“Saturday Night Live” star Colin Jost has humorously described buying a decommissioned Staten Island ferry as the “absolutely dumbest and least thought-through purchase” of his life. The “Weekend Update” anchor shared his regret with People magazine at the Tommy Hilfiger show, ironically held on board the very ferry he purchased, the John F. Kennedy.
[](
)
Colin Jost expressed his humorous regret about the Staten Island Ferry purchase.
Jost, along with fellow Staten Islander and “SNL” cast member Pete Davidson, acquired the retired vessel at auction for $280,000 back in 2022. Their partnership, which also includes architect and developer Ron Castellano and comedy club owner Paul Italia, had ambitious plans to transform the ferry into a $34 million entertainment venue.
Jost elaborated on his initial justification for the seemingly outlandish purchase: “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.” This logic, however, now seems overshadowed by the reality of ferry ownership.
Reports previously surfaced suggesting that the purchase, made by the comedic duo, Pete Davidson and Colin Jost, might have occurred while they were “very stoned.” Despite the questionable circumstances of the acquisition, the MV JFK ferryboat recently found a glamorous purpose.
Last Sunday, the ferry served as the venue for Tommy Hilfiger’s New York Fashion Week show, a prominent event in the fashion calendar. This unexpected utilization provided a temporary reprieve from Jost’s buyer’s remorse.
[](
)
Pete Davidson, co-owner of the Staten Island Ferry, alongside Colin Jost.
Castellano, another partner in the ferry venture, hinted at a potential future for the vessel, suggesting to Travel + Leisure that it could become a unique boutique cruise ship sailing between New York and Miami. Whether this vision will materialize remains to be seen.
While Jost jokingly laments the purchase, his experience at the Tommy Hilfiger show appeared to offer a glimmer of optimism. The event, complete with a performance by Staten Island’s own Wu-Tang Clan, seemed to inject some fun into the ferry project. Speaking to Alexa, Jost admitted, “I never thought it was a money pit, except that it, you know, costs money,” before adding, “I always had faith that it will be something really fun. I thought tonight was really fun!” Perhaps the “dumbest purchase” might yet have a bright future thanks to Pete Davidson and Colin Jost’s unconventional vision.
[](
)
Pete Davidson and Colin Jost, the “SNL” stars behind the Staten Island Ferry purchase.
[](
)
Models exit the MV John F. Kennedy ferryboat after the Tommy Hilfiger Spring 2025 show.
