Posted in: NBC, TV | Tagged: exclusive, interview, Kenan Thompson, nintendo, saturday night live, snl

SNL Star Kenan Thompson on Season 50 Hype, Bridging Demographics

Kenan Thompson (Good Burger 2) spoke with us about the hype building up to Saturday Night Live Season 50, his new Nintendo partnership & more.

Kenan Thompson has had show business in his blood since his debut in D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994) at 16. He has a particular talent for sketch comedy, which has helped sustain his longevity for nearly 30 years on since his run on Nickelodeon's All That and partnering with co-star Kel Mitchell for the Good Burger franchise, now returning for their second film since the 1997 original. Currently in his 21st season on NBC's Saturday Night Live, he's appeared in Archer, The Kids in the Hall, Batman: The Audio Adventures, and even his own sitcom, Kenan. Now working on season 49, Thompson's latest venture is partnering with Nintendo and recruiting his daughters for their latest 2023 holiday campaign. He spoke to Bleeding Cool about why his versatility to young and older audiences in sketch comedy allowed him to act as Nintendo spokesman, why his partnership allowed him to work with his daughters for their latest ad campaign, why he has more pressing concerns than the 50th anniversary of SNL.

How Kenan Thompson's Success on SNL Translates to Other Opportunities

Bleeding Cool: You've grown up in sketch comedy, building two legacies on 'All That' and 'SNL.' How does it feel to bridge the appeal to younger and older demographics?

Thompson: It's almost critical that having a wide demographic is a smart approach because being an actor is highly unpredictable. If you're aware of a lot of different age ranges, a lot of different backgrounds, and stuff like that, you'll have opportunities like Nintendo will come along and partner with you and want to include your daughters. I would have never been able to work with them on screen before. This is our first time doing that, and I see it as such a blessing. The commercials are adorable, and girls are going to love it when they see it. It's very special, and I don't know if I would have been able to do that if I was only known to certain people.

You're just going back to doing shows again and stuff. As one of the leaders and veterans of the 'SNL' cast, do you feel any pressure as we approach the 50th season?

It's exciting because it's still a mystery how much stress it is going to be. We've done the 40th, and I was there for that. I've seen that pressure cooker where it's like 100 percent of the people in the room are very famous people [laughs]. That's a lot, but at the same time, there's so much nostalgia in it. It keeps the pressure of having to do a lot of current material. During the actual [40th anniversary] show, the current cast didn't do much. It was more about reflecting, remembering, and honoring. I feel like the 50th would be a lot of gathered moments or people, introducing moments that show how you were involved in the show at some point, probably 30, 45, or whatever years ago. A lot of the stress isn't on the current cast, but the real question will be, "What is the future of the show?" I would love to see it just continue forever, whether I'm there or not, but I don't know. Nobody does, so that's the elephant in the room.

SNL airs at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC. You can catch Thompson on SYFY & USA Networks' Chucky, Universal's upcoming Trolls Band Together, Hulu's Praise Petey, and Peacock's Bupki

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!