'SNL' Weekend Update Epstein joke gets big audience reaction

On Feb. 1, 2026, Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update saw anchor Colin Jost reference Epstein and draw a strong live audience reaction, according to Mashable.

Jost brought up Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's comparison of ICE's presence in the state to the Nazi occupation described in Anne Frank's diaries and added, "But remember, this administration has always ignored the stories told by young girls," as the screen switched to a photo of Epstein.

The audience "ooohed so hard" that Mashable says Jost himself had a visible reaction to the response.

The Weekend Update segment also included other political references that night, "including the killing of Alex Pretti and the release of the Melania documentary," the report says.

The story was reported by Anna Iovine, associate editor of features at Mashable. The Mashable piece does not report any official responses or further comment from SNL, Colin Jost, Gov. Walz, or other parties.

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