Weekend Replace host Colin Jost has been working at Saturday Evening Stay for twenty years. He’s had a number of stints as Head Author and has lengthy been put forth as a doable successor for Lorne Michaels if/ when the creator and longtime showrunner steps down. When you hearken to some hardcore SNL followers, nonetheless, his tenure on the present could possibly be coming to an finish.
The rumblings began this previous week when SNL introduced its upcoming hosts. We’re getting Walton Goggins and Scarlett Johansson to shut the season. Now, as a lot as I like Walton Goggins, we are able to set him to the aspect. The individual that issues is Scarlett Johansson, who, in fact, is Colin Jost’s spouse. She’s internet hosting the Season Finale, which can, in response to the Web, additionally mark Jost’s two hundredth time doing Weekend Replace. There are various who consider that’s not a coincidence, and he or she might have been introduced in to assist in giving her husband the epic send-off he deserves.
For a very long time, Jost appeared like an SNL lifer. Any discuss of him leaving the present appeared indifferent from actuality, however should you hearken to a few of his latest interviews, it doesn’t actually really feel like such a distant chance anymore. He made an look at Brown College final week as a part of a lecture collection and was interviewed on all kinds of topics, together with his dad and mom who met at Brown. He additionally took questions from college students. Right here’s how the campus paper summed up the reply he apparently gave on his future…
As Jost continues his work on SNL he mentioned he’s overwhelmed by the prospect of what’s subsequent in his profession. Between writing a tv pilot, operating an promoting company, writing and performing in movies, writing novels and filming a stand-up comedy particular, he mentioned there are a whole lot of unknowns in his future.
That’s not precisely a pledge to remain at SNL the remainder of his life, and it’s not that removed from different solutions he’s given the previous few years which have been extra non-commital. Final 12 months, he instructed Howard Stern he simply decides on whether or not to return every season primarily based on whether or not he’s nonetheless having fun with himself or not. That doesn’t sound like somebody who has agreed to remain ceaselessly or instructed the community he’ll take over the entire present sometime.
Primarily based on the entire above, it’s not shocking that the rumblings about Jost leaving have gotten louder and louder the previous few days. One of many prime feedback beneath SNL’s social put up saying its upcoming hosts was about it being the tip of Jost’s tenure. A Reddit thread speculating the season finale will probably be his final episode obtained greater than a thousand interactions. There have been some articles asking whether or not he’s about to stroll off into the sundown, and should you look on X, there are many random consumer posts from folks satisfied he’s finished.
However whether or not any of this really means he’s finished is a big query mark. Simply because there’s smoke doesn’t imply there’s fireplace, and you might simply as simply make a case that everybody is de facto overreacting right here. Scarlett Johansson is among the largest film stars on the planet, and he or she’s the star of the brand new Jurassic Park film, which comes out this summer time. She additionally has an extended historical past of internet hosting and making appearances on the present and is an apparent candidate to host the season finale. Having her on is much from some private favor to Jost.
As well as, whereas the comic has been a little bit imprecise on his SNL future, he’s additionally been very clear that he completely loves internet hosting Weekend Replace. He’s scaled again his tasks on the present some over the previous few seasons and has been open about discovering a greater work life stability. Sure, he has a ton of different initiatives going he’s engaged on, however the great thing about SNL and the rationale why a whole lot of buzzy comedians keep for a very long time is as a result of the present offers everybody an prolonged summer time and loads of weeks off to work on different issues.
Lengthy story brief, some followers are satisfied Jost is about to depart SNL, however there are many others who assume persons are making a giant to do about nothing. I are inclined to assume he’s most likely going to stay round, however there’s actually a little bit smoke right here and it wouldn’t be a shock if he left. We’ll simply have to attend and see.