Michael Che on The Origin of The SNL Weekend Update Joke Swap
Comedian Michael Che discusses with comedian Mike Birbiglia how he and Colin Jost came up with the Joke Swap segment on SNL’s Weekend Update. Che also shares the weekend update joke he thought was too mean in the clip from his 2025 appearance on Working It Out.
Full Episode: https://youtu.be/vjzN0KbST4A
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@dannypockets
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
The expression they’re looking for is “permission structure.”
@RobDucharme
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
The roast beef one will go down (see what I did there?) as ONE of the funniest moments in SNL history, and I've been watching since the early 90s. (relax, I didn't say THE funniest)
@ankhor9252
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
Mike B is that guy in high school that seemed to know something that other people didn't that kept him from being profoundly sad like the rest of us.
@playgroundchooser
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
"The woman marched with King, man!" 😂😂🤣🤣😂😂
@christylee2055
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
It is so refreshing to watch two normal people talking. it seems everywhere I turn there is negativity. Thank you for not adding to all the negativity and trying to keep our world Normal. I thank all three of you and all the people that are helping you make this world a better place.
@ShmeeSLG
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
"It's like showing a baby magic." Lmao
@PheelACCD
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
Got to say… taking the time to zoom in and read the cards pinned on the wall is pretty entertaining
@BranceCrantly
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
You know he puts in the work, but Che makes it look effortless.
@TheHighestStakes
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
Tosh succeeds for this reason: his persona asserts that he's an arrogant asshole, so when he says horrible things, it gives us permission to laugh at HIM saying it, even though the truth behind it is inherently hard to laugh at.
@yesloow
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
This is exactly why so many bots on Seth Meyer’s Late Night work so well: Surprise Inspection, jokes Seth can’t tell, Corrections…
@wjackter
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
Che convincing the audience to not laugh at any of Jost's jokes was the best
@JorgTheElder
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
You called it, for the racial jokes especially, knowing who wrote it gives everyone permission to laugh at them.
Being mean to your friends it not funny.
@March1966
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
I get it now. Rob Schneider just has to tell his audience beforehand that these are bad jokes.
@Yourmission9
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
Che and Jost have truly been killing it lately. Every time I watch SNL I typically only watch Weekend Update. Every one of theirs for the past couple years has been obscenely funny
@doctortheopolis3122
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
"I had this terrible but funny thought!" "Booooooo"
"I had this terrible but funny thought and I'm making him say it!" "Yaaayyyyyyy"
@AdvancedDudeBro
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
I love roast beef.
@calebwhitcraft1664
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
Seth Meyer's "Jokes Seth Can't Tell" does a similar thing where it takes a joke and reframes it where people are prepared to laugh at a joke that isn't ok.
@BobV-s6q
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
Yes it was really mean and that's why it was the funniest one ever! Although "my wife's little art house movies" was epic, too!
@Seetheren
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
I looked forward to their joke swap every year.
@kellsmo9488
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
They legit carried SNL for a while, til we got some of the newer cast that are outstanding now. It’s always had weird waves as a show. But they always end up with a couple geniuses and then things just work out after some off years. The joke swap is all time comedy, just for the fun of what it stands for. They will go down as an all time comedy duo, they are great with each other.
@fuferito
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
On the off chance a Weekend Update clip with these two makes it to my suggested videos, I remember just how well Norm Macdonald; Kevin Nealon; and, Dennis Miller did both of these guys' roles single-handedly.
@daveyjpartybot
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
Why does Mike have a pair of Barber scissors on his desk?
@samus46
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
Lets just make each other Norm MacDonald.
@OreoDave
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
💜💜💜
@ronastin5929
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
Normally when comedians laugh at their own jokes it doesn't work, but the Che/Jost chemistry totally breaks that.
@joerandom1175
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
did you ask why he’s never there at the end of each episode? He doesn’t really seem like a team player and it seems like he doesn’t want to put in the effort.
@pnkbiankii
May 10, 2026 at 12:01 am
Oooh, love, respect. Thx for such interesting insights into your craft!
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