Saturday Night Live's Colin Jost will be featured entertainer at White House correspondents' dinner

WASHINGTON — Colin Jost, the co-anchor of Saturday Night Live's “Weekend Update,” will get a chance in April to roast leading political and media figures as the featured entertainer at the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents’ Association.

“His smart brand of comedy and keen observation will turn up the heat on the national news media and across the political spectrum,” said Kelly O’Donnell, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association and NBC News Senior White House Correspondent, in a statement.

A writer and comedic performer, Jost has written for the long-running NBC late night comedy franchise since 2005. He began co-anchoring the show's news parody in 2014 with co-anchor Michael Che. His film credits include “Coming 2 America” and “Tom & Jerry.”

He is the author of the memoir “A Very Punchable Face.” Jost, 41, grew up in the New York City borough of Staten Island and graduated from Harvard University, where he was dormmates with now Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Jost is married to actress Scarlett Johansson.

The U.S. president and first lady traditionally attend the WHCA dinner, as do senior government officials and members of the press corps with the proceeds from the night helping to fund scholarships for journalism students.