Kenan Thompson has been making us laugh since, well, forever!
In the ’90s, he kicked off his career with Nickelodeon’s sketch comedy series All That.
Nickelodeon / Via giphy.com
Here’s him as Pierre Escargot — c’est magnifique!
You probably best know Kenan’s comedy from Saturday Night Live, where he’s been doing excellent work for 18 years.
To celebrate his comedy chops, let’s revisit some of the best Kenan SNL sketches of all time:
1. “Eternal Spark of Love: Office Romance”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
J.Lo and Jason Sudeikis’s office flirting takes a strange turn when we learn that she’s *really* into puppets. Kenan’s (hilariously) there to set the mood with his glittery blue suit and purple ambiance lighting, but even he’s weirded out by her obsession.
3. “Romance Bookstore”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Kenan, Aidy Bryant, and John Cena play employees at an erotic bookstore who act out the scandalous bodice rippers that they sell. It is all truly ridiculous!
4. “What’s Up With That?: Samuel L. Jackson and Carrie Brownstein”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Unadulterated joy is Kenan singing and dancing in “What’s Up With That?” as Diondre Cole. This show is also especially scandalous because Samuel L. Jackson drops his signature F-bomb (thinking that he’d be cut off). Bonus: Martin Short and Jason Sudeikis are giving it their ALL with wild dance moves.
5. “Them Trumps”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Maybe Alec Baldwin was booked for another The Boss Baby project, but we can’t complain about Kenan’s hilarious take on a certain former United States president.
6. “Funeral Service”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Kenan and Scarlett Johansson, the duo we never knew we needed, pay tribute to their late friend David, reminding his funeral attendees that he was more than just a dentist. He also turned out to be a songwriter for club bangers with profound lyrics such as “here is my butt.”
7. “Politics Nation: Voter ID Disaster”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Kenan portrays Al Sharpton across from the actual Al Sharpton phenomenally — or “phantomnominally,” as he would say!
8. “Come Back, Barack”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Kenan, Chris Redd, and Chance the Rapper join forces to sing a throwback R&B ballad. They want someone back and that person is…Barack Obama. Kenan breaking the fourth wall in this song is a gift, and Chris’s “I’d vote for Joe Biden” throwaway line is spooky because this dropped in 2017.
9. “Black Jeopardy With Tom Hanks”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Kenan’s “Black Jeopardy” bit is an SNL staple, and Tom Hanks creates an, um, interesting dynamic here as Doug.
10. “Strollin'”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Kenan, Ego Nwodim, Punkie Johnson, and Chris Redd stroll to the polls, but John Mulaney tries to keep them out for decades. This skit offers sharp commentary about voter suppression with humor and funk.
11. “Family Feud: Extended Family”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Kenan is solid as always as Steve Harvey, but this bit is extra spicy because Family Feud literally becomes a family feud when a man (Tracy Morgan) and his ex-wife (Leslie Jones) face off from opposite teams.
12. “Holiday Gig”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
This sketch was cut for time, but Kenan and Eddie Murphy’s chemistry is too impeccable not to mention. Basically, they play bandmates who get a little overly TMI with the audience during a holiday gig.
13. “Weekend Update: The Village People on Donald Trump Using Their Music”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Need a wake-me-up? SNL‘s finest dress up as members of the Village People dancing to “YMCA” in response to Donald Trump using their music. Kenan getting groovy as Victor Willis is instant serotonin.
14. “Two Worlds Collide ft. Reba McEntire”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Well, this ridiculous digital short with Kenan as Reba McEntire technically has that storytelling element that’s often talked about in country music.
15. “Weekend Update: Jean K. Jean with Def Comedy”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Emily in Paris, who? We have nothing but respect for Jean K. Jean, aka the Def Jam comedian who’s always ready to greet you “bon to the jour.” Who could resist those funky dance sessions?
16. “Weekend Update: Michael Che’s Neighbor Willie on the COVID-19 Vaccine”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Kenan doing dark and twisty humor as Michael Che’s neighbor Willie is some of his best stuff on SNL.
17. “How a Bill Does Not Become a Law”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Kenan’s the titular bill in this Schoolhouse Rock! spoof, and he gets a little unfriendly visit from Barack Obama (Jay Pharoah) and his Executive Order (Bobby Moynihan).
18. “Sump’n Claus”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Who’s perfect enough to get onto Santa’s list these days? If you find yourself cast out by Santa Claus, Sump’n Claus still has something for those on the naughty list.
19. “Black Panther New Scene”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
In this exclusive deleted clip of Black Panther, T’Challa (Chris Redd) goes to Djalia, where he meets with his ancestors (Sterling K. Brown and Leslie Jones) and Kenan’s character, Uncle M’Butu. Even on a transcendent plane, you can’t escape the weird, vibranium-seeking uncle blessing his frozen burger to The Lion King theme.
20. “Weekend Update: LaVar Ball on His Son LaMelo Ball”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
Kenan’s LaVar Ball is so unhinged that he’s already had 10 shots of each vaccine. Plus, he’s convinced that his son is going to crush the NBA season and unite both North and South Carolina into a Super Carolina called Carolosus.
21. “That’s the Game”
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NBC / Via youtube.com
It’s a Kenan and Chris Redd sketch! Chris is a gangster trying to set up a mutiny against Kenan, the boss, but he doesn’t exactly have the required skill set to do so.
Suffice to say, I’m just eagerly waiting for the next time that Kenan makes me laugh!
NBC / Via giphy.com
Which will definitely be soon.
What’s your favorite Kenan sketch? Let us know in the comments.
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