BeingSaturday Night Live’s longest-running star would keep most actors busy enough but notKenan Thompson.
“I can feel the difference.
I mean, Supporting has ‘supporting’ right in the title!”
Kenan Thompson.Maarten de Boer/NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What was your initial reaction when you realized you got nominated for bothKenanandSNL?
KENAN THOMPSON:I was waiting on it.
And that’s exactly what happened, like text message after text message, phone call after phone call.
Redd, Damon Wayans Jr., and Kenan Thompson on ‘Kenan’.NBC
I was like, “All right, I must be in the mix.”
But I was just insanely floored by it.
“But does getting the nomination forKenanhit a little different?
Like, this is your baby.
You are the Kenan onKenan!
Oh yeah.SNLbelongs to the ensemble, and so doesKenan.
I can definitely feel the difference.
I mean, Supporting has “supporting” right in the title!
And I will definitely take that.
It probably also adds some satisfaction given the lengthy process you went through to getKenanon the air.
You worked through multiple versions of the show, pilot, and cast.
Like you said, it was a long road.
As exciting as real estate is!
Little things like that just brought it up to sitcom tone while still having heart to it.
What was it like finding that right tone and balance for a sitcom on NBC?
It’s just funny that when we came out, there was like three shows doing it.
It was us,Mr.
Mayor, and Jamie Foxx’s show [Dad Stop Embarrassing Me].
And now it’s just us andMr.
But it’s still different, likeMr.
It’s been interesting to explore such a somber, heavy topic and still find some comedy and laughs.
Not to mention this all in the midst of a global pandemic.
And then go home and fly the next morning, get back to L.A. before the day is gone.
I kind of never got off West Coast time.
It wasn’t too terrible, but it was definitely a whirlwind.
Yeah, otherwise you’re not really going to be involved when you get there on Saturday.
And that feels not so great because you’ve gone through a lot to get there.
You famously had some experience with it back in theKenan & Keldays.
It’s a whole other level.
It’s a lot of all-day focus.
As soon as I come in for that day, you have to be ready to perform all day.
So it’s a grind.
It had to be nice to have yourSNLandKenancostar Chris Redd along for this ride with you.
Especially dealing with this intense schedule, did that add a comfort level?
I would have been fine by myself, but it would have been a much more lonely experience.
It’s nice to share that memory with somebody.
But I felt bad dragging him around; he might’ve had a couple days rest.
At the same time, he’s just as hungry for it as I am.
We talkedback in 2019, after I believe you’d recently shot the first iteration of theKenanpilot.
You said it’s “every comedian’s dream to get their own show on a major internet.”
I just want to continue going upwards.
I want everybody to know how wonderful the cast is, and how wonderful the writers and producers are.
1, just worried about staying alive.
And then, are we making a product that people are going to like?
And are they going to bring it back, and do we trust our instincts?
I’m very excited, and also just very flabbergasted, man.
It’s been a flabbergasting kind of deal for me.
When you return shortly to begin filming season 2, what are some things you’ll be exploring?
And that grainy footage look is great.
I just thoroughly enjoyed that.
Just blossoming all the characters.
AndDon Johnsonshall rise to the top like a fine mouse running in the cream.
Don Johnson, a true legend who can do it all.
What’s it been like getting to work so closely with him?
He was so funny in season 1.
He’s so genuinely, amazingly awesome and sweet, and just a good dude and good soul.
On top of that, super-funny, loves to laugh, and has a great sense of humor.
We laugh all day long.
So it’s just a real pleasure.
He’s just very hands-on and involved.
Last year marked your 18th season onSNL, continuing your run as the longest-tenured cast member in history.
Do you have an idea of how much longer you want to stay?
I keep saying I’m trying to get to 20 [seasons].
So if they don’t throw me out of there before, I’m trying to get to 20.
And then I don’t know if it makes sense for me to leave even after that point.
I don’t really know what to do at this point, as far as leaving is concerned.
Like, why should I ever have to leave?
It’s like nobody thought to do it that way.
Because it would seem like a hindrance in your career or something, like you’re stuck.
But for me, it’s the exact opposite.
It’s always been a thing that makes people want to have me when I’m unattainable.
So it’s worked in my favor to be busy 10 months of the year.
I wasn’t the first one.
Fred [Armisen] didPortlandiafor a while before he left.
And Aidy just pulled off the same double-nomination as you, getting one forSNLand one for her Hulu seriesShrill.
How about thatAidy Bryant?!
So shout-out to her!
I love her to death, and I’m so happy for her.
