The Weekend Update desk at Saturday Night Live has been headlined by some fantastic stars over the years. Depending on your age, you may feel that some anchors outweigh others. As for the current pair, Colin Jost and Michael Che, they've made quite a name for themselves and have been at it for a decade. But the creative process isn't always perfect for them That's evidenced by the fact that Che revealed a joke, or pun rather, that made him more than cringe, even though it killed.
The looks both anchors have produced over the years have made for more than memorable moments. What jokes make them roll their eyes though? For Michael Che, the answer was revealed via the Fly on the Wall podcast, which is hosted by two famous SNL alums -- Dana Carvey and David Spade. Carvey asked guests Che and Colin Jost if they ever told a joke on Update that made them want to kick the other’s ass. Che was quick to chime in and, though he couldn't remember the set-up, he definitely recalled the punchline:
Something toward that, yeah. I think ‘jalapeno business’ I was pretty furious about.
The podcast sheds light on some of the behind-the-scenes elements of Saturday Night Live, so it's definitely an apt place for Michael Che to have revealed his boundaries when it comes to jokes. One can appreciate that Che and Colin Jost don't shy away from pushing the envelope. Their segment is also a nice palette cleanser during the 90-minute show, but Che definitely had to draw a line in one instance. Again, though, there's something to be said about the fact that the joke ultimately killed.
The punchline was brought in during that week’s run through, with Colin Jost delivering it. Subsequently, the Top Five alum threatened to quit if his partner said it on air. Naturally, Jost delivered it live, because of his co-worker’s disdain for it and, it was the positive reception that infuriated Mr. Che all the more. His response to Jost after that broadcast was:
If you ever do that again, I’m going to kick your ass.
Still, the exchange seems true to their rapport, and I'm here for it, especially as we’re two episodes into the star-studded SNL Season 50. While both have since stepped down as head writers for the show, they aren’t abandoning their on-air posts. Both anchors have gained popularity during their decade of desk work and are known for their playful, edgy humor that doesn’t discount anyone, even Barack Obama and Scarlett Johansson, who's married to Colin Jost.
A fan favorite is their annual joke swap, which gets edgier by the year. The segment consists of the two writing jokes for each another that they read for the first time live. The spot has become greatly anticipated and has both anchors groaning or blushing as they deliver one after the other. I'd count on these two to continue pushing each other's comedic buttons, and I'll be interested to hear if Michael Che provides any more blunt feedback on a joke moving forward.
New episodes of Saturday Night Live air on the titular night at 11:30 p.m. ET amid the 2024 TV schedule. So you can catch Michael Che and his "punny partner" then. Episodes are also available to stream with the help of a Peacock subscription.
