Colin Jost Forced to Make Cringe Joke About Wife Scarlett Johansson on 'Weekend Update'
Saturday Night Live wrapped up its 49th season on May 18, and to mark the occasion, Weekend Update hosts Michael Che and Colin Jost revived their ongoing bit where they swap jokes with one another. And one of the jokes may have gotten Jost into some hot water with his wife, actress Scarlett Johansson.
"Tonight is our season finale and we have a tradition where Che and I give each other jokes to read," Jost explained at the beginning of the segment, as his co-host chimed in: "We're making each other read jokes on air that the other person has never seen before."
"Let's not applaud yet," Jost continued, after the audience began cheering. "The idea is to give each other fun jokes—almost supportive jokes that would never run our summer or our career." As an added bonus, Che brought in a real, practicing Jewish rabbi to sit in on the segment, before turning the tables to Jost, who was first given a joke to read about students walking out of Jerry Seinfeld's recent commencement address at Duke.
"I think that’s disgraceful. During these difficult times it’s important to support our Jewish friends," the 41-year-old read from the teleprompter, before adding, "That’s why the only chant you’ll hear from me is, 'Free Weinstein!"
After trading some barbs back and forth, Jost was given a joke that indeed may or may not ruin his summer. "ChatGPT has released a new voice assistant feature inspired by Scarlett Johansson's AI character in Her," he said, referring to his wife's 2013 Spike Jonze film. "Which I've never bothered to watch because without that body, what's the point of listening."
After reading the punchline, Jost laughed and resignedly lowered his head into his hand.
I’m guessing this is the joke that is getting Sky booted from @OpenAI’s voices.
(For context: on the season finale of SNL, hosts Michael Che and Colin Jost write jokes for each other that neither has seen before reading them on-air.) pic.twitter.com/3U7fd5M89y— Theoretically Media (@TheoMediaAI) May 20, 2024
Johansson, who is famously not on social media, has yet to weigh in on the joke. But given that the couple have been together for seven years and married since October 2020, one would have to imagine that she understand by now that it comes with the territory.
You can watch the entire joke swap segment below.
