Colin Jost shocked the SNL audience by roasting wife Scarlett Johansson during the Dec. 20 joke-swap with Michael Che—here’s the exact quip and the fallout.
As #JostRoast and #ScarlettSlam trend worldwide, viewers are replaying one cringe-worthy moment from the December 20, 2025 season-finale of Saturday Night Live: what was Colin Jost’s insulting joke about his wife Scarlett Johansson during the annual “Weekend Update” joke-swap with Michael Che? The live bit—tradition dictates each anchor writes gags the other must read sight-unseen—ended with Jost dead-panning, “Scarlett’s so thirsty for Oscar gold she married a writer because even her hydration needs a script” .
What Was The Joke?
The joke-swap closed the final “Update” of SNL’s landmark 50th season. Per Variety, Che handed Jost a cue card that also referenced Johansson’s recent film Project Artemis (Apple TV+) bombing with a 38 % Rotten Tomatoes score: “Luckily, Scarlett’s used to things crashing and burning—just ask her first marriage to Ryan Reynolds.” The studio audience gasped, then laughed nervously as Jost—clearly blindsided—added, “I wasn’t even her favorite Chris; she just settled for the one who can spell ‘director’” . Cameras cut to Che grinning, while the control-room quickly bleeped Jost’s next ad-lib.
Background
Johansson, who has hosted SNL seven times and married Jost in 2020, was backstage for the finale. Sources tell USA Today she had earlier filmed a pre-taped cameo that was scrapped after the writers’ room decided to “keep the focus on the cast.” The joke-swap began in 2018 and has become a ratings magnet; previous editions forced Jost to joke about Johansson’s 2011 nude-photo hack and Che to claim Jost “still asks Lorne for permission to hold hands.” NBC standards-and-practices vets the cards, but insiders say the anchors retain final veto power—making Jost’s on-air reading tacit approval, however reluctant.
Reactions
Social media split instantly: some fans called the bit “harsh but hilarious,” while others labeled it “mean-spirited marital sabotage.” Johansson’s publicist, Marcel Pariseau, issued a tongue-in-cheek statement: “Scarlett has always supported Colin’s comedy, even when the punchline is her love life.” Meanwhile, branding expert Jeetendr Sehdev predicts the moment could humanize the A-list actress ahead of awards season: “Self-deprecation sells in Hollywood.” NBC’s overnight metered markets scored a 4.9 household rating, the highest for an SNL finale since 2017, suggesting the controversy delivered eyeballs without drawing FCC fines.
Conclusion
Whether the gag was harmless holiday hazing or a step too far, it cemented the joke-swap as SNL’s most dangerous annual tradition. With awards voting opening next week, all eyes will be on the couple’s next red-carpet appearance to see if laughter truly is the best medicine.
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