Colin Jost is a longtime surfing fan, and he loves to surf himself. When NBC wanted to send one of their own to cover the sport during the Olympics, he seemed like a natural fit. However, Jost is not a journalist, he’s a comedian on SNL, so his coverage has been, well, interesting. The competition is being hosted in Tahiti, which is an island in the Pacific Ocean that’s part of French Polynesia, so the broadcast has not been as glamorous as Paris’ live-streamed Olympic events. So, naturally, when Kenan Thompson and Kevin Hart caught up with the comedian on their show about the games, they couldn’t help but roast his makeshift setup.
When Thompson and Hart spoke to Jost over video for their Olympic Highlights broadcast, they noticed the difference between their setups. Thompson and Hart were in a well-lit high-quality studio in California, while Jost was outside and definitely more grainy. He shared a picture of his current setup with his fellow comedians, showing he had a laptop propped up on a barbeque cooler. Chickens were also hilariously walking in and out of frame, really hammering home that this was a bare-bones operation.
Hart and Thompson could not stop laughing at the situation, especially the chickens which kept getting closer to the longest-running Weekend Update host, as Hart said:
Bad time to tell you this Colin but I think you should watch out!
Thompson was humored by the situation as well, as the set-up resembled less of a tropical vacation spot and more like a familiar-looking backyard. He said:
Colin, I hate to tell you, I don’t think you’re in Tahiti man, I think you’re at my Grandmama’s house!
You can see their full back and forth below:
Jost had a great sense of humor about the whole thing and laughed along with them, referring to the chickens as his “producers.”
He has been making fun of himself throughout his entire Olympics broadcast. He posted a video on Instagram of the satellite situation on the island, jokingly doubting that audiences will ever see the broadcast. He also pointed out the actual peacocks roaming around the beach which is absolutely hysterical. You can see his video below:
Aside from the janky setup, Jost has additionally had a stream of ailments come his way. His foot got cut up by a reef while he was in the water, which he had to get treated and now is bandaged up. This was soon followed by an ear infection.
He has kept a sunny attitude through it all, though, even joking that he’s been in the medical tent more than the athletes. While his wife Scarlett Johansson initially said she thought this Olympics gig was more like a vacation for Jost than a job, the whole situation proved to be a bit more of an ordeal.
It’s no surprise that Hart and Thompson got a kick out of this. It is objectively hilarious and fuel for comedians to make jokes about. Their job is pretty cushy compared to Jost’s, and neither of them has had to deal with the technical difficulties and environmental problems his Tahiti coverage continues to face.
Hart and Thompson have been funny in their own right, commentating on the international competition for Peacock, but the unexpectedness of Jost’s situation has to take the cake. I hope the Weekend Update host continues to take things in stride, because this whole thing has been wildly entertaining to his peers, as well as Olympic watchers everywhere.
You can check out Colin Jost’s broadcast throughout the surfing competition as well as Kenan Thompson and Kevin Hart’s Olympic Highlights show with a Peacock subscription. Fans can also expect Thompson and Jost to return to Saturday Night Live for its 50th season this fall on NBC. For more information on other things coming to network and streaming this year, make sure to consult our 2024 TV schedule.