Posted in: NBC, Peacock, TV | Tagged: saturday night live, snl

SNL 50 Rewind: Che & Jost's Joke Swap, The Grinch Gets Cut & More

With SNL re-airing Season 50's holiday show with Martin Short and Hozier, we look back at Che and Jost's "Weekend Update" Joke Swap and more.

As if there wasn't enough pressure hosting the final SNL before the holidays (and a much-needed midseason break), this past season was Saturday Night Live's milestone 50th season, so you know viewers were thinking big. And "big" what they got, with host Martin Short and musical guest Hozier being joined by a whole lot of famous faces throughout the night. Tom Hanks, Paul Rudd, Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Emma Stone, John Mulaney, and Jimmy Fallon took part in the cold open, honoring Short with his "Five-Timers" jacket. EP Lorne Michaels, Fallon, Stone, and Wiig would show up during the opening monologue. McCarthy would come close to winning the night with an excellent appearance in that "Parking Lot Altercation" sketch, before joining Rudd, Wiig, Rudd, and Hanks (as Sully Sullenberger from Sully) for the "Airport Parade" sketch. Rudd and Dana Carvey would show up for the "Sábado Gigante" sketch, Johansson would make a headline-grabbing guest appearance backstage during "Weekend Update," and Lucy Liu would slay in a Cut For Time sketch.

SNL 50 Cut For Time: The Grinch's Story Takes Twisted Tarantino Turn

To get a better sense of just how strong a show it was, look no further than the Cut For Time sketch that was released. Seriously, because this sketch would've been a given to hit our screens pretty much any other week this season (aside from the fact that it's a holiday-themed sketch, of course).

In "How The Grinch Stole Christmas," The Grinch's change (and growth) of heart ends up having a pretty hefty body count – and that means it's time for revenge. We won't spoil where it goes, but let's just say that it embraces its "inner Tarantino" (and yes, that's Liu in a role we have a feeling will look very familiar to you).

SNL 50 Finale "Joke Swap": Scarlett Johansson, Michael Che & Colin Jost

With this being the final show for the year, it was time for "Weekend Update" anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che to unleash their annual joke swap – and were they able to top their past efforts? Oh, yes. Jost warned the crowd when they began applauding the start of the annual event with, "You applaud now…" Because Che had Jost read his racially charged joke headlines about VP Kamala Harris looking into slavery reparations, Johansson celebrating a birthday, and Costco roast beef – in a "Black voice."

The jokes themselves saw Jost referring to Johansson as "boo," dropping a roast beef/oral sex joke, and more – all while the camera cut to Johansson's reactions behind the scenes (with her offering an "Oh my god!" at one point). Meanwhile, Jost had Che making the argument that Jay-Z was innocent and that Che frequented Diddy parties – while throwing in some Jeffrey Epstein and Moana 2 references along the way.

Heading into the Season 50 finale earlier this year, Johansson teased "retaliation" even before she was officially announced as the host. After the news hit, viewers knew it was more a matter of how she would appear on "Weekend Update" and not if. After a run of killer headlines from the past week and the return of the amazing Miss Eggy (Ego Nwodim) talking about airline food (after Jost introduced her as getting fined by the FCC for her last appearance)… it was time! "Lorne! Retire, bitch! Let me run the show!" was how Che had Jost kick things off. First up, Jost had to tell jokes about CBS's Black daytime soap opera The Gates and take some shots at Kendrick Lamar, while Che had to make jokes about Minecraft, pedophilia, and white women. Then, Johansson came out for Che's "apology," which led to a nice run of self-deprecating jokes (including upgrading where he sells crack). But then it was Jost's turn, and that included ending with Jost applying lipstick and telling Michaels that he would do "anything" to run SNL. It was an exchange that had to be seen to be truly appreciated because we definitely can't do them justice by transcribing them.

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