Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
Looking for some quality comedy entertainment to check out?
Who better to turn to for under-the-radar comedy recommendations than comedians?
Jan Hooks used to refer to Phil Hartman as The Glue.
Kenan Thompsonis Hartmans heir apparent, and not just because they both performed in sketches as twowildlyeccentricchefs.
As the longest-running cast member inSNLhistory (hes performed through three different presidential administrations!
Hes like Kobe Bryant if Kobe Bryant were also the consummate team player.
Thompsons sketch-comedy credentials precede the Studio 8H stage.
I feel like Kenan is my generations Regis Philbin.
He has been on television as long as Ive been aware of television.
Its a level of accomplishment that I dont think I hear anyone talking about enough.
He just nowgot a pilot on NBC.
What would you say his best asset is as a comedic performer?He is the best at faces.
And people who work atSaturday Night Livehave backed this up for me!
I did an interview with Bobby Moynihan, and he says that they have numbers for Kenans faces.
And hes just been at it for so long, he can just dial them up.
He can make a sketch that I dont care about at all likable enough for me to get through.
It ended up being a dumb running sketch that had a very smart message.
Kenan played the host, whod always find a way to burst into song and cut off his guests.
That really helped me when I was younger.
Its that thing where youre so good at everything that people can take it for granted.
There are certain performers, like Jimmy Fallon … lets just be honest about Jimmy Fallon.
For the most part, in sketches, he was not good.
He was just kind of there.
Thats why people will say Jimmy Fallon was wonderful onSaturday Night Live.
But when you back it up with the stats, he doesnt have that body of work.
His run on the Weekend Update desk was not the one that people remember the most.
Its just that when he swung hard, he hit home runs.
With Kenan, hes the guy who constantly gives you doubles and triples.
What did that show mean to you growing up?I loveAll That.
A lot of times I would get made fun of at school.
People would call me Kenan all the time and it would bother me.
It would bother me because he looks so much funnier than me.
I was like, I cant be this guy.
I loved him as Pierre Escargot with just him in a raincoat in the bath speaking French.
It was him and his imagination.
You could just tell by those Pierre sketches that this guy was gonna be good.
Usually, people flame out, and the fact that he hasnt is amazing.
Kel was inClifford the Big Red Dog!
We dont even talk about that because Kenan is still around.
And then you haveGood Burger.
Thats theWaynes Worldfor black people.
Not many people are straight menandthe funny guy.
So the fact that hes continued to go above and beyond is a testament to his comedic chops.
I really hope that lives through in his pilot he has at NBC, too.
I hope that show goes well because the subject matter of that is close to my heart.
Its about being a single dad and parenthood.
It also makes me feel excited that more of these stories are being wanted and being told.
You were also a very underrated component on a very underrated sketch series,Kroll Show.
What do you remember from your time there?I remember being terrified, for sure.
I learned on the fly as we went.
I just learned so much.
It was the best time and we loved it.
I look at that show, and I would confidently put it up against any other sketch show.
Three seasons of high-quality work.
Maybe the firstBlack Jeopardy sketch, I really like him in that.
He just instantly sets the tone.
And I really like his acting inThe Californians.Its pitch-perfect.
Dont even tell people who he is.
I think anybody would laugh at that.
you might really see who Kenan was as a performer back then and how hes still that performer today.
Hes a special person.
Man, I didnt know I was going to be as passionate about Kenan as I was!
