-Z, and his promise to Diddy that “I will help get you off.” But then the spotlight turned back to Jost, who ended the segment with a joke involving his wife that is so R-rated that it genuinely startled Johansson. Warning: This is not for the faint of heart!

Costco has discontinued its roast beef sandwich from their menu, but Jost doesn’t mind,” he said. “I’ve been eating roast beef every evening since my child was born!” After a spell of laughter, Jost continued with his closing remarks. “Oh no, oh no, I’m just joking,” he said. “You know I don’t visit the city! Goodness gracious! That’s extremely unconventional!

In this episode, Martin Short served as the host, while Hozier was our special musical performer. If you’d like to see the whole performance, you can find it below:

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2024-12-22 10:46