But I don't think – honestly, I don't –

I honestly understand a lot of the Trump support because of – there's lots of fucked up shit that's happening in the country that Democrats have not talked about for, like, for eight years or 12 years because there's lots of – like, people are on heroin.

People don't have jobs.

And I get that part of it.

There's other parts of it I don't get, which is racism and, you know, like that weird – You're exactly right.

I get it.

I understand.

gets a bad rap as well, whatever, but he's a fucking, you want to go boozing, drinking, he's a fun, fun guy.

Could you do that in real life? How long would you last?

In terms of, like, minutes? Yeah.

the thing is i would be like this is great i'm doing good at this but then scarlet would come home and be like what did you do this is in life you know you can't have this stuff and i'd be like it's fine they're allowed to drink they can have a couple drinks I'm a competent dad, but I think just I have different standards.

I'm like, this is totally fine.

Well, we thought you should do this for the Staten Island Ferry.

It's weird when you're talking about a ferry because you could actually be engaging with actual sharks.

Depending on how bad it goes.

Sharks, don't eat my boat.

We will.

But, uh, in, we, we've been talking about that, so you kind of knew my background and what I was looking for in a, in a game show.

And so when this came up and you asked me about it, and you, you sort of, you know, you sold me on the idea that this is th- that how, how wonderful it is to be part of the Jeopardy! family, obviously, but also the for- how great the format is and how this could be a new way into it.

And, I don't know, there's, I, I've been offered different game show things before, but it, it never felt like it was quite in my wheelhouse as the game.

And, and I think the people, what I realized here, the contestants on the show are, feel kinda like my people.

Like, they, they feel like the kids I grew up going, you know, or went to high school with.

Um, like nerdy but fun and not taking themselves too seriously.

[laughs]

Yeah,

and it's different at dress rehearsal.

There's a whole ending to it that was totally different at dress rehearsal.

So I didn't know.

There wasn't anything related to this at dress rehearsal.

So this starts happening, and I'm just going along with it because I'm like, oh, I guess I have to.

And then afterwards, I was like, why did I think I had to do that? Right, right.

can't believe you were actually willing to do that while you were on live TV.

Could you do that in real life? How long would you last?

In terms of, like, minutes? Yeah.

want to answer in minutes.

The thing is, I would be like, this is great.

I'm doing good at this.

But then Scarlett would come home and be like, what did you do? This isn't life.

You can't have this stuff.

Sharks.

Where was this?

This, so we got invited to this, like, my agent called me and was like, "Would you go, would you go to this event, appear at this event, uh, you and Kate McKinnon? You could both speak together at this event." And I didn't quite understand what it was, and I was like, "Sure.

I would, I would go have lunch with Kate McKinnon.

So yeah, might as well speak and hang out and do something." And so I'm on my way to Philadelphia, and I still don't exactly know what it is.

And I'm driving out of Philadelphia, and I get sent the lineup of what the show is gonna be, like the speakers in, in order of who it's gonna be.

So the lineup of this event was, first was George W. Bush.

And so new episodes air on, uh, Netflix, and then every...

Yeah, like every night I think there's a new episode till the, the semifinals and finals that are coming in early June.

Sh- this is fucking nuts to think about

... four people to come in to the show.

And all, and that was it.

They were the four actors that came in, and then two writers who worked with Andy with The Lonely Island who came in, and Brian Tucker, who had worked at Chappelle's Show.

And that was our group that we started with.

And, uh, there were all these cast members that were kind of in their, in their last year, so it was a big transition year.

It was the year, like, Tina was leaving, Maya Rudolph was leaving, Rachel Dratch was leaving, a lot of people who had been there.

Yes

Bean is kind of hot.

[laughs] I also know that he probably won't be diddling again.

[upbeat music] Colin Jost is an American comedian, actor, and writer best known for his long-running tenure on Saturday Night Live.

I knew that.

He's the head writer.

He's been with the show since 2005, and we all know he's married to Scarlett Johansson, which I guess we shouldn't put that in the intro.

This is Train of Thought with Colin Jost

JostI took the train today, and I was thinking.

You mailed it in yourself.

No.

No agent, nothing.

And, and, uh, I submitted and no one looked at it 'cause it was the wrong time of year, and then the next ti- you know, it was, like, the next, uh, summer, and then I ran into someone who was, uh, who had been in the Lampoon who was like, "I heard it's, you have to submit in the summer, in, like, June or July," whatever the deadline was.

And so I put together another packet and submitted it then, and I was, you know, I was just lucky there was a ton of turnover.

I wrote, like, six sketches.

Mm.

And I'm sure he would've been very funny at it.

Uh, my memory is, it might have been one of his characters. His character from Half-Wits.

It's a- it's a regular stamp, but he owns it.

(laughs)

Hasn't made me laugh. I didn't- I was just think- realizing this. He was actually weirdly my first SNL character I ever saw, because I went on a studio tour when I was young, and I saw Ed Grimley like, in stuff backstage, or pro- like, promotionally around, and I didn't even understand what it was at the time. But I always remembered it being funny, and- and that was like, my first kind of character I saw.