It was the purchase heard \u2018round the harbor: two Saturday Night Live staples, a decommissioned municipal icon, and a price tag that sounded like a punchline. Now, Colin Jost is opening up about the administrative\u2014and matrimonial\u2014fallout of his decision to go \u201call in\u201d on a 297-foot piece of New York history.
\nIn a forthcoming episode of the SmartLess podcast, slated for release on May 4, Jost, 43, peels back the curtain on the moment he informed his inner circle that he and Pete Davidson were the proud new owners of the John F. Kennedy Staten Island ferry. Speaking with hosts Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes, Jost revealed that his path to ship ownership was paved with equal parts ambition and impulsive texts.<\/p>\n
The \u201cHomework\u201d and the \u201cHusband\u201d<\/p>\n
The acquisition began with a $280,000 winning bid in 2022, a figure Jost justifies through a pragmatic real estate lens, even if his family viewed it through a lens of bewilderment. His first point of contact was his father, a veteran Staten Island educator, whose reaction was quintessentially academic.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cHe literally was like, \u2018Did you do your homework?\u2019 Which is such a teacher thing to say,\u201d Jost joked. \u201cI was like, \u2018Dad, I\u2019m just sort of texting you as a formality. I already bought the boat.’\u201d<\/p>\n
The conversation with his wife, Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson, took a more existential turn. Jost recalled firing off a text that read, \u201cGuess what? We own a ferry now.\u201d Johansson\u2019s two-word response? \u201cWe?\u201d<\/p>\n
While the actress was initially skeptical of the 65,000-square-foot floating \u201cfixer-upper,\u201d Jost noted that she has since come around to the vision. \u201cShe now obviously sees the value in it,\u201d he previously told PEOPLE, adding that Johansson encouraged him to take the project seriously as a reflection of his professional legacy. \u201cFor better or worse, it\u2019s going to reflect on you,\u201d she reportedly warned him. Jost\u2019s retort? \u201cWe don\u2019t care because we\u2019re comedians.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not Just a \u201cMoney Pit\u201d<\/p>\n
Defending the vessel against critics who labeled it a \u201ccrazy money pit,\u201d Jost argued that the purchase was actually a calculated play on Manhattan\u2019s prohibitive square-footage costs.<\/p>\n
Related article\u00a0 Former Pentagon official raises alarm over lack of plan to secure nuclear material<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you put that on a dock in Manhattan, you\u2019ve suddenly got basically a building on the waterfront,\u201d Jost explained on the podcast. He maintains that between various high-profile events\u2014including a star-studded Tommy Hilfiger show during New York Fashion Week\u2014the investment is already beginning to break even.<\/p>\n
The vision for the JFK is as expansive as its decks. Jost imagines a dual-purpose future: a premier entertainment hub for high-energy nightlife and a \u201cmiddle-class Manhattan swim club.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA home run for me is a thing that could be used for an event space but also has an every-day purpose,\u201d he said. He envisions a space that eschews the \u201cweird, fancy member\u2019s club\u201d vibe of the city in favor of something accessible to the people who, like him, grew up riding that very boat to high school.<\/p>\n
Maritime Law and \u201cHigh\u201d Hopes<\/p>\n
Jost and Davidson, 32, aren\u2019t navigating these waters alone; they co-purchased the boat alongside The Stand comedy club owner Paul Italia. However, the origin story of the partnership remains one of Hollywood\u2019s favorite anecdotes, thanks to Davidson\u2019s candid admission during a July 2025 appearance on Hot Ones.<\/p>\n
Related article\u00a0 Horrifying, Look What They Did to This Couple Just for Visiting Canada<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be honest, when I bought it, I was really high,\u201d Davidson confessed, reflecting on his pre-sobriety days. \u201cIt was back when I did drugs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the hazy beginnings, Davidson shared that the project has turned into an unintentional masterclass in logistics. \u201cIt\u2019s been fun,\u201d Davidson added. \u201cWe talk to aquatic engineers and we have conversations with the sea port and all these things that we\u2019re learning. Maritime law!\u201d<\/p>\n
As the ferry remains docked at Pier 17, awaiting its final transformation, Jost admits that while it might be the \u201cdumbest and least thought-through purchase\u201d of his life, the potential for a 65,000-square-foot \u201cbuilding on its side\u201d in the heart of New York Harbor is a gamble he\u2019s willing to take. For the boy from Staten Island, it\u2019s not just about the real estate\u2014it\u2019s about the ultimate homecoming.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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