If you’ve ever watched Saturday Night Live, you’ve probably noticed the visual dynamic at the Weekend Update desk. Usually, we only see Colin Jost from the chest up, sitting next to Michael Che. It’s a setup that makes it incredibly hard to gauge someone’s actual size. Because he’s often the "straight man" in the sketches, there's a certain "average guy" energy about him that leads people to assume he’s on the shorter side.
So, how tall is Colin Jost? It's a question that pops up on Reddit and Twitter more often than you'd think, mostly because the camera is a notorious liar.
The Official Measurements
Let’s get the hard numbers out of the way first. Most reputable sources, including industry databases and height-tracking sites, list Colin Jost at 5 feet 10 inches (roughly 178 cm).
Now, in the world of Hollywood and New York City media, 5'10" is a bit of a "danger zone" number. Why? Because it’s the height that almost every 5'8" guy claims to be. However, when you see Jost standing next to his peers, the 5'10" measurement actually holds up. He isn't a giant, but he isn't short either. He’s essentially the definition of "medium."
Why People Think He’s Shorter (or Taller)
Part of the confusion stems from his co-anchor. Michael Che stands at about 6'2". When you spend twenty minutes every Saturday night sitting next to someone who has four inches on you, you're naturally going to look smaller. It’s just basic geometry.
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Then there’s the "theatre kid" stigma. There is a weird, unspoken rule in pop culture where people assume all comedians are short. Think about Kevin Hart or John Mulaney (who is actually 6'0", but has "short energy"). Jost, with his polished, Harvard-grad aesthetic, often gets lumped into that category.
On the flip side, some people are shocked he isn't taller. On his own, Jost has a lean build and good posture, which can add an illusory inch or two on camera. If you saw him walking down a street in Staten Island, you’d probably think, "Yeah, he’s a normal-sized dude."
The Scarlett Johansson Comparison
You can’t talk about Jost's height without mentioning his wife, Scarlett Johansson. This is where the how tall is Colin Jost debate usually gets settled for the skeptics.
Scarlett Johansson is famously 5'3". When the two of them hit the red carpet—whether it’s the Met Gala or a movie premiere—the height difference is obvious. Even when Scarlett is wearing five-inch heels (which she often does), Colin still typically edges her out by an inch or two. If he were actually 5'7" or 5'8", they would look exactly the same height once she stepped into her Louboutins.
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How he stacks up against the SNL Cast:
- Pete Davidson: 6'3" (Pete towers over almost everyone).
- Michael Che: 6'2".
- Kenan Thompson: 5'8".
- Bowen Yang: 5'9".
As you can see, Jost sits right in the middle of the pack. He's taller than Kenan and Bowen, but significantly shorter than the "big guys" like Davidson or Che.
Does Height Matter in Comedy?
Honestly, being 5'10" is probably the "safest" height for a Weekend Update anchor. If you’re too tall, you look like you’re looming over the news desk. If you’re too short, you look like a kid at the grown-ups' table. Jost’s stature allows him to play the role of the "everyman" newsman perfectly.
He’s talked before about his childhood in Staten Island and his time at Harvard, and he’s never really leaned into his physicality for humor. Unlike someone like Conan O’Brien (who uses his 6'4" frame as a prop), Jost’s comedy is almost entirely verbal. He’s a writer at heart. For him, being "just under six feet" is a demographic sweet spot.
Real-World Sightings
People who have met Jost at stand-up shows or around New York often report the same thing: "He’s taller than I expected." This is the classic celebrity phenomenon. Because we see them on small screens, we mentally shrink them. When you see a 5'10" man in person, he feels like a substantial human being.
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Interestingly, during his brief stint covering surfing at the 2024 Olympics, his height became even less relevant than his ability to stay on a board (or deal with tropical infections). Standing on a beach in Tahiti next to professional surfers, who are often quite compact and muscular, Jost looked like... well, a comedy writer on vacation.
What This Means for You
If you’re trying to figure out if you’re taller than Colin Jost, just look at a doorframe. Most standard doors are 6'8". If your head is about ten inches below the top of the frame, you’re in Jost territory.
Actionable Insights for the Curious:
- Don't trust the desk: If you want to see a celebrity's real height, look for "candid" airport photos or red carpet shots where they are standing next to known heights.
- Check the footwear: Men in Hollywood often wear "lifts" or boots with a 1-inch heel. Jost usually sticks to standard dress shoes, so his 5'10" is likely "true" height.
- The Proportions Rule: Jost has a "long" torso, which is why he looks taller when seated than he does when standing next to a 6'3" Pete Davidson.
At the end of the day, Colin Jost is 5'10". He’s married to one of the most famous women on earth, he has a job millions would kill for, and he owns a ferry. Whether he's 5'10" or 6'4", he's doing alright.