Kenan Thompson's not leaving SNL anytime soon

Aux Features Kenan Thompson
Kenan Thompson's not leaving SNL anytime soon
Photo: Dia Dipasupil

It’ll be at least another year before we can resume speculation over Kenan Thompson’s continued commitment to SNL. Despite his crowded slate of future projects, the Emmy-winning comedian confirmed his plans to stay during his appearance on Ellen.

“It’s the best job in the world,” Thompson reasoned, after alluding that he will stick around until 2020, at least. “I can’t see myself just walking away from it like that.” If he had decided to walk away after 16 years, who could honestly blame him? Between plans for another NBC show called Bring The Funny, his resurrection of All That as the reboot’s executive producer, and the potentially still-alive NBC pilot for The Kenan Show, ending his reign as the longest-tenured cast member wouldn’t be the biggest stretch. But alas, he’s still enjoying his role as one of the funniest remaining cast members to date. Why bust up a good thing?

28 Comments

  • chancellorpuddinghead-av says:

    One good reason would be that every major talent that SNL has ever produced seems to blossom immediately after leaving SNL.  

    • kjordan3742-av says:

      Iwould stay on just to meet all the random people that come through. Who doesn’t want to rub elbows with Steve Forbes?

    • mwfuller-av says:

      Gail Matthius fan, huh?

    • toronto-will-av says:

      Exception: Jimmy Fallon.In a purely commercial sense, headlining The Tonight Show is the pinnacle of comedy success, I grant you, but SNL showcased his talents better than anything he’s done since.

      • chancellorpuddinghead-av says:

        There are several exceptions, but by and large, if you’re any good, SNL is not the place to be.  

      • merged-5876237249237691007-aw8qpq-av says:

        that’s the only thing he’s done since. 

    • clubensis-av says:

      Wooo Joe Piscopo!  Now THAT guy blossomed!

    • mr-threepwood-av says:

      I’m still waiting for Bobby Moynihan to get a good vehicle for himself. He’s a great comedy actor, and that stupid This Is Us knock-off really gave him nothing to do, comedy-wise.Taran Killam is fairing better at Single Parents by virtue of it being a pretty decent, if ordinary show, but he’s also buried among some of the most precocious kids on TV ever who are given way too much screen time.

    • peterjj4-av says:

      I think that’s more true in recent years, but I don’t think Gilda or Jan Hooks ever got the chances they had while they were on SNL. 

  • mwfuller-av says:

    He’s turning into a regular Gary Kroeger at this point.

  • Wadledge-av says:

    I’ll gladly have him around as long as he wants to be around. All as I ask is that when it *is* his last show we get some All That character sketches. May I suggest, “Everyday French with Pierre Escargot?”

  • merged-5876237249237691007-aw8qpq-av says:

    A sad situation it is when a man not quitting his job is news.BTW, Thompson is the funniest of the regulars, not one of them. 

  • modusoperandi0-av says:

    He doesn’t even remember what the outside is. It would be cruel to release him.
    And if he got out on his own, he’d be like the house cat that got outside while it was raining; all claws and caterwauling.

  • alvintostig-av says:

    Kenan Inerts

  • light-emitting-diode-av says:

    I mean if he ends up being good in the producing aspect he could probably take over for Lorne Michaels after a plucky group of adventurers finally raid the latter’s dungeon and claim his lich treasure..

  • bloggymcblogblog-av says:

    Speaking of SNL, I just learned that Mark McKinney from the Kids in the Hall was a cast member for like 2 and half seasons and I have no recollection of that.

    • zzwanderer-av says:

      He played Paul Schaffer to Norm Macdonald’s David Letterman

    • cybersybil2-av says:

      I knew he did a couple of seasons, I know I even watched the better part of them, but I can’t recall him having a single speaking part.

    • genewilderssweetdancemoves-av says:

      Yeah. He got that job, because Loren backed the Kids in the Hall, and McKinney need a job.

    • peterjj4-av says:

      He was brought in when the 94-95 cast was a huge disaster. He got cast without an audition, which apparently angered the writers enough that they wrote a lousy sketch about male strippers (hosted by Jeff Daniels no less) and named all the strippers after KITH characters. Too bad SNL never really gave him anything to do.

    • hewhewjhkwefj-av says:

      Mark and Bruce wrote for SNL in the mid ’80s, before Kids in the Hall got a TV show.

  • captcouv-av says:

    Lorne Micheal is going to retire (go away) at some point… Kenan?!?

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