The story of late-night star Colin Jost doesn’t begin on a comedy stage. It starts in New Jersey classrooms, at selective schools, and in a Staten Island home where teaching, medicine, and public service were a daily reality. At the center of that story is Daniel A. Jost, a retired teacher whose life has stayed mostly off-camera while his sons built careers in entertainment.
Public biographies describe Daniel as a former teacher and engineer at Staten Island Technical High School and the father of Colin and Casey Jost, both of whom work in television and comedy. His wife, Kerry J. Kelly, served for years as a leading doctor with the New York City Fire Department, giving the family an unusually close view of the city’s front-line workers. Together, they created the framework that helped Colin move from local reporter to nationally known comic.
Quick Info Table
| Fact | Short details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Daniel A. Jost |
| Primary role | Retired teacher and engineer |
| Best known for | Father of Colin and Casey Jost |
| Longtime school | Staten Island Technical High School |
| Spouse | Dr. Kerry J. Kelly |
| Children | Colin Jost and Casey Jost |
| Grandchild | Cosmo Jost |
| Education | The Pingry School, Brown, MIT |
| Community role | Trustee and former board chair at Staten Island Museum |
| Base of life | New Jersey and Staten Island, New York |
| Era of career | Late 20th century into early 21st century |
Who Is Daniel A. Jost in Colin Jost’s Life?
At first glance, Daniel might be summed up as “Colin Jost’s dad,” but that sells his story short. He spent decades teaching at Staten Island Technical High School, a selective public school known for advanced science and engineering, and is also identified as an engineer. That background meant his sons saw careful problem-solving and day-to-day professionalism long before they saw studio lights.
For Colin, growing up with a parent who worked with driven teenagers every day meant that good grades, writing ability, and curiosity were simply expected. While the wider world now sees him behind a news desk on Saturday Night Live, Colin’s understanding of work, deadlines, and craft was shaped at the kitchen table by a father who treated teaching like a serious, long-term commitment.
Early Life and Education of Daniel A. Jost
Although full details of Daniel’s childhood remain private, reliable profiles place his early years in New Jersey and highlight a strong, steady family background. His parents are named as John A. and Barbara Jost, and reports note that his mother lived into her centenarian years, providing a living link between earlier generations and her grandchildren’s success.
Education clearly played a central role from the start. Daniel attended The Pingry School, then moved on to Brown University, and later studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. That combination—elite prep school, Ivy League college, and a leading engineering institute—created the academic model that Colin would later echo in his own path through selective schools and a top university.
Classroom Career at Staten Island Technical High School
The core of Daniel A. Jost’s working life is his long tenure at Staten Island Technical High School. Sources describe him as a former teacher and engineer there, sometimes noting that he taught mechanical drawing, a subject that combines visual skills with precise technical standards.
Teaching at Staten Island Tech is demanding; it draws students from across New York City who are already high achievers in math and science. In that environment, Daniel would have been responsible not just for covering material but for helping teens handle stress, think clearly, and plan for rigorous careers. Those same habits—meeting deadlines, revising work, taking feedback—would later serve Colin well as a reporter, comedy writer, and performer.
Marriage to Dr. Kerry J. Kelly and a Household Built on Service
Daniel’s marriage to Kerry J. Kelly is another defining part of his story. Biographical pieces describe the couple meeting as students at Brown, with Kerry going on to become a physician and later a top medical leader within the New York City Fire Department. They married in the mid-1970s and have remained partners in both family life and public service for decades.
Inside their home, that partnership meant their sons watched two forms of responsibility side by side: one parent heading into classrooms, the other into firehouses and medical offices. Kerry’s work as a physician for firefighters and Daniel’s work with students created a shared culture where duty to others mattered. That mix of seriousness and everyday humor shows up often in Colin’s work, where jokes about Staten Island or family life sit next to clear affection for the people who keep the city running.
Parenting Style and How It Shaped Colin Jost
Colin’s path—from a Staten Island childhood to elite schools and a job in national television—didn’t happen by accident. He attended Regis High School, where he edited the student newspaper, and later studied history and literature at Harvard University, eventually leading the campus humor magazine. Each step reflects a home that valued reading, writing, and taking intellectual risks while still respecting structure and rules.
Accounts of Colin’s early career mention starting as a reporter and copy editor at the Staten Island Advance, then moving into television writing and, eventually, performing. Watching Daniel stay with one school for years and Kerry commit to a demanding medical role likely taught both sons that excellence comes from steady effort over time, not just big moments. That mindset fits neatly with the grind of weekly television, where writers deliver fresh material on tight schedules year after year.
September 11, 2001: A Pivotal Day for the Jost Family
One of the most intense days in Daniel’s life, and in his family’s story, came on September 11, 2001. Reports describe Daniel teaching at Staten Island Tech that morning while Kerry was involved in the medical response for firefighters. As news of the attacks spread, Daniel had to keep students calm, many of whom had relatives working in lower Manhattan, while processing his own fears and concerns.
In later educational materials from the 9/11 Memorial, Kerry and Daniel appear as voices who can speak directly to how first responders and school communities experienced that day. For their sons, adolescence meant not only seeing television images of a national tragedy but watching both parents do difficult, emotionally heavy work in real time. That lived experience helps explain why Colin’s humor often carries a mix of sharp observation and grounded empathy.
Service Beyond School: The Staten Island Museum
Even after retiring from full-time teaching, Daniel did not step away from public life. The Staten Island Museum lists him as a trustee, and press releases in recent years describe him as chair of the board of trustees, leading the institution through periods of growth and change.
Board leadership at a museum involves far more than ceremonial duties. It includes guiding finances, supporting staff, representing the institution in the community, and helping connect donors, educators, and local residents. Daniel’s willingness to take on that role continues the same themes that run through his teaching career: investing in places where learning and culture are preserved and shared, especially within the borough his family calls home.
Influence on Colin Jost’s Career and Public Persona
Looking at Colin’s career through the lens of his father’s life, several patterns stand out. Colin combines elite education with very local subject matter: he writes about Staten Island ferries and neighborhood quirks while also referencing literature, politics, and media in his jokes and essays. That blend mirrors Daniel’s own trajectory from New Jersey schools and Brown University to a career rooted firmly in Staten Island public life.
Furthermore, Colin’s reputation for discipline—staying with Saturday Night Live for many years, anchoring the same segment for a long stretch, and taking on both writing and performing duties—echoes the long careers his parents built. Daniel didn’t just teach for a year or two; he stayed in the classroom and then extended his efforts into museum leadership. That consistency offers a quiet template for how to build a life in a demanding, high-visibility field without losing a sense of home.
Relationship with Casey Jost and a Creative Family
While Colin is the better-known figure, Daniel is also the father of Casey Jost, a writer, producer, and performer associated with shows like Impractical Jokers. Casey has worked both in front of and behind the camera, building his own body of work that overlaps with, but is distinct from, his brother’s career.
Family-focused articles and images often show Daniel and Kerry at events supporting both sons, whether it’s a television project, a film, or a personal milestone like a wedding. The impression is of parents who provide stability and moral support rather than trying to direct every professional choice. That approach allowed each son to follow his own creative path while still feeling rooted in a shared set of values.
Financial Perspective and Life Stability
Estimates of Daniel’s personal wealth are approximate, but several biographies suggest a range in the low millions, typically between one and five million dollars. That figure reflects decades in a stable teaching and engineering career, combined with later responsibilities in civic institutions and a generally secure middle-to-upper-middle-class life.
By comparison, Colin’s earnings from Saturday Night Live, stand-up, book sales, and other projects are far higher, illustrating the gap between public-sector salaries and national-level entertainment income. Yet the foundation that made Colin’s risk-taking possible—a steady home, good schools, and parents who modeled responsibility—came directly from Daniel and Kerry’s choices. Financially and emotionally, that stability may be one of Daniel’s most important contributions to his son’s success.
Privacy, Boundaries, and What We Don’t Know
Despite increased coverage of celebrity families, Daniel has kept much of his life private. Sources do not list a precise birth date, and details about his hobbies, day-to-day routines, or personal opinions are largely absent from the public record. What we see instead are verified facts about his education, career, marriage, and community roles.
Respecting that boundary matters. It reminds readers that not every part of a person’s life needs to be turned into content, even when a close relative is famous. Appreciating Daniel’s influence on Colin and Casey doesn’t require prying into areas he has chosen to keep off-limits; the facts that are available already show a life of steady, meaningful contribution.
Legacy as Teacher, Civic Leader, and Father
Taken together, the available information paints a clear picture: Daniel A. Jost is a deeply educated, quietly influential figure who has devoted his life to teaching, family, and community. He helped students master technical skills at a leading Staten Island high school, supported his wife as she cared for firefighters across New York City, and later guided a major cultural institution as a trustee and board chair.
For Colin and Casey, that legacy shows up in the way they work, the way they talk about family, and the way they still reference Staten Island as part of who they are. Even though Daniel rarely appears on screen, his fingerprints are visible on the choices his sons have made and on the institutions that continue to serve the city they all call home.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is Daniel A. Jost?
Daniel A. Jost is a retired teacher and engineer, best known publicly as the father of Colin and Casey Jost. He spent many years at Staten Island Technical High School and later served in leadership roles at the Staten Island Museum.
How is Daniel A. Jost connected to Colin Jost’s success?
Daniel helped create the academic and emotional foundation that allowed Colin to thrive in competitive schools and later at Saturday Night Live. His example of steady work and public service shaped how Colin approaches writing and performance.
Where did Daniel A. Jost work as a teacher?
He worked for many years at Staten Island Technical High School, a selective public high school specializing in science and engineering. Students and biographies alike refer to him as a respected teacher and engineer there.
Who is Daniel A. Jost’s wife?
His wife is Dr. Kerry J. Kelly, a physician who served as chief medical officer for the New York City Fire Department and played a major role in firefighter health, including around the time of 9/11.
How many children does Daniel A. Jost have?
Daniel and Kerry have two sons: Colin Jost, a comedian and writer, and Casey Jost, a writer, producer, and performer with his own television projects.
What is known about Daniel A. Jost’s education?
He is reported to have attended The Pingry School, then Brown University, and later the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, reflecting a strong emphasis on rigorous study.
What happened to Daniel A. Jost on September 11, 2001?
On 9/11, Daniel was teaching at Staten Island Tech while his wife worked in the FDNY medical system, and he had to help students stay calm as the attacks unfolded. Their experiences have been shared through educational programs and interviews.
What does Daniel A. Jost do now?
After retirement from teaching, he has remained active in civic and cultural work, particularly through the Staten Island Museum’s board of trustees and community events.
What is Daniel A. Jost’s estimated net worth?
Public estimates suggest his personal wealth falls in the low-million range, largely reflecting decades in education and later civic roles, though exact figures are not confirmed.
How is Daniel A. Jost related to Scarlett Johansson and Cosmo?
Through Colin’s marriage to Scarlett Johansson, Daniel is her father-in-law and the grandfather of their son, Cosmo, a connection noted in several family biographies.
Why is Daniel A. Jost important when learning about Colin Jost?
Understanding Daniel’s life reveals the academic, ethical, and community-focused environment that shaped Colin’s outlook long before fame. It shows how a dedicated teacher and civic leader can influence the next generation’s voice in public life.
Does Daniel A. Jost seek public attention?
No, he has largely stayed out of the spotlight, allowing his sons’ work to be public while keeping his own life relatively private beyond verified information about his career and family.
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