5 Things You Need to Know About Colin Jost, ‘Saturday Night Live’s’ New ‘Weekend Update’ Co-Anchor
"Saturday Night Live" is adding a co-anchor to "Weekend Update," and while his face may not be familiar, his writing will be!
The show announced that head writer Colin Jost will join Cecily Strong at the desk starting March 1 after Seth Meyers departs to host "Late Night."
The 31-year-old Jost first started writing for "SNL" in 2005 and was promoted to head writer in 2012. He's received quite a few accolades for his work, including a Peabody Award, three Writers Guild of America Awards, and eight Emmy nominations.
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Here are five things to know about our new "Weekend Update" anchor:
1. He edited the Harvard Lampoon, of course.
The university's humor publication is a feeder to the Hollywood comedy scene, having produced big names like Conan O'Brien, Greg Daniels, Al Jean, and B.J. Novak. At the Lampoon, Jost honed his comedic writing chops.
"When you're around people who are trying to be funny all day and trying to one-up each other, that's just naturally — if you want to do it — it's going to make you better," he told the Boston Globe.
2. His favorite "SNL" sketch (of his) features Alec Baldwin. His favorite sketch ever features Jim Carrey.
In Jimmy Fallon's "Twitter Questions" segment on "Late Night," Jost revealed some of his favorite "Saturday Night Live" moments.
Favorite sketch he's written: Alec Baldwin marries a hot dog. "You see his hot dog family and Andy Samberg is a half hot dog, half kid, and Amy Poehler is half girl, half hot dog, I kind of like that one," he said.
Favorite sketch of all time: Jim Carrey as the lifeguard at a hot tub. "He has to jump in and save Will Ferrell, and Tim Meadows comes by to swim laps in the hot tub. That's definitely one of my favorites."
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3. He's dating another very funny person: Rashida Jones.
The "Parks and Recreation" star knew Jost for awhile, but sparks really flew when the former Harvard alums encountered each other at Seth Meyers's wedding last October. Jones has previously dated Tobey Maguire, music producer Mark Ronson, and Jon Favreau.
"Rashida is into him. She likes that he's funny," a source told Us Weekly.
4. He's a born and raised New Yorker.
It's fitting that New York-based "SNL" have a writer and "Weekend Update" co-anchor whose DNA has the Big Apple stamped all over it. Jost grew up in Staten Island, and his mother, Dr. Kerry Kelly, is the Chief Medical Officer for the New York City Fire Department. Talk about New York royalty!
5. His humor knows no bounds.
Jost doesn't just write jokes for "SNL." He's an accomplished comedian who's done stand-up on "Late Night," TBS, and HBO, as well as comedy festivals. He's also published three "Shouts and Murmurs" pieces in the New Yorker, as well as columns in the New York Times Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Radar.
And he wrote and starred in the upcoming Paramount feature "Staten Island Summer," based on his days as a lifeguard.
Plus, his Twitter is hilarious. A sampling:
This is gonna sound like a joke, but is Mayor McCheese based on a real piece of cheese that ran for mayor in Ireland?
— Colin Jost (@TheColinJost) November 5, 2013
I want to coin the term "jaybiking" for when someone bikes against the light. Mainly so Jay Leno can start interviewing people on a bike.
— Colin Jost (@TheColinJost) June 13, 2013
Is a corona virus also better with a lime?
— Colin Jost (@TheColinJost) May 29, 2013
Pronouncing "harassment" with an accent on the first syllable is in itself a form of harassment.
— Colin Jost (@TheColinJost) April 11, 2013
Jost on people's reaction to his odd name:
