It’s hard to imagine Saturday Night Live without Kenan Thompson. The comedian has been on the show longer than anyone else, and he’s truly a staple of the legendary sketch comedy show. However, after his first season in 2003, he almost decided to leave because it went so poorly. Luckily, a pep talk from fellow comedy legend Maya Rudolph inspired him to stay, and now, the All That star is opening up about this moment and his early days on SNL.
In his memoir When I Was Your Age: Life Lessons, Funny Stories & Questionable Parenting Advice from a Professional Clown (via People), Thompson got candid about his career, especially the early days of it. While he’s been on SNL longer than anyone, and he has been part of some of the NBC sketch comedy show’s best casts, it did not begin that way, and he’s explained why.
Kenan Thompson’s First Season On SNL Didn’t Go So Hot
It’s no secret that being on Saturday Night Live is difficult, especially in that first season. New cast members have to prove their worth and work really hard to get their sketches to air. Kenan Thompson revealed that his freshman year at SNL was “marred by a ton of rookie mistakes,” and he was pretty beaten down by it.
In his book, Thompson recalled a sketch called “Randy the Bellhop” which featured Rachel Dratch and 5-timer club member Alec Baldwin. When that sketch “tanked,” as he wrote, his confidence “sunk to an all-time low.” Explaining why the moment went so poorly, he wrote:
I was excited for the first opportunity to showcase my chops on the big stage. Thing was, I couldn’t make it through dress rehearsal. I stuttered over this one line and couldn’t ad-lib my way out of it.
The comedian went on to explain that he was mortified by the moment, saying he “spiraled into a full-on panic.” While he’s used to the live pressure of SNL now, at the time he didn’t have much experience performing under these circumstances. If he stumbled over his words or there was “a slip up” in the movies or on Nickelodeon it was no big deal, he wrote, they could do another take. Saturday Night Live is a different kind of beast, and it was one he felt he couldn’t tame at the time.
After that sketch bombed, Kenan Thompson wrote that it felt like “every other writer avoided me like COVID.” He didn’t know if he was doing a good job, and had no idea if he’d be asked back. That first season the comedian had very little airtime, and he thought about quitting the show. Luckily, Maya Rudolph gave him a helpful pep talk that encouraged him to keep going.
How Maya Rudolph Helped Him Realize He Belonged
While Thompson’s first season had him down in the dumps, he eventually decided to ask Maya Rudolph why he was picked for the cast. He explained her sweet reaction and motivational words, writing:
It led to many depressive feelings. 'It was a no-brainer,' she said. 'We could tell you were ready and you’re adorable. We all said, ‘Obviously, it’s Kenan.'
Kenan Thompson was in shock when he heard her kind words, and he reacted, saying:
I fully freaked out hearing that. I literally had a seat next to one of the most talented performers I had ever seen. Her pedigree was legendary. To be complimented by someone you admire was humbling and enlightening. I wasn’t just a kid laughing at his own jokes in front of the mirror. I’d been validated.
He later noted that this interaction with Rudolph was a “turning point” for him.
Now, he’s been on the show for two decades, has received five Emmy nominations, starred in some of SNL’s most popular sketches, and is regarded as one of the best ever to set foot in Studio 8H.
He’s said over and over, that he has stayed because “it never gets old” and he loves being on such a unique show. At the moment, Thompson has no plans of leaving SNL, actually, he’s said he fears it. However, he also wants to make sure other voices can be amplified, like he was all those years ago, through the legendary sketch show.
Kenan Thompson is still going strong on Saturday Night Live, and I think we should all thank our lucky stars that Maya Rudolph gave him that little confidence boost during his early days. He’s made such a massive impact on SNL, and he’s a major part of the show’s history.
You can see Kenan Thompson in the season of SNL currently airing on the 2023 TV schedule by tuning in on Saturday nights at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC or with a Peacock subscription. Also, if you’d like to see the comedian's projects outside of the sketch comedy show, be sure to check out Kenan Thompson’s other work, like the recently released Good Burger 2, and pick up his memoir, When I Was Your Age, which is available now.
