The face of the White House Correspondentsâ Dinner is about to get a lot more punchable. On February 9, Colin Jost, Saturday Night Liveâs âWeekend Updateâ co-anchor, comedian, and author of the 2020 memoir A Very Punchable Face was named the host of the annual event by the White House Correspondentsâ Association. It is set to take place April 27. As the longest-serving âUpdateâ anchor in SNL history, Jost has no shortage of experience sitting behind a desk and telling jokes about the goings-on in Washington, D.C., so he should feel relatively comfortable stepping into the role.
âHis sharp insights perfectly meet this remarkable time of divided politics and a presidential campaign careening toward a rematch,â said Kelly OâDonnell, president of the WHCA, of Jost in a statement alongside the announcement. âHis smart brand of comedy and keen observation will turn up the heat on the national news media and across the political spectrum.â
In assuming this mantle, Jost follows Roy Wood Jr., whose 2023 turn as WHCD host was widely celebrated for its combination of sharp jokes and personal insights about the importance of media in society. Jost may very well be up to the task of stepping into this role on on his own, but if not, maybe Sarah Sherman can crash his monologue and liven things up by calling him an abusive criminal or something, like sheâs done in the past on SNL.