Michael Che Shares Colin Jost’s Joke That Left Him “Furious”
In a recent episode of the Fly on the Wall podcast, Michael Che opened up about a joke from Colin Jost that left him feeling incredibly frustrated during their time co-anchoring Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live. The two comedians have a long history of playful banter and jabs at each other, but Che revealed that one particular joke nearly pushed him to quit the show.
Che recounted the moment he heard Jost deliver the punchline “jalapeño business.” He explained that he was so upset about the joke that he told Jost he would leave the show if it aired. Despite Che’s protest, Jost went ahead with the joke during a live broadcast, and it turned out to be a hit, much to Che’s dismay.
He reminisced about the rehearsal when Jost first presented the joke, recalling, “I was like, ‘If you tell that joke on air, I’m leaving. I’m quitting the show.’ And he did it on air and it destroyed.” Che admitted that the success of the joke left him feeling disoriented about their comedic dynamic.
Jost, on his part, mentioned that he considered cutting the joke after seeing Che’s reaction but ultimately decided to keep it because of how upset it had made Che. “I would have honestly cut it if it wasn’t so upsetting to you,” said Jost, adding, “And then I was like, ‘I’m definitely, definitely doing this.’”
The controversial joke originated during the Season 40 finale in May 2015, when Jost delivered a punchline about a woman who allegedly stabbed her boyfriend over salsa, concluding with a nod to “jalapeño business.”
As Saturday Night Live gears up for its 50th season premiere on September 28, Che and Jost’s comedic duo continues to draw attention, especially after co-hosting their first live comedy special, New York After Dark, on Peacock.
Stay tuned for more highlights from the duo as they keep pushing the envelope in the world of comedic news commentary.