SNL's Colin Jost Was Once Rescued by a Knife-Wielding Jimmy Buffett While Surfing

The world is reeling in the loss, and remembering the times they shared, with the late Jimmy Buffett, who passed away at 76 years old on September 1st.

Specifically, surfers like Kelly Slater, who called Buffett a “surrogate” father, adding: “It’s 5 o’clock somewhere, Jimmy, and I know you’d be smoking a joint with a drink in your hand and a huge smile on your face like any good pirate would.”

And speaking of surfing, in tribute to Buffett, the media has been resurfacing a story told by Colin Jost, SNL alum and Scarlett Johansson spouse, from his 2020 memoir.

In the book, A Very Punchable Face: A Memoir, Jost recounts an incident in St. Bart’s, during which Buffett came to his rescue with a knife while surfing. After getting pinned up against some rocks, Jimmy slashed Jost’s leash, and sent him to a more beginner-friendly surf zone.

Per People magazine, here’s some excerpts from the book:

“I remember acting nonchalant and saying, ‘Oh yeah. Rocks. Haha. Totally.’ And then I immediately forgot what he [Jimmy] had just told me.

“Luckily, Jimmy Buffett can spot an idiot from fifty feet away. He starts paddling in to see what’s going on, and then looks horrified when he sees me pinned against the rocks by own leash. ‘What are you doing?! I told you about the rocks!’

“I unhook the leash and swim back through the breaking waves with my bleeding foot, and Jimmy Buffett is waiting outside the waves with my surfboard, and I’m super apologetic for not only interrupting his family vacation, but also for destroying his leash and forcing a seventy-one-year-old man to endanger his own life to save mine. Jimmy hands me the board and points to a gentler section of waves to the right and says, ‘That might be more your speed over there.’”

Just earlier this year, in a screenshot text (see above) to Slater, Jimmy talked about surfing in the Caribbean. He wrote:

"Hey man, happy new year. I am hanging a bit on St Bath, before I head back to work, now that I am in surfing shape. We had great waves down here all month, and I got a few big ones (for me) on my 76th birthday morning.

"Not letting the old man in. I am hoping to get back to Hawaii in March, when we finally finish up postponed shows from last year. Glad to get that fucking year over. Stay safe and have fun. - JB"

RIP, Jimmy.

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