SNL won't be live tonight, but Colin Jost will be
By Matt Moore
Saturday Night Live usually holds the attention of late-night TV on Saturdays. But tonight, just one of its stars will be in the spotlight.
There will not be a new episode of Saturday Night Live tonight. The sketch show remains on hiatus for a second consecutive week. The last we heard from SNL was back on April 13 when Ryan Gosling helped a record-setting episode land among the best of Saturday Night Live season 49.
But there is still a chance to get a small taste of SNL humor tonight. Cast member and "Weekend Update" co-anchor Colin Jost will host the 2024 White House Correspondents' Dinner. The event begins at 8:00 p.m. ET on CSPAN.
It will be the first time Jost has been given the honor. He'll do his best to roast the press, President Joe Biden, Donald Trump, and anyone else in Washington, D.C. that Jost deems worthy of ridicule.
Jost will likely get some help preparing his monologue from other Saturday Night Live talents. Don't be surprised to hear a Michae Che-esque joke or two in there.
Jost's wife, Scarlett Johansson, is also expected to appear at the event. Other notable guests include Chris Pine, Da’Vine Joy Rudolph, Rosario Dawson, Sonequa Martin-Green, Molly Ringwald, and Rachel Brosnahan.
Colin Jost joins a long list of late-night TV stars to host the White House Correspondents' Dinner
For decades, the White House Correspondents' Dinner has called on comedians to emcee the event. It's a rare event in which politicians don't take themselves too seriously (unless you're Donald Trump).
Colin Jost is a perfect fit for the event. He's above all else a joke writer, and his years behind the "Weekend Update" desk make him well-suited to join an impressive list of late-night TV personalities to host the WHCD.
Here's a list of late-night TV stars who have hosted the White House Correspondents' Dinner:
- 2023: Roy Wood, Jr. - The Daily Show
- 2022: Trevor Noah - The Daily Show
- 2018: Michelle Wolf - Late Night with Seth Meyers
- 2017: Hasan Minhaj - The Daily Show
- 2016: Larry Wilmore - The Daily Show
- 2015: Cecily Strong - Saturday Night Live
- 2013: Conan O'Brien - Conan
- 2012: Jimmy Kimmel - Jimmy Kimmel Live!
- 2011: Seth Meyers - Saturday Night Live
- 2010: Jay Leno -The Tonight Show
- 2008: Craig Ferguson - The Late Late Show
- 2006: Stephen Colbert - The Colbert Report
- 2004: Jay Leon - The Tonight Show
- 2001: Darrell Hammond - Saturday Night Live
- 2000: Jay Leno - The Tonight Show
- 1997: Jon Stewart - The Daily Show
- 1996: Al Franken - Saturday Night Live
- 1995: Conan O'Brien - Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- 1987: Jay Leno - The Tonight Show
- (The WHCD began in 1921)
The White House Correspondents' Dinner, hosted by Colin Jost, airs tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET on CSPAN.