Colin Jost breaks Seth Meyers' Saturday Night Live "Weekend Update" hosting record
Jost has hosted the staple SNL skit 155 times since 2014
Here’s an update following this last weekend’s Saturday Night Live: Colin Jost has become the longest serving host for the “Weekend Update.” After the Jason Sudeikis-hosted episode, he beat out the previous titleholder Seth Meyers.
Over the weekend SNL alum Sudeikis took a seat at the “Weekend Update” desk and reprised his devil character, taking the credit for all the climate change and global strife from the last few years. He’s been a busy guy for sure, but still had the time to take a jab at Jost for “baby trap[ping]” his wife, famous actor Scarlett Johansson.
Since taking his spot behind the iconic desk in 2014, Jost has hosted 155 “Weekend Update” segments. He first joined the sketch-comedy show in 2005 as a writer for Season 31 and he became a head writer for the show from 2012-2014. He then briefly stepped down as head writer to take the position of co-anchor for “Weekend Update” with Cecily Strong.
It wasn’t long until Michael Che joined him as his partner in news-related comedy. Che, with 147 episodes under his belt, will surpass Meyers as well by the season’s end. Jost will hold onto the title for a while unless Che continues to host after his eventual (?) departure.
“Weekend Update’s” origins go all the way back to 1975, when Chevy Chase became its first host. While many have come and gone as host of “Weekend Update,” some of those who helmed the desk for extended periods include the late Norm McDonald, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Jane Curtin, and Dennis Miller.
Meyers took on the role as co-host with Poehler in 2006, birthing the recurring bit “Really!?! With Seth And Amy.” Starting in 2008, he hosted the segment solo until his departure from SNL in 2014, racking up 154 episodes. Before Meyers, Fey held the title with 117 hosted “Weekend Updates.”