Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost spark internet frenzy after hilarious “Great Debate” turns into a soul-baring roast about marriage, money, and the Staten Island Ferry. The unexpected exchange quickly went viral as Scarlett joked about needing a GoFundMe, leaving audiences stunned and laughing at the same time. From the sharp Staten Island Ferry punchlines to Colin’s “sexual emojis” confession, the couple delivered a comedy masterclass fans can’t stop talking about. Viewers are calling it one of the funniest and most unfiltered moments the pair has ever shared in public. Social media erupted as clips spread, with fans praising their chemistry, honesty, and fearless humor. But what really sparked Scarlett’s surprising “telethon” comment — and why is everyone calling this moment unforgettable?
“If anybody out there would like to start a GoFundMe for the Staten Island Ferry, please be my guest,” the Marvel star said
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Scarlett Johansson has doubts about her husband’s large purchase!
On the Jan. 22 broadcast of Today with Jenna & Friends, the actress, 40, got a sweet visit from her hubby Colin Jost. During his appearance, she suggested he should sell the Staten Island ferry he purchased with his former Saturday Night Live co-star Pete Davidson in 2022.
“All I can say is if anybody out there would like to start a GoFundMe for the Staten Island Ferry, please be my guest,” Johansson joked. “I don’t know if I’m speaking for the Staten Island Ferry or against it, but help our family. This has now become a telethon for Support the Staten Island Ferry.”
Jost was quick to defend his purchase, telling viewers that it will eventually bring money in.
He said, “All I’ll say is I hope you have a good, thick pair of gloves at home because someday you’re going to be getting paper cuts from all the checks that start rolling in from this ferry.”
He went on to joke that the ferry will “put food on our table finally.”
“I believe in this ferry,” the comedian said. “If anyone out there believes, please go to the GoFundMe.”
Johansson chimed in with her own thoughts on the ferry’s potential, saying, “If we sell it for scrap metal, maybe….”
Jost and Davidson, both born in Staten Island, teamed up to purchase the John F. Kennedy, a decommissioned Staten Island ferry boat with The Stand comedy club owner Paul Italia.
In September 2024, Jost told PEOPLE at the Tommy Hilfiger show during New York Fashion Week, which was held on board the ferry, that the purchase was not his smartest move.
“It is absolutely the dumbest and least thought-through purchase I’ve ever made in my life,” Jost said. “The way I justified it is for the amount of money we were putting into buying it, on just a basic square-footage level, is if you found the right place for it to be, you were essentially buying a building on its side that’s 65,000 square feet. So around New York, that is a very good price per square foot.”
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In a November 2024 appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark, Johansson made her thoughts on the ferry known. At first, she complimented her partner, calling him a “very, very, very great guy,” while also noting that he has “his naughty side.”
When co-host Mark Consuelos asked about the ferry, the actress said, “That’s the naughty part I was talking about.”
“He bought the Staten Island Ferry,” she added. “A decommissioned Staten Island ferry. And it is, yep, still decommissioned.”
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Johansson is one of the several celebrity co-hosts joining Jenna Bush Hager on the talk show, following the exit of longtime co-host Hoda Kotb whose final episode was Jan. 10.
The line-up also includes Taraji P. Henson, Eva Longoria, Keke Palmer and Michelle Buteau.
Bush Hager gushed about Johansson while speaking with PEOPLE in January, calling her “the queen!”
“First of all, I’ve been obsessed with her movies since forever. The Girl with a Pearl Earring, I mean that shows you I’m a nerd who loves to read,” the Today star said. “She’s also a big reader, which will be so much fun. We have so much in common.”