Kenan Thompson, the Reluctant Star of ‘Saturday Night Live’

All I can say is: WHAT UP WITH THAT!? I don’t exactly know why, but that one cracks me up every time. He’s been in lots of great sketches, but What Up With That just kills me. Billy on, Kenan.

Kenan is a joy to watch and I look forward to all the skits he's in. His game show things are positively hysterical. His facial expressions alone are something to behold. And sometimes the goofy parts he plays are so goofy because he's so out of character. And he seems to be enjoying every minute of it. I can't wait until they all come back. I miss Kate and Leslie and the News. When are they coming back??

Who cares about SNL or that idiot Lorne Michaels. They treated Eddie Murphy like dog poop, despite the fact he was major reason the show wasn't cancelled in the 80s. On their 40 year anniversary Michaels was mad because Murphy refused to do a sketch mocking Bill Cosby. So they only gave him some 3 minute talking part and that was it. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2959798/Eddie-Murphy-REFUSED-pla...

Kenan Thompson makes me laugh! All the cast members of SNL are terrific and one of my favorite cast members is Leslie Jones! Keep on making the shows!

He always is enjoying himself so much--a pleasure to watch!

Kenan Thompson is funny, modest AND generous. My son participated in a comedy showcase for kids that Kenan and his awesome producing partner organized. There was no fee for the kids and the families. It was an opportunity for budding standups to have the experience of performing...and it was all sponsored by Kenan.

No mention of his portrayal of Big Papi David Ortiz? Fake news! LOL. No mofongo and bistek BIG LUNCH for you!!

KT is way under rated always has been. I'd love to see him in movies other than those old tired cop buddy movies.

Favorite Keenan characters out of a gazillion? Frankenstein to Bill Hader's Vincent Price when Nicki Manaj hosted, David Ortiz on weekend update and the sweet old man, and anytime he plays Steve Harvey.

His helming of "What's Up With That" and "Black Jeopardy" rank up there with the most classic SNL performances and he deserves his due. His Weekend Update (LaVar Ball, Rev. Michael Curry, Willie etc) appearances are always hilarious.

I just love Kenan Thompson. One of my all-time faves. Fellow GA boy to boot.

Kenan is just deep-down funny. He doesn't need lines. He just overflows with irresistible goofiness. Reminds me so much of Chris Farley.

love Keenan....favorite all time skit: ensemble of cast in amazon echo silver..must have watched it 10 times..but i don't know about that.

I enjoy watching and appreciate Kenan on SNL. My favorite skit from last season was “Les Mis” where he’s the lobster. No matter how many times I watch it I still LOL.

His most delicious sketch ever: Sump'n Claus.

I really like his range of characters, from silly to serious. I'll always remember him playing a lobster in a musical scene that was reminiscent of a song from Les Miserables! He handled it beautifully, with just the right touch of both comedy and tragedy (due to the imminent death of a lobster ordered in a restaurant).

There hasn’t been a SNL sketch that I’ve seen Mr Thompson in that hasn’t been improved by his just being in it—much like Michael Palin of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Even if it’s a throwaway sketch, he’ll distinguish himself and redeem a small part of it. Usually it’s his expressive eyes or his many different smiles (who knew one could express so many disparate things?); it can be his accent or physical demeanor. You might call him a ham at times. Whatever. I see him as a comic genius. And I hope he has many more characters and years ahead of him, whether on SNL or elsewhere.

I LOVE Kenan! Thank you for giving him his due. He is obviously a team player and supportive of everyone. He may be humble, but his own comedic talent is perfectly timed, nuanced, and full of warmth and hilarity. I'm glad he's on the show!

I am a big fan of Kenan Thompson. Every sketch he’s is improved with his comedic acting. He is very expressive and funny.

SNL has always had its ups and downs. The highest ups of course were with the original cast. That lineup will never be matched. SNL is down now. If they didn't have Trump and his administration to mock, they wouldn't have bupkes. The best actors doing those roles happen to be the guest stars like Alec Baldwin. I've watched all 90 minutes without laughing out loud once. Maybe a chuckle or three. An average show used to mean repeatedly laughing out loud. A great one meant you were rolling on the floor and might pull a muscle from laughing so hard. Do they give out awards for longevity? Kenan just isn't very funny. Most of the recurring sketches aren't very funny. It's hard to tell if that's the fault of the writers, or the cast members. I suspect it's more the former, but why hasn't Lorne Michaels done anything to rectify the situation? You can only work with the material you're given, no matter how good your improvisational chops are. The best actors on SNL leave for the movies where they earn exponentially more money. Or they become the stars of top rated comedy sitcoms. I suspect Kenan has been there for a decade and a half because he's simply not that good. We chat about the show on Facebook on Sunday, and the consensus is that the show stinks. Just not many laughs, while other writers are giving comedic gold to the likes of Colbert. Lorne Michaels should either figure it out in a heartbeat or turn the reins over to younger blood. It's an embarrassment.

Not my favorite, nor do I like impressionists that much. I'm more of a Kate McKinnon fan. However, his long, steady tenure, no doubt, has helped younger cast members figure out how to become part of the group.

His appeal is a mystery to me. He can't do impressions, barely makes an effort with the choice material he's handed, and can't seem to make it through a sketch or a Weekend Update appearance without an "I'm-about-to-break" smirk (is he incapable of committing to a character?). I've watched far superior SNL cast members get canned over the years, and Mr. Thompson remains. I'm sure he's a pleasant fellow. But it's time for the show--which can command the best of the best that the country's improv troupes have to offer--to make a change.

Kenan has been a joy to watch since the Nickelodeon days. He gets better with every year.

In many ways Kenan reminds me of Phi Hartman, who filled so many roles in so many episodes during his years on SNL.

I absolsolutely adore this fine actor. He warms my heart and should be on SNL as long as he wants to! Keenan, do you suppose you can do at least one Scared Straight Program skit next season?

I stopped watching SNL when they decided they had to kow tow to the liberal progressive sociopathic narcissistic political agenda of the left. So its been a while. I catch clips here and there. Nothing like it once was. It was once very funny,and I couldn't get enough. Eddie Murphy must be so ashamed now. He was deliriously fantastic. P C culture and liberalism ruins everything it touches. Sad...

When you’ve made it in a comedy troupe, they want you to write, not just perform.

He is one of my all time favs.He has this clipped way of speaking that never fails to make me laugh and those sparkling eyes make me just plain happy.Emmy NOW!

Always a fave. Glad to see Michaels put him up there with Carvey, Hader and Wiig as sketch players extraordinaire. Zut alors, JeanKJean!

I just look at him on camera, and I start to laugh. Just something about his smile. I've seen this guy since his days on Nickelodeon when my son watched him in "Kenan & Kel." It's so great to see him maturing and getting the recognition he deserves. But damn, I wish SNL could find away for him to do Star Jones again. He positively slayed me when he did her.

Mr Thompson is often the professional glue that holds a skit together. He can carry his cast mates when needed. Unlike so many others, you never get a sense that he is burning out or looking to the next opportunity. And he hasn't become a caricature of himself. He plays every role in character, at least if it is a character that enjoys himself. He makes me wish I could enjoy work as much as he seems to. Thank you for the laughs.

Mr. Thompson is definitely one of my favorite comedians on SNL. I look forwards to skits when he is in them, especially as a feature. LOVE black jeopardy, Love crazy neighbor Willy, Love his infectious, big smile. Good job Keenan...thanks for all the LOLs you've brought to us over the years!

Mr. Thompson is an actor, a fine actor and that shows through over and over no matter the comedy wildness.

There have been skits where he has to appear serious and he acts it quite well. He underestimates his own talent. One issue is that he has always looked so young, as he gets a bit older I would bet we will see him playing good guys and bad guys and parts in between.

I've long felt that Kenan was vastly underappreciated. He's been one of the most reliably funny actors on the show for years, uplifting even the worst SNL skits with his generosity, good nature, wittiness and sheer talent. Now I guess we know why we haven't seen him in the usual SNL cast-affiliated movies and other vehicles: he's not seeking them. Thanks for this profile and some well-deserved recognition for one of our favorites.

I've watched Kenan with my kids and we've been fans since his early film and Nickelodeon days. Thanks for this great profile; Kenan, thanks for all the laughs!

What a nice article about a very fine, supremely talented and truly admirable man. Kenan Thompson does much to restore one's faith in basic human decency by being the polar opposite of America's bombastic, self-declared (and totally humorless) "stable genius".

I've felt for a long time that Kenan Thompson is the most professional member of the SNL cast in addition to being one of its great talents. He isn't out there just pumping for a movie deal -- he's focused on being good at what he's doing right where he is, and it shows. I also think hosts pick up on that. Re-watch the Betty White episode to see how often and how well she and he worked together in those 90 minutes. I came away thinking, "she probably saw how much Kenan respects this, she appreciated it, and she asked for more parts together." (Kind of like the praise Ty Cobb offered Phil Rizzuto: You're one of the few who woulda cut it in my era, kid.) I'm happy to see he's happy and hope he and his family are still having a great summer.

Very underappreciated for certain. No SNL sketch ever delighted my wife and I more than the madcap variety show Kenan hosted as “DeAndre’, in “What’s up w That?”!! The regulars in it, like perennial “sorry Lindsey Buckingham” Bill Hader, Fred Armisen on Sax, dancing tracksuit guy Jason Sudekis, backup dancers, and the crazy guest ‘acts’ and guest stars, were hilarious! Even Deniro could not hold it together!! Bring back DeAndre!!

I had no idea anyone watches SNL. Alec Baldwin could never, ever be as good as Darrell Hammond playing Trump.

"Over 15 seasons, Kenan Thompson has become one of the most important cast members of "Saturday Night Live" ever. There -- fixed that caption for you!

He's pretty much their saving grace.

Mr. Thompson is pretty much the reason why I still watch SNL. His timing is superb and more importantly, he's funny as hell.

I love every sketch Keenen Thompson is in. He's my favorite actor on SNL. I hope he wins his Emmy. He deserves it. Good luck!

oooo weee! Wassup with that!

As soon as I scrolled to the pictures of Kenan Thompson as SNL characters, I laughed! I really enjoyed his Trump, and quit watching SNL with the announcement of Alec Baldwin replacing him as Trump!

The twinkle in Kenan Thompson’s eyes, and his irrepressible smile, make him a delight to watch in any role.

I like Keenan, one of few that I look forward to on SNL. I saw him shooting SNL sketch in Hamilton height in Harlem few years ago, although I didn’t get anywhere near him but it was enough for me to have a glimpse of him. Cheers to the next 13 years and many more to come !

Keenan, congratulations on achieving this milestone at SNL. I love seeing you in sketches. Some of my favorites: Black Jeopardy, What's Up with That, the sketch where you were a field reporter interviewing a couple and the sketch where you were the owner/manager of a bookstore, and your employees acted out the romance novels. Thanks to Dave Itzkoff for a well-written article.

Mr. Thompson brings a smile to my face at the exact moment he appears in a skit. The guy is a treasure.

Mr. Thompson is my favorite actor on SNL. My attention always gravitates to him though he is in the supporting roles on the show. I hope he continues his run on SNL for a long time.