The Emmys have picked the host for the 2018 awards telecast, and this year's event is apparently so big, it tapped not one, but two guys to head the show. Saturday Night Live cast members and Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che will share the stage, and a lot of witty jokes with the audience, as they celebrate television's biggest night.
Colin Jost and Michael Che's new gig was orchestrated by SNL creator and Emmy Awards executive producer Lorne Michaels, who appears to be bringing an Emmy event that will be different from years past. The hosting choice here is somewhat surprising, although not entirely, given how well Saturday Night Live performed in last year's Emmys, and in the ratings in general. SNL's 9 awards last year exceeded the award count of any other series that won anything that night, which might also be why Lorne Michaels got the gig to run the show for the first time since the late '80s. Which led to Michael Che and Colin Jost becoming the first co-hosting duo for an Emmys telecast since 1999.
That particular distinction was not lost on Che or Jost, who referenced it in a humorous joint statement:
We're proud to be the first duo hosting the Emmys since Jenna Elfman and David Hyde Pierce, and somehow that's a real fact.
In the announcement, Chairman of NBC Entertainment Robert Greenblatt also stated that Che and Jost won't be the only Saturday Night Live members who are part of the 2018 Emmys, and said the show will have other surprise appearances by members of the show's cast. Awesome! Greenblatt didn't indicate whether or not those appearances could come from former cast members, or if it'll be limited to the current ensemble, but given Lorne Michaels' reputation with his past stars, it's safe to say just about anyone is fair game. Greenblatt added he thinks this year's Emmy's could be the funniest award show audiences have seen in a long time.
People could've have assumed that anyway, as audiences have responded insanely well to Colin Jost and Michael Che behind the Update desk. The two's rapport on Saturday Night Live has shown they work as well in tandem as they do individually and their responses to each other's lines only seem to make all the jokes better. This announcement just screams for an "Emmy's Update" segment, where they recap what happened so far. If it's half as good as their regular Weekend Update breaks, it may be award-worthy on its own. Just look at this chemistry.
The Emmys will air on NBC on Monday, Sept. 17 at 8:00 p.m. ET, with nomination announcements tentatively scheduled for July 12. Until the award show airs, viewers can catch Michael Che and Colin Jost on Saturday Night Live on NBC on Saturdays at 11:30 p.m. ET.
For a look at what's coming to television in 2018, visit our midseason and summer premiere guide. For more on Saturday Night Live, check out our list of the show's upcoming hosts and musical guests to see the episodes that can't be missed.
