What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Colin Jost’s jokes about Jeffrey Epstein’s New Mexico ranch and the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei drew reported groans from the studio audience during the March 7, 2026, broadcast of Saturday Night Live. A Daily Beast account published the next day described a shift from groans to laughter after Jost teased the room about its reaction to the Iran joke.
What Jost said about Epstein
Jost referred to the New Mexico ranch owned by Jeffrey Epstein, saying, “And they should have known something was up when Epstein’s ranch was all ponies.” The Daily Beast reported that the line drew a groan. Co-anchor Michael Che then ad-libbed, “Really bumming them out there,” and laughed. (The Daily Beast, March 8, 2026)
![Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Collection: Seasons One - Five [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41+XakhOIGL._SL160_.jpg)
How the Iran joke prompted a reaction
Jost’s second joke concerned a Kalshi lawsuit tied to a $54 million market on whether Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would leave office before March 1. As recounted by the Daily Beast, Jost said, “Because technically, he never really left the office.” The report says the room initially groaned. Jost followed with, “Oh, a lot of Ayatollah fans here tonight!” and the groan turned to laughter.
The $54 million figure describes the market mentioned in the joke’s setup, as reported by the Daily Beast; it is not a measure of the audience response. The report describes what happened in the studio, not how viewers watching elsewhere reacted.
The jokes were part of a broader episode about the news
The March 7 broadcast was not the show’s only recent engagement with the Iran conflict or the Epstein files. A Guardian recap of the March 1 episode says Jost used an older Donald Trump clip about a president starting a war with Iran because of an inability to negotiate. Che joked about Trump’s authority to attack Iran and Benjamin Netanyahu, and a maid-of-honor character discussed the Epstein files alongside other news. That is context for the show’s coverage, separate from the two jokes in the March 7 report. (The Guardian, March 1, 2026)
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the audience reaction does—and does not—show
The Daily Beast characterized the March 7 segment as drawing both major laughs and groans, with a livelier-than-usual room. Its account does not establish why particular audience members groaned, how many did so, or whether the response represented viewers outside the studio. No audience poll or reaction count is reported.
Rank #2
- 12 DVDs of the best episodes from Seasons 1-5. Plus a 28-Page Collector’s Book telling the story of the show and cast
- 33 episodes with the original groundbreaking, irreverent, hilarious cast. Plus rare footage of the cast, including screen tests and interviews
- All-time classic sketches including “Land Shark,” “Word Association,” “The Killer Bees,” “Super Bass-o-Matic,” “Weekend Update,” and so many more
- Iconic characters including Coneheads, Samurai, Emily Litella, Chevy Chase as President Ford, Shower Mike, The Blues Brothers, Baba Wawa, and more! You'll also recieve special episodes including Chevy Chase's return to SNL with music icon Billy Joel, plus the historic 100th episode!
- Guest Hosts include George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Candice Bergen, Paul Simon, and more
For documentary viewers following how late-night comedy handles current events, the episode offers a snapshot of the jokes and their reported live-room reception—not evidence of a broader public consensus.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
