Kenan Thompson crossed over on Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That (1994-1999) and Kenan & Kel (1996-2000). Now 42 with nearly two decades’ tenure in Saturday Night Live as its longest-running cast member, he debuted NBC sitcom Kenan last month. He and Chance the Rapper discussed that and more during a 25-minute SXSW panel late Wednesday afternoon.
Thompson’s All That cast also featured Amanda Bynes and multimedia personality Nick Cannon. Child actors becoming more than their youthful catchphrases occurred less frequently in the late Nineties. Jaleel White’s inability to shake off his portrayal of Steve Urkel on popular Nineties sitcom Family Matters comes to mind.
“Our generation was very focused on continuing to get other jobs and other gigs,” said Thompson. “It seemed like if you were a child star, it was really hard to break that for years. I never wanted that to happen. I was like let’s move on to this and that.”
Successful SNL cast members generally move onto starring in movies or their own television show, a route Thompson called a “natural progression” for long-running late-night funny men and women. Kenan’s debut comes after tireless years and attempts at kickstarting a project.
“This is like my third go-around with different ideas,” he said. “Overall, it’s been an eight-to-10-year process. This project itself has been two-and-a-half years. I met Jackie [Clarke], the show creator, over the summer.”
“[Kenan] is like my third go-around with different ideas,” said Thompson. “Overall, it’s been an eight-to-10-year process. This project itself has been two-and-a-half years.”
Actor/comedian Chris Rock directed the pilot and joined the show as an executive producer in 2019, but that episode never aired. Rock no longer counts as a member of the show.
“We’re approaching our third summer [since] this happened,” calculated Thompson.
The comedian spoke glowingly of his cast members. Fellow SNL actor Chris Redd plays Thompson’s brother on their new sitcom. The pair won a Emmy in 2018 with SXSW panel co-host Chance the Rapper for original song “Come Back Barack.”
For his part, said multiple Grammy-winning MC ceded most, if not all, of the attention to a man he reveres as “The GOAT.” The Chicago rapper sported a mile-wide smile, interjecting only to share his first SNL experience. He recalled Thompson and Leslie Jones encouraging him to “do whatever he wanted,” which led to three of his ideas making the show.
As such, Thompson’s in no hurry to vacate his Saturday nights due to the unique nature of Lorne Michaels’ 45-year television touchstone.
“We have to do something that’s supposed to be crushing your guts every single show,” he said. “It’s maybe the only show like that. Every single week. They’ve been doing it for 45 years!
“We’re in Season 46 right now and I’ve been there for 17 [seasons, currently is my 18th]. I’m never in a rush to leave it, because I’ve never seen anything like it. It never gets old, because it’s sketch comedy and it changes every single week.”
This article appears in March 12 • 2021.
