'SNL's Colin Jost pours on the charm in Acme Comedy debut

The most impressive aspect of Colin Jost's debut at Acme Comedy Co. Thursday night happened after the show in the club's bar where a long line of fans, almost all women, waited patiently to pose for pictures with the "Saturday Night Live" anchor.

The 33-year-old comic, formerly "SNL"'s co-head writer and current co-anchor of "Weekend Update," wasn't shy about letting the Thursday-night crowd know that he was on the market with some of his strongest material revolving around the end of a long-term relationship. Jost never mentioned her by name, but he was almost certainly referring to actress Rashida Jones who he dated for three years.

His impression of his ex not so daintily getting ready for work while he's trying to sleep had so many smart, physical bits, it made you wonder why "SNL" doesn't use him in more sketches.

Jost doesn't have a reputation as a stand-up comedian, at least not compared to David Chappelle, who was performing simultaneously at First Avenue, which makes his stint in the Twin Cities somewhat of a curiosity.

He didn't disappoint, despite the fact that he was still clearly developing a new routine, relying from time to time on notes he had placed on a stool by his side.

Some of the act featured well-worn territory -- what's the deal with emergency exits on airplanes? Isn't Bernie Sanders really, really old? - but Jost went through the trouble of working on some Twin Cities-based material, pointing out the area boasts the most golfers per capita and features some of the country's best bike trails.

"So, you have some white people," he said, who just like in his "Weekend Update" routines with co-anchor Michael Che, didn't shy away from racially-tinged material.

Jost concluded opening night (he's here through Saturday) running through his sketch ideas that have yet to make final cut, including "Ups and Downs," a sitcom parody in which an Olympic high-jumper and a kid with Down's Syndrome team up to fight crime.

You can see why producer Lorne Michaels might cringe at such a concept, but Jost -- who finally got a green light from his boss on a wonderfully horrorific version of "Dead Poet's Society" that concludes with a severed head -- has the cute, who-me? look and delivery to get away with such naughty behavior.

Just ask the fans who are probably still waiting in line for a selfie.