Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost and Michael Che wowed the crowd during their annual holiday joke swap.
Every year, to celebrate the holidays, the hosts of Weekend Update purposely write offensive jokes for the other person to read for the first time on air.
This year’s jokes sparked strong reactions from viewers for their political incorrectness – with some claiming the comedy duo ‘went too far’.
‘Cheeky’ comments about slavery, sex, Scarlett Johansson, Jeffrey Epstein and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs left Che and Jost fighting to keep their composure throughout the six-minute portion of last night’s episode.
The segment started with Jost announcing that he would read out all the “racist jokes” Che gave him in a “black voice.” The two presenters immediately started giggling awkwardly along with the audience.
“I’m sorry in advance,” Jost said, shaking his head before continuing with the joke about Vice President Kamala Harris and slavery reparations.
Barely able to continue reading his script, Jost said, “You all know my girl Kamala Harris talked at the town hall about how she still supports the idea of reparations for slavery.
“Well damn it, girl, me too!” “Because white people deserve our money back for all those slaves that ran away,” Jost said.
Then it was Che’s turn to read his controversial script about women’s sex lives. He told a joke about an article titled “Women who connect with body signals are more likely to have an orgasm.”
Colin Jost and Michael Che stunned the SNL audience by making each other tell jokes that some found offensive or “not funny”
Scarlett Johansson was ‘mortified’ when her husband made rude comments about her 40th birthday and her genitals
“A new study shows that women are more likely to have an orgasm when they are in touch with their body signals, such as heart rate and breathing,” Che said.
“Unlike the women I have sex with, who just hold their breath until it’s over – Oh, my god!”
Jost’s next jaw-dropping joke was one of two about his wife Johansson turning 40. To top it all off, the actress’ live reaction was broadcast as Jost read his raunchy lines.
“I’m so genuinely concerned,” Jost said as his “boo” Johansson shook her head.
The comedian continued: “You all know Scarlett just celebrated her 40th birthday, which means I’m about to get out of there.
“No, no, I’m just playing.” We just had a kid together and y’all haven’t seen any pictures of him yet because he’s black as hell.”
Che’s next mind-boggling book was about the Disney children’s film Moana 2, which set box office records.
He said he and his “good friend Jeffrey Epstein” always said “there’s nothing like an island adventure with a teenage girl,” referring to Epstein’s scandal.
“I’m just kidding, I would never sleep with a girl as dark as Moana,” he read reluctantly.
Che went on to talk about the rape allegations against Jay-Z and Combs, which seemed like the part that was hardest for him to get through.
He said: ‘Some people are afraid to think about it, but not Mikey, the truth bomb Che. So here it is: Jay-Z is innocent. He wasn’t even at those parties and I know that because I was.
“And Diddy, if you’re listening, we’re bad boys for life. When it comes to the charges against you, I will say the same thing I always said at your parties: I will help you get out.”
Che cupped his face in his hand before the camera cut to Jost finishing the skit with another joke about his wife, making a painful comparison between her vagina and roast beef.
“Costco removed its roast beef sandwich from the menu, but I’m not tripping.” Ever since my wife had the child, I’ve been eating roast beef every night,” he said.
Johansson held her drink with both hands and shouted, “Oh, my God!”
To make matters worse, Jost continued, “No, no, I’m just playing baby. You know I’m not going there. Shiz, that’s really gay.”
Every year, Che and Jost write jokes for the other to read on air during their holiday joke swap. The first time they see the scripts is while the show is live
Jost joked that his child with Johansson was black and he didn’t want her, who is 40 years old
“I think they went too far this time,” one X user responded to this year’s notoriously divisive segment.
“Oh, this was… painfully unfunny,” another chimed in, while several others echoed that sentiment.
Below the full YouTube clip of the joke exchange, someone shared: “This is by far the most brutal they’ve done yet, they went straight for the throat with every joke.”
Many shocked spectators noticed Johansson’s appearance and the reactions to the jokes told at her expense.
“Colin is one joke away from divorce,” one X user stated.
“She’s fucking mortified, and rightfully so,” another added.
One user called out the jokes, specifically about Jost’s wife, for being sexist: “Yes, f*ck the patriarchy, really. that was really low.’
Despite the sensitive topics the pair forced each other to discuss during the Weekend Update, many viewers praised and liked their jokes.
Che put his head in his hand as he struggled through his script about Diddy and Jay-Z
During the comedy segment, Jost said he agreed to pay reparations for slavery because “white people deserve our money back for all those slaves that ran away.”
“I don’t even watch SNL but I wait for pranks every year like it’s my only Christmas present,” one X user said.
Someone agreed: “The SNL Joke Swap” is the best. I died.’
One viewer acknowledged the seemingly unhinged comedic material: “This was crazy! Is it someone’s last day in the writing department? This episode is off the hook!’
“Those of you who say ‘not funny’ clearly have no sense of humor,” someone else wrote.