"Colin Jost"
Episode of SmartLess · May 4, 2026 · 1 h 5 min
SmartLess hosts talk with Colin Jost about his Staten Island upbringing, the Harvard Lampoon, becoming SNL's Weekend Update anchor, his Staten Island ferry, and new projects.
Summary
Sean Hayes, Will Arnett and Jason Bateman opened with banter about Arnett's trip to Liverpool, Hayes's return from his Off-Broadway run in The Unknown, and his post-show eating habits before Hayes introduced Colin Jost, the longest-serving Weekend Update anchor in Saturday Night Live history. Jost, calling in from his SNL office, discussed a new documentary about Lorne Michaels, which he found moving, SNL face-mold casting, and a sugar- and stress-induced panic attack from all-night writing sessions. He described not speaking until nearly age four and his daily hour-and-a-half commute from Staten Island to Regis High School by bus, ferry and subway.
Jost explained buying a decommissioned Staten Island ferry, the John F. Kennedy, with Pete Davidson for about $280,000. He said events held on it had already recouped the investment, that a permanent docking spot was close, and that he envisioned it as an event space or a middle-class family swim club that could relocate to Miami in winter. Bateman recounted attending Heartlight, an unaccredited experimental school that held classes on a bus.
Jost traced his path from studying economics and then Russian literature at Harvard to the Harvard Lampoon and a cold-submitted SNL packet, being hired at 22 alongside Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig and Jason Sudeikis. He described becoming head writer, a job he called nightmarish, and a rocky start on Weekend Update, including auditions with several partners before he and Michael Che were chosen, and Che's on-air prank of instructing the audience not to laugh at his jokes. He also discussed playing Pete Hegseth on SNL, his role in Nate Bargatze's film The Breadwinner, and hosting Pop Culture Jeopardy!, whose clip showed contestants failing to name Bateman as a SmartLess host.
Chapters
- 0:05
Opening banter
The hosts discuss Arnett's Liverpool trip, Hayes's Off-Broadway run and his post-show eating.
- 5:00
Introducing Colin Jost
Hayes introduces Jost with biographical facts including his late speech, his mother's 9/11 survival and the ferry.
- 5:40
SNL offices and the Lorne documentary
Jost jokes about asbestos in his office and shares his impressions of a new Lorne Michaels documentary.
- 10:44
Face molds and candy-fueled panic
Jost recounts mailing Hayes his SNL face-mold form, Jeff Daniels's mold mishap, and a panic attack from sugar and stress.
- 15:58
Late talker
Jost explains not speaking until almost four and seeing a speech specialist, and Arnett shares a story about his son's late walking.
- 19:45
Commuting to Regis and the bus school
Jost describes his daily Staten Island ferry commute to Regis High School, and Bateman recounts his experimental bus school, Heartlight.
- 24:36
Buying the Staten Island ferry
Jost explains buying the John F. Kennedy ferry with Pete Davidson and his plans for docking and using it.
- 30:11
Harvard and the Lampoon
Jost discusses the Harvard Lampoon's history and how he submitted his packet and was hired at SNL.
- 36:26
From economics to comedy
Jost describes switching from economics to Russian literature and realizing comedy was his true interest, while Bateman shares advice to his daughters.
- 42:26
Getting Weekend Update
Jost recounts becoming head writer, struggling early on Update, the audition process, and Michael Che's audience prank.
- 52:37
Hegseth, The Breadwinner and Pop Culture Jeopardy!
Jost discusses his Pete Hegseth impression, his film role, and Pop Culture Jeopardy!, including a clip about SmartLess.
- 1:02:31
Wrap-up
The hosts praise Jost and attempt a pun-based goodbye about the ferry purchase.
Key points
What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.
- Colin Jost
Jost said he found the Lorne Michaels documentary moving because it felt authentically in Michaels's voice.
“i found it kind of moving because he is very much him and it felt like it was of his in his voice weirdly”
- Will Arnett
Arnett argued that what people don't know about Lorne Michaels is that he is very funny.
“the thing that people don't know about lauren and you can attest to this uh colin is that uh lauren's really funny”
- Sean Hayes
Hayes recalled that during his time at SNL, Michaels seemed intimidating because he spoke little.
“He's scary if you don't know him, you know, because he's a little off-putting”
- Colin Jost
Jost said an episode he thought was a heart attack at SNL was caused by stress, lack of sleep and sugar.
“It was a combination of stress, not sleeping, and also having all this sugar”
- Jason Bateman
Bateman said he attended an experimental school called Heartlight started by a friend of his father in Calabasas.
“A friend of my father's started one of these things in his home out in Calabasas. And it was called Heartlight”
- Colin Jost
Jost said the ferry cost about $280,000 compared with roughly $300 million for a new boat.
“the new boat cost like $300 million to build. So I was like, I'm getting an old one for only $280,000”
- Colin Jost
Jost argued the ferry is not a money pit, saying events have already recouped the investment and docking costs.
“we've done some events on it where we really have already made back the money we've invested and the money we've spent on stuff to dock it”
- Colin Jost
Jost said he envisions the ferry as an accessible pay-as-you-go family swim club in Manhattan.
“I could imagine creating a place like that that's not like a weird fancy members club, but it's actually more like middle class in Manhattan swim club”
- Colin Jost
Jost said the Harvard Lampoon's 150th anniversary was about a week away, with alumni including Conan O'Brien returning.
“It's actually the 150th anniversary is coming up in like a week. Wow. So we're going back like Conan and a bunch of people”
- Colin Jost
Jost said he realized his earlier activities had all been comedy versions of other pursuits, pointing him toward comedy.
“So I just, I started realizing that that was probably where my interest was, even if I was doing it in these other ways”
- Jason Bateman
Bateman advised his daughters that being driven toward something creates unexpected opportunities.
“as long as you're pointed at something, a lot of opportunity comes your way”
Linked moment · 41:51Skip to 41:51 using a listen link in the info box.
Colin JostJost argued that serious, driven peers are essential for learning, healthy competition and hearing about opportunities.
“you find people that are serious about something, even if it's comedy, and are really driven or really, you know, and then you learn from them”
- Colin Jost
Jost described being SNL head writer as nightmarish because it added managing colleagues to his writing duties.
“I found it to be a really nightmarish job in a lot of ways because you're suddenly doing the same job you're doing, but you're also having to manage everyone”
- Colin Jost
Jost said he and Michael Che expected to be fired every summer for at least their first two years on Update.
“for like the first two years at least, we thought we were going to get fired every summer”
- Colin Jost
Jost said his early Update struggles came from nerves that audiences misread as cockiness.
“I think I was really nervous, and I probably smiled or laughed in a way that made people think I was kind of cocky about it”
- Colin Jost
Jost recounted that Michael Che met the audience before the show and told them not to laugh at anything Jost said.
“He went and met with the audience before they loaded in, like looked them in the eyes and were like, listen, you're not laughing”
- Will Arnett
Arnett praised Jost's Pete Hegseth impression as one of his favorite politician impressions.
“I think it's one of my favorite politician impressions. Yeah, yeah. It's really funny”
- Colin Jost
Jost said he hopes his Hegseth impression barely registers with Hegseth given larger issues.
“I kind of just think it's not—it's such, in the scheme of things, like, probably, I hope, barely on his radar”
- Colin JostCame true
Jost said The Breadwinner, in which he plays a rival stay-at-home dad, is set for release on May 29.
“breadwinner that's coming out may 29th is what i'm told and i have i think i have a fun part”
- Colin Jost
Jost said performing in film rather than live felt liberating because he could take risks.
“getting to perform not live is even more liberating because you can just take swings”
- Colin Jost
Jost said he was astonished by contestants' pop culture knowledge on Pop Culture Jeopardy!.
“I cannot believe the level of knowledge that these teams have about pop culture”
People
In the conversation
- Sean HayesAmerican actor and comedian, co-host of SmartLess
- Will ArnettCanadian-American actor and comedian, co-host of SmartLess
- Jason BatemanAmerican actor and director, co-host of SmartLess
- Colin JostAmerican comedian, writer and longtime Saturday Night Live Weekend Update anchor
Discussed
- Lorne MichaelsCreator and executive producer of 'Saturday Night Live'
- Pete DavidsonComedian who appeared on Adam Devine's House Party at age 19
- Michael CheComedian and Jost's Weekend Update co-anchor
- Scarlett JohanssonActress and Jost's wife
- Pete HegsethU.S. Secretary of Defense overseeing the Iran campaign
- Seth MeyersAmerican comedian and host of Late Night with Seth Meyers
- Jeff DanielsActor who had a face-mold mishap while hosting SNL
- Nate BargatzeComedian who stars in The Breadwinner
- Anthony JeselnikComedian who auditioned for Weekend Update
- Cecily StrongSNL cast member who co-anchored Update with Jost at first
- Jim DowneyLongtime SNL writer from the Harvard Lampoon
- Tommy HilfigerFashion designer who held an event on Jost's ferry
Topics
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From the publisher
Sleep in the upright position: it’s Colin Jost. The mesh is separating… talking, walking. Swedish fish in a blender, and a midnight bowl of bolognese. Welcome to the newest/freshest/cleanest ep of SmartLess.
Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 27, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.