On Saturday, Sept. 14, Jorgenson Theater hosted a comedic performance by Colin Jost, most famous for his work on the “Weekend Update” segment of “Saturday Night Live,” to headline the University of Connecticut’s Family Weekend. Marking the 69th consecutive season of hosting talent at the theater, Colin Jost had much to live up to.
Students and families both anticipated Jost’s performance. When asked about her interest in the event, Katherine Geisel, a first-semester biological sciences major said, “My dad really likes Colin Jost.” Other students, however, such as Addison Meisterling, a first-semester environmental sciences major, expressed concerns about Jost as a solo act. “I’m looking forward to seeing if he can be just as funny without Michael Che.” (Che is Jost’s famous partner on “SNL.”)
The stand-up act began with fellow “SNL” cast members as openers to Jost. First to the stage was Michael Longfellow, who may have been a new face to some, as he joined the show in 2022. Longfellow began with a warm welcome to Husky Nation, unintentionally taking part in our infamous “UCONN” chant.
Longfellow’s act was strongly characterized by his awkward nature and nonchalant punchlines. He poked fun at the older generations in the audience and told a sequence of ridiculous run-on stories. The brief but enticing performance won the laughs of many due to Longfellow’s “relatable” jokes.
Next to entertain was Molly Kearney, another recently-cast comedian for “SNL.” Kearney’s performance had a slow start, seeming disconnected from the crowd. However, as they continued to speak and got more personal, boisterous laughter filled the room. The latter half of Kearney’s spiel focused on their experience as a non-binary queer person.
Kearney’s familial experiences resonated with so many and helped to bridge the gap between the older and younger generations. From mocking stereotypes to discussing grandmothers with impeccable gaydar, Kearney was hilarious. One audience member even yelled across the theater to express their love for the comedian.
Following the two lesser known yet extremely talented comedians was the act everyone had been waiting for: Colin Jost. Jost’s set ran for at least double the time his peers’ had. He started off by making fun of our home, Storrs, which would be the beginning of a controversially bold block.
Jost briefed the audience with his knowledge of UConn, which had consisted of basketball, “The Jungle,” and “The Rape Trail.” Very quickly, it became evident that Jost had no fears and would not hold back from telling risky jokes. The night went on with stories from his own college experiences at Harvard University as a Russian Literature major, to discussing the past writers’ strike and concluding with recent stories about his family and career.
One of the more shocking jokes of the night shared uncomfortable innuendos about his wife Scarlett Johansson, as well as their children. However, to lighten up the mood, Jost shared relatable burn-out tales and classic “poop jokes.”
Students Lam Le, a seventh-semester computer science engineering major, as well as Tyler Wang, a seventh-semester civil engineering major, conceded with the majority view of the audience. “I really enjoyed the show, Michael [Longfellow] was very funny and a good opener for my favorite act, Colin [Jost].” In agreement, Wang expressed his favorite comedian of the night was Jost because “he made me laugh. It wasn’t forced, and the openers eased the way to make the audience more comfortable at the show.”
Despite the daring topics of his content, it was clear from the amount of obnoxious cackling and hearty laughter that people were pleased with Jost’s performance. He embodied a strong sense of humility that made him human, regardless of the public figure we know him to be. A man who is willing to share that he practically shit himself in a hotel room in front of over 2,000 people is a man who is easily adored.