SNL’s “Weekend Update” anchor moves from comedy to crime drama, playing a real-life dentist who ran a cocaine empire.
The man who makes jokes about the news each Saturday night is getting ready to play a very different kind of character. Colin Jost, known for his dry humor on Saturday Night Live, will star in a new drama series for Peacock. He is set to play Larry Lavin, a respected dentist who secretly became a major drug kingpin on the East Coast.
This project marks a big change for Jost. He has mostly worked in comedy throughout his career. Now, he is moving into serious drama, though the show will still have some funny moments.
The series is still untitled for now. It comes from Universal Television and is being developed by writer-producer Alex Barnow. Barnow is best known for running the long-running comedy show The Goldbergs.
The Wild True Story of Larry Lavin
The show is based on Season 1 of the true crime podcast Wolves Among Us from Audacy. The story focuses on Larry Lavin, a man who lived two completely different lives.
By day, Lavin was an Ivy League-trained dentist. He had a family and seemed to live the American dream. People in his neighborhood saw him as a normal, successful professional.
But when the sun went down, Lavin ran a huge drug operation. He was the leader of what authorities called the “Yuppie Conspiracy.” His network spread cocaine across 14 states, Washington D.C., and parts of Canada.
The official description of the show explains it simply:
“By day, Larry Lavin was a respected Ivy League dentist and family man – by night, the East Coast’s most elusive cocaine kingpin. This series is inspired by the shocking and absurd true story of the suburban dentist who built a drug empire behind the façade of the American dream.”
Between 1978 and 1984, Lavin’s group moved as much as 110 pounds of cocaine every single month.
From Arrest to Prison Time
Lavin’s criminal run came to an end in 1984 when he was arrested. He did not go quietly. Lavin and his family ran from the law for two years.
Authorities finally caught up with him in 1986. A judge sentenced him to 42 years in prison. Later, on appeal, his sentence got reduced to 21 years. He also received an extra 20 years for tax evasion related to his drug money.
Now, Lavin is helping tell his own story. The real Larry Lavin will work as an executive producer on the series.
Colin Jost’s Big Acting Challenge
This role is new ground for Colin Jost. He joined SNL in 2005 as a writer. In 2014, he took over the “Weekend Update” desk with Michael Che. He has been there ever since.
Jost has acted before, but mostly in comedies. He appeared in movies like How to Be Single, Tom & Jerry, Coming 2 America, and Fly Me to the Moon (where he acted with his wife Scarlett Johansson). He also has a comedy called The Breadwinner coming out soon.
This Peacock series will be his first time leading a primetime TV drama. He is also working behind the camera. Jost will serve as an executive producer through his company No Notes Productions. He has an overall deal with Universal Television, which helped make this project happen.
Also Read:
A Drama With Some Laughs
Even though the show is labeled as a drama, it will likely have comedic elements. Both Jost and showrunner Alex Barnow come from comedy backgrounds. Barnow spent ten years on The Goldbergs and created the Matthew Perry sitcom Mr. Sunshine.
This mix of serious crime and dark humor fits the strange nature of Lavin’s story. A dentist running a drug empire sounds like a joke, but it really happened.
What This Means for SNL
Fans do not need to worry about Jost leaving Saturday Night Live. He will keep his job on the show. The series is still in development at Peacock. If it gets picked up for a full season, Jost can do both projects.
Other SNL stars have done the same thing. Kenen Thompson worked on his own NBC sitcom while staying on SNL. Aidy Bryant did Shrill on Hulu at the same time. Cecily Strong also balanced SNL with other acting work.
The show is currently being developed. There is no release date yet. If Peacock decides to order the series to full production, filming will begin at a later date. For now, fans can watch Jost every Saturday on NBC.
Get the latest updates on new TV shows and celebrity projects right here on VvipTimes.
