‘I think 20 is a good, round, even number’: Saturday Night Live’s Kenan Thompson at milestone he has set as target for stint on NBC stalwart … as he debuts new sitcom on NBC
Kenan Thompson says he would be thrilled to hit the 20-year milestone in his stint on Saturday Night Live.
“ I have a certain number that I’d like to see, ” the comic / actor, 42, told Variety in a profile published Wednesday, as the star prepares to debut the new self-titled sitcom, Kenan, on NBC .
“I think 20 is a good, round, even number that I’m close to,” said Thompson, who made his debut on the show in 2003. ‘I feel like that is within reach, but it would also be respected if I don’t get there.
The latest: Kenan Thompson, 42, says he would be thrilled to hit the 20-year milestone in his stint on Saturday Night Live
Like, 18 is fine, 19 is fine. It doesn’t really matter. It’s about having time for my family? There are only 24 hours in a day. ‘
The Atlanta-born star wants to use the sitcom as a platform to represent black fatherhood because he wanted to be “ in the fray ” after watching the demonstrations against racial discrimination and police brutality in the wake of George Floyd’s murder last year. .
“Having to fight remotely because I have to watch my household,” Thompson told the publication. ‘But make sure, however much I can use my platform, that I would.
Trying to put out the fires of extreme frustration and anger and channel that energy to where it can actually make immediate change, or just pay attention to Stacey Abrams in general.
Thompson was featured in an SNL segment with Ego Nwodim and Kyle Mooney on the most recent edition of the show
Moving Forward: Thompson spoke to Variety in a profile published Wednesday as he prepares for his debut new self-titled sitcom, Kenan, on NBC
On the show, Thompson plays a widowed father, telling the outlet that he wants to make an impact similar to what The Cosby Show did in the 80s: ‘It was a show that brought everyone together, and it was all positive. ‘
He said of Cosby, who has since been convicted of sexual abuse, that it is difficult for him to ‘separate the man from the art’, and that his show ‘will not be so dramatically connected to it’.
SNL creator Lorne Michaels, 76, who is an executive producer on Thompson’s new show, praised the entertainer for his versatility, saying he “might be a genius.”
“There’s nothing he can’t do,” said Michaels of Thompson, who has received four Emmy nods for his work in 17 seasons on the comedy show. “He’s one of the greatest of all time.”
Spotlight: Thompson can be seen in his new show with costar Dannah Lane
Thompson’s SNL costar Chris Redd, 35, explained to Variety what he looks like to learn from Thompson, who he calls “ the wise man. ”
“I’m constantly asking how things used to be compared to now, and it’s always the most interesting stories,” he told the outlet. ‘I remember having a conversation with him and Maya Rudolph, and at one point you sit back and hear them tell stories about how things used to be versus now.
‘I just choose his brain and want to learn. And I want to make sure I do my best to impress this man. This man made me laugh for years. ‘
Kenan debuts on NBC February 16.