Quick Read
- Michael Che surprised Colin Jost with a one-sided Joke Swap on SNL’s 2025 Christmas episode.
- Jost was forced to read Che’s controversial jokes, including digs at wife Scarlett Johansson.
- The segment drew gasps and laughter, highlighting SNL’s tradition of edgy live comedy.
Every December, Saturday Night Live fans await one tradition above all: the infamous “Joke Swap” between Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che. It’s become a holiday ritual, with the two writing outrageously edgy jokes for each other—always unseen until live delivery. But in 2025, the tradition took a sharp, one-sided turn that left audiences in stitches and Jost scrambling to keep his composure.
This year’s episode, hosted by Ariana Grande with Cher as musical guest, began innocently enough. But as Jost and Che settled into their Weekend Update banter, Che revealed his plan—by not revealing it at all. He told Jost they wouldn’t be swapping jokes this year, lulling him into a false sense of security. What followed was a classic ambush: Che had, in fact, prepared a set of brutal jokes for Jost to read on air, while Jost had nothing for Che in return. The entire segment was one-sided, with Jost forced to deliver Che’s most savage punchlines, many centering on hot-button topics and even Jost’s own wife, Scarlett Johansson.
How the Joke Swap Unfolded: Che’s Masterful Ambush
The tension was palpable as Che grinned, waiting for Jost to realize the swap was happening after all. Jost’s first assignment: read a joke about the Archdiocese of New York’s $300 million fund for victims of church sexual abuse—an opening punchline so blunt it left the crowd gasping and laughing in equal measure. Che, clearly delighted, egged Jost on with, “You should’ve written some jokes for me to tell!” Variety and Yahoo News both highlighted how Jost’s visible discomfort became part of the comedy, as he braced for what would come next.
Che’s next joke thrust Jost into even more awkward territory. Referencing new research about menopause forcing millions of women out of the workforce, Jost had to quip, “Which means there’s only a couple years left of my gravy train!” As a photo of Johansson flashed on screen, Jost continued, “My girl already be like, ‘Colin, I’m warm. Colin, I’m sweating.’ Bitch, you’re having a hot flash!” The audience erupted, half in shock, half in laughter, as Jost grimaced through the punchline—knowing full well the cameras were catching every reaction.
Jost’s ordeal didn’t end there. Che’s script demanded a risqué joke about “Hump Day,” timed to a screen image of Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams. Each punchline was more outrageous than the last, and Jost’s discomfort only fueled the crowd’s amusement. Even Che had to pause and check in on Jost, as the laughter reached its peak. The entire bit was, as Bleeding Cool put it, “brief, brutal, and one-sided.”
The Legacy of Joke Swap: From Mutual Mayhem to Che’s Solo Attack
The Joke Swap first appeared on SNL’s Thanksgiving episode in 2015. Over the years, it grew into an anticipated event, with Jost and Che exchanging increasingly daring jokes. Past swaps have tackled race, politics, and celebrities, but always with both anchors on equal footing. Christmas editions in 2018, 2019, 2020, 617, 2023, and 2024 each raised the stakes, with both men trading jokes that tested their nerves and the boundaries of network television.
This year’s twist—Che prepping jokes for Jost but not the other way around—was a strategic move that intensified the segment’s unpredictability. With no script in hand for Che to read, Jost was on his own, forced to deliver every controversial line himself. The audience, in on the joke, applauded the spectacle as Che basked in the chaos he’d orchestrated.
Scarlett Johansson: The Recurring Punchline
Scarlett Johansson, Jost’s wife, has been a recurring subject in these joke swaps, and 2025 was no exception. The on-screen reference to Johansson’s “hot flashes” and menopause was delivered with comedic precision—but not without risk. Johansson herself has commented on the tradition in past interviews, noting the “seventh-, eighth-grade boy” humor and expressing a desire for retaliation. In fact, after the 2024 swap, she hinted that she might get some help from others on the show for payback—a promise she delivered on as host of the Season 50 finale, where she took her own shot at Che.
The interplay between Jost’s public persona, his marriage to Johansson, and Che’s relentless targeting has become a recurring meta-narrative for SNL fans. It’s a testament to the show’s willingness to push boundaries, as well as the anchors’ ability to laugh at themselves and each other.
Audience Reaction: Gasps, Laughter, and the Perils of Live Comedy
The real magic of the Joke Swap lies in its unpredictability. The segment is delivered live, with no rehearsal, and the anchors’ reactions are genuine. When Jost reads Che’s jokes about sensitive topics—be it race, sexual abuse, or his own wife—the audience’s response is immediate and visceral. Some punchlines draw gasps, others elicit wild laughter, and occasionally, both. Jost’s visible discomfort, Che’s gleeful encouragement, and the crowd’s energy create a perfect storm of unscripted comedy.
After the segment, social media lit up with praise for the anchors’ ability to navigate such treacherous comedic waters. Fans dissected every joke, every reaction shot, and every moment of genuine surprise. For Jost, it was a master class in keeping composure under pressure; for Che, it was a victory lap as the architect of one of the year’s most memorable SNL moments.
The 2025 Joke Swap proved that even after a decade, SNL can still surprise its audience—and its own cast. Che’s ambush of Jost was a bold reminder that in live comedy, the most memorable moments are born not just from clever writing, but from real, human vulnerability. Jost’s willingness to play along, even when the jokes turned personal, underscores why these swaps endure: it’s not just about pushing boundaries, but about trusting your partner on live TV, no matter how brutal the punchline.