SNL 51: Michael Che Blindsides Colin Jost with Brutal "Joke Swap"
· BCPosted in: Current News, NBC, TV | Tagged: saturday night live, snl
SNL 51: Michael Che Blindsides Colin Jost with Brutal "Joke Swap"
It was a brief, brutal, and one-sided "Joke Swap" between SNL "Weekend Update" anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che. We can't wait for May...
Published Sat, 20 Dec 2025 23:58:04 -0600
by Ray Flook
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Last updated Sun, 21 Dec 2025 00:21:24 -0600
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With host Ariana Grande and musical guest Cher helping usher in the holiday-themed final episode of 2025, we were wondering if tonight's episode of NBC's Saturday Night Live will offer us another edition of "Weekend Update" anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che's "Joke Swap." So, it looks like Che convinced Jost they weren't doing a "Joke Swap" – and it looks like they actually are. From jokes about slavery to child molestation to Scarlett Johansson (yup, again), it was brief but brutal – before Bowen Yang and a returning Aidy Bryant offer some more "Trend Forecasters" forecasts.
Here's a look at what went down, followed by a brief history of Jost & Che's "Joke Swap":
SNL 51: A Look Back Jost & Che's "Weekend Update Joke Swap"
It was during Season 41's Thanksgiving show (hosted by Matthew McConaughey and featuring musical guest Adele on November 21, 2015) that painfully young-looking Che and Jost introduced viewers to the "joke swap" concept. From there, things pick back up in 2018, and you can check out each edition below to get you up to speed before tonight:
Christmas 2018:
2019's Season 44 Finale:
Christmas 2019:
2020's Season 45 Finale:
Christmas 2020:
2021's Season 46 Finale:
Christmas 2023:
2024's Season 49 Finale:
With SNL getting ready to wrap up 2024, Christmas 2024 was time for Jost and Che to unleash their annual joke swap – and were they able to top their past efforts? Oh, yes. Jost warned the crowd when they began applauding the start of the annual event with, "You applaud now…" Because Che had Jost read his racially charged joke headlines about VP Kamala Harris looking into slavery reparations, Johansson celebrating a birthday, and Costco roast beef – in a "Black voice." The jokes themselves saw Jost referring to Johansson as "boo," dropping a roast beef/oral sex joke, and more – all while the camera cut to Johansson's reactions behind the scenes (with her offering an "Oh my god!" at one point). Meanwhile, Jost had Che making the argument that Jay-Z was innocent and that Che frequented Diddy parties – while throwing in some Jeffrey Epstein and Moana 2 references along the way.
"I had all these cameras on me. I didn't expect the setup to be like that," Johansson shared during an interview with Vanity Fair regarding December 2024's swap, where she found herself the subject of a number of Che's jokes (in real-time while she was backstage at SNL). "I was like, 'Wow, you really are seventh-, eighth-grade boys [grins]. I feel like it's almost my responsibility to come up with some way to burn Michael back. Retaliation, I'd say, should be expected." Well, it looks like Johansson has drawn a line in the sand – and it appears that she might get some help. "Others on the show could support this desire. Know what I mean?"
Johansson would end up hosting the Season 50 finale (with musical guest Bad Bunny), giving her a chance at that "retaliation" she referenced. After a run of killer headlines from the past week and the return of the amazing Miss Eggy (Ego Nwodim) talking about airline food (after Jost introduced her as getting fined by the FCC for her last appearance)… it was time! "Lorne! Retire, bitch! Let me run the show!" was how Che had Jost kick things off.
First up, Jost had to tell jokes about CBS's Black daytime soap opera, The Gates, and shots at Kendrick Lamar, while Che had to make jokes about Minecraft, pedophilia, and white women. Then, Johansson came out for Che to "apologize" to, which led to a nice run of self-deprecating jokes (including upgrading where he sells crack). But then it was Jost's turn, and that included ending with Jost applying lipstick and telling Michaels that he would do "anything" to run SNL. It was an exchange that had to be seen to be truly appreciated because we definitely can't do it justice by transcribing it.
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