Longest-running ‘Weekend Update’ hosts on ‘SNL’

In 1975, when “Saturday Night Live” first hit the airwaves, the term “fake news” had a totally different connotation than it does today. Rather than being a politicized term used to discredit information you don’t agree with, it simply meant made-up stories with no real basis in fact. It was this sort of “fake news” that Chevy Chase, a member of “The Not Ready for Prime-Time Players” (the name the first “SNL” cast gave themselves), wanted to deliver on a segment he called “Weekend Update.”

The first-ever “Weekend Update,” which was a part of the first-ever “SNL” show, opened with the phrase, “And now the fake news.” For two seasons, Chase told jokes about the most outlandish and important news headlines (some real, some imagined), essentially paving the way for the various satirical news shows that dominate late-night TV today. “Weekend Update” remains a core segment on “SNL” some 47 seasons later, though the comedian delivering the fake news report has changed a number of times.

In honor of the groundbreaking bit, Stacker has compiled a list of the 10 longest-running “Weekend Update” hosts by episode count. From Jane Curtain (who took over for Chase) to the current fake news duo Colin Jost and Michael Che, we’re taking a closer look at what’s set these anchors apart and highlighting some of their funniest on-screen moments.

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