Add Ear Infection to Colin Jost’s List of Olympic Ailments

NBC Olympics surfing reporter Colin Jost is now under strict doctor’s orders to keep both his head and his feet out of the water. That’s because not only is the SNL “Weekend Update” co-anchor still suffering from that staph infection on his foot, but he’s now got an inner ear infection, too.

As he told Mike Tirico late Tuesday night, “My new goal is to have as many infections as there are Olympic Events.” 

Don’t cry for Jost, though—he’s still finding ways to enjoy the water in Tahiti while sipping Pina Coladas, even if it means only getting his torso and waist wet. (He explains in the video below.)

As we’ve previously reported, Jost injured his foot while surfing in Tahiti ahead of the start of the start of the games late last week. He’s since chronicled his medical misadventures in a series of live shots with Olympics Late Night host Maria Taylor.

Describing his injury to Taylor over the weekend while standing on a lawn filled with wild chickens, Jost explained that “I have some open wounds on my foot from hitting coral reef, and I have actually been walking in place in this yard because if I stand still, ants begin crawling inside the wounds.” 

What began as a joke became more concerning after Jost developed a staph infection in his foot.

“I’ve been visiting the medical tent regularly,” Jost told Taylor late Monday night. “They started saying ‘We need to see you every day,’ which at first I was like, ‘Oh my god, guys, I like you too.’ And they were like, ‘No it’s because the infection hasn’t improved.’” 

The Olympic surfing competition had been scheduled to wrap up early this week, but with hazardous surf conditions bringing a temporary halt to the competition in Tahiti, NBC’s coverage there is in bit of a holding pattern. That’s not a problem for Jost, who told Tirico Tuesday night, “The doctor said I’m not allowed to fly for at least two more days.”

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