The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Kenan Thompson Opens Up About Parenting, Leaving Nickelodeon, Kel Mitchell, Katt Williams + More

Episode Date: February 2, 2024

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happy black history month happy black history month how you feeling for real my brother how you feeling like what's your energy like great my energy is great man like you know we having another good season over there it's 49 about to be the 50th it's getting real over there man that 50th celebration i think it's gonna be big last time at the 40th was a lot of people so the thing about keenan you wouldn't even know if he was doing bad. Kenan's demeanor is always the same, regardless. That's that Taurus energy, man.

Let me take my glasses off. Yeah, no, we good. Now we good. We good. We good. We good. I was going to ask, you know, when you see so many things pop up on social or on this world, is it, I guess it's good for you because you're like oh yeah this is it

this is a skit yeah absolutely i mean yeah i mean characters in the world or events in the world definitely help you know kind of trigger ideas and stuff like that um especially the crazier the better or anybody that sounds funny the better um but at the same time you know it's hard on comedy these days you know you gotta like really be smart about your approach especially you know depending on the topic and stuff like that you know i don't really go out there to offend people necessarily but sometimes it happens and you know you gotta like learn from it hopefully and and just move on you know knowing that you know your intentions were good in the first place kind of thing like we're just trying to heal basically that's what that's what

comedy is supposed to be doing is there anything that you won't touch or that y'all come together and be like this would be funny but not right now yeah i mean especially you know we on network tv so it's not like we can just you know say and do whatever but at the same time you know some topics is it might be too early to be trying to you know find a laugh on kind of thing and you know some certain topics ain't nothing funny about it so like too soon like donald rollins like to say too soon you think there are some too soon topics one million percent yeah you know there's definitely i mean gilbert godfrey killed his career with that you know what i'm saying like i don't remember what he tweeted

something about like 9 11 or something and it was just like you know there's no reason to like try to be the first one with a joke on on that topic necessarily and it'll probably be too soon for 200 years kind of thing you know just because it was such a large tragedy why are you bringing up people's old tweets keenan don't do that i'm just saying it was an example you know i'm rest in peace you know what i'm saying but like that was not anymore yeah you got to be just gotta be smart about it and you know you got a new book out uh when I was your age I should have brought the book I wanted to hear this to have it propped up I'm slipping my bad uh when I was your age life lessons funny stories and questionable parenting advice from a professional clown first of all what made you want to write a book because

you always have been a very private person yeah it's the longest title ever it is um i just felt it was time you know like a lot of people i guess in my position a lot of my heroes have written books you know i'm saying you got seven right two yeah working on the third so uh yeah and people approached me i was just trying to you know make sure i had enough to talk about or like people that actually read books you know and and luckily i worked with a great uh collaborator dibs bear shout out you know um and yeah we we put together a pretty good book from what i'm hearing like the people that have read it seem to enjoy it you know i'm saying it's not like 300 pages or nothing you know which was kind of strange i'm like damn that's my life story like that's it that's all i got

you know but it has definitely been you know a really cool thing to share with the world and you know tell my story to my parents story and you know siblings you know I'm saying and like let people you know kind of know the real me the origin story kind of thing that I don't necessarily get to tell on you know talk shows and stuff like that because you usually want to just talk about the current thing you're there to promote or whatever so yeah it was cool experience explain the long-ass title because it's a lot there yeah you know it's just like i guess i've been doing it for so long that i had you know a lot to kind of display you know i'm saying so i have to kind

of explain what my position is in this world so far in a capturing kind of title and kind of tell people like what the book is so they want to grab it and read it you know what i mean and like that's probably why the title is so it is so lengthy, but you know, there's also some comedy there because yeah, it is so long. And yeah, the good wordage of like being a professional clown and stuff like that, you know, like I take that really seriously. Like I'm an actor, you know? So like when I'm clowning around is usually for hire kind of thing, you know,

as you can see, like my demeanor is pretty, pretty level. You say like, I don't really even be you can see like my demeanor is pretty pretty level you say like I don't really even be getting stressed out or my demeanor doesn't change much but yeah big Taurus energy over here you know I'm saying and like but you don't seem hard-headed though most Taurus is I know hard-headed I get stubborn about when I think I'm right got you know I'm saying but like I'm very good with the flow kind of thing your kids take you serious or they always see daddy as the clown and the joke and the laughter I'm very good with the flow kind of thing. Do your kids take you serious or do they always see daddy as the clown and the joke and the laughter?

I'm the clown and I'm definitely in their way. You know what I'm saying? Like I'm in their way for having fun or whatever they want to do. Like, you know, when they around their friends, they don't want, you know, old fuddy daddies around them, you know? So, um, they definitely think they're funnier than me and they probably are like, they definitely like make me laugh, but that's that dynamic you know you're you could be you know michael jordan's son and think that your dad just

only plays basketball as opposed to being michael jordan yeah you know why do you call your advice your parenting advice questionable or was that your parents advice was questionable which one is it i mean it's probably mine you know just you know coming from a place where like i don't know everything right away you know what i'm saying like i'm just figuring it out kind of on the fly as it goes basically yeah but we all are though i guess like being a parent is on the job training like there's no manual for parenting so i don't even beat myself up when i don't get it right i actually I'll apologize to my kids and try to do better next time. Exactly. That's it.

And yeah, I mean, when you give advice to people, it's not like I want to be like, you know, I'm the official voice on parenting kind of thing. You know what I'm saying? So you should be able to question like what I'm offering kind of to the world if it doesn't work for you and your household kind of thing. You know what I'm saying?

I'm not trying to like tell everybody exactly what to do with their kids, basically. Would you want your kids to get in this industry? Sure. I mean, if they take it seriously, you know what I mean? Like, I got drama faces tatted on my back, you know, so I take it very seriously. And growing up, it was, you know, there wasn't no automatic, you know, there wasn't as many platforms as there are now. So many, like, you know, different kind of ways to get into the business.

It was very specific. You audition, they tell you yes or no, you know, and coming from Atlanta, the auditions were less and less. It was mostly commercials or theater, stuff like that, which I'm grateful for because like my theater training is like, you know, that's everything, you know what I mean? Like that taught me everything about being an actor and being around other actors that have been in the business a long time, you know, done a movie here and there, some Spike Lee joints or whatever. But when you're in between the times, that's when it's, like, your real dedication, you know, comes through.

Because being a starving artist is no joke. You know what i'm saying and it's a reality for i would say more than the majority of people you know in the business like like a lot of people are like living like check to check especially if you don't know how to subsidize with another job so yeah you got a chapter title called i'm glad i went broke when did that happen you've been you've been working since at least 94. Yeah. Oh yeah. Like I've been blessed to, to continue working, but yeah, I had a bad accountant and it came to the light around 99, like around 2000, which was really bad timing. Cause that's

right. When I left my consistent gig, you know what I'm saying? So then I went into being an adult actor for hire and that is very hit and miss. So it was, you know i'm saying so then i went into being an adult actor for hire and that is very hit and miss so it was you know some good jobs like i did felicity that was cool and i got to meet jj abrams when he was young you know i'm saying and that's like a a priceless kind of a friendship i would say just because he's grown to be you know such a major force in the industry but it was like six months until Love Don't Cost a Thing. You know what I mean? I was happy to get Love Don't Cost a Thing.

It was my brother Nick's movie. Nick Cannon. Yeah, we had a party at my house. You know what I'm saying? I was like, yeah. At your house? Yeah. I was renting this house that had a bunch of space or whatever.

But we was young, so it was like, yeah, move all the furniture to the side and let's just throw you know, throw a party and like invite everybody kind of thing back in those days. So that was fun, but it was still broke, you know what I mean? Like just money enough for the rent kind of thing. And yeah, that, you know, the accountant was dirty and

I ended up not letting that be the end all be all of what my life was going to be. So I just, you know, moved back to Cali and continued. How much did the accountant get you for? A million and a half. Damn. Something like that. That was my contractual deal at the time or whatever.

For Good Burger? For overall Nickelodeon existence. For a few years or whatever. I never saw none of it. That ain't funny. You walked away from, that ain't funny, but you're laughing all over. You over there about to tear.

No, that ain't funny. So you walked away from Nickelodeon, the overall deal. It was just up. You know what I mean? We didn't feel like, you know, we wanted to continue like Kenan and Kel to college. Like we couldn't figure it out basically.

And we were just like, I think we should just go figure out what it looks like for us to be adult performers for the world. And it was just, like, reproving grounds. It was almost like starting over, you know, because, like, everybody wanted to treat us like kids or keep us in a category or whatever. And we just had to, like, learn how to prove ourselves. And for me, you know, SNL was the biggest bridge, you know, as far as, like, adults taking me seriously as an adult. Because we were already grown, you know. We was in our 20s, you know.

So we didn't want to be, like, 30 years old still trying to play a kid on Nickelodeon. And, yeah, the timing of that was just crazy. So it was a couple years of, like, man, I don't know about this whole, like know one job here one job there like every few months kind of thing because the bills come you know I mean every month no matter what and yeah you know thank god life goes in a cycle so when I was feeling down I would you know get a gig and I would like you know start trending upward and then you know trending further up from love don't cause a thing to barbershop too you know I mean and then barbershop 2 left there and, like, went to audition for SNL. Do you remember that when you auditioned and they called you back and said you got the part?

Do you remember that? One million percent because it was a long process. You know what I'm saying? Like, came to New York straight from Chicago from shooting Barbershop, like, feeling great or whatever, and then seeing what you're up against. And it was every black comic you could even possibly think of, right? So I had to do stand-up. I had to stand-up New York.

I had never done stand-up before. It was a nightmare. And then I saw Kale, and I hadn't seen him in a while, you know what I'm saying? Like, at the audition. And that was awkward. But it was like, you know, good luck, good luck, or whatever. And then I did three minutes of something terrible because I wasn't a stand-up comic. I didn't know how to address the crowd at all. I think I just started with a phone call. So that was part of the audition. You wasn't a stand-up comic. I didn't know how to address the crowd at all.

I think I just started with a phone call. So that was part of the audition. You had to do stand-up. Yeah. So you walked out there and was like, hi. I don't think I said hi. I think I just went right into, like, Al Sharpton or something, like, talking to Arnold Schwarzenegger. You know what I mean?

What? Like a kid in his own room, basically, like, playing in the mirror kind of thing. And, yeah, it didn't go well. But they saw something, and I got a call back that was in the studio. That felt more comfortable. I was used to that. You know what I mean? So I did that same kind of shtick with a couple more minutes added on or whatever.

And then I went home for a week and didn't hear nothing. You know what I mean? And that was just like torture. You thought it was a wrap. I thought it was over. I thought I ruined it. And, you know, SNL is one of those jobs. If you don't get it, you live with that, you know, kind of for the rest of your life.

Or if things go left when you do get it, you know what I mean? Like, that's not an experience you really just forget or like be like, oh, that's in the past. I can just move on. Like, it stays with you, you know? So, yeah, that week was torture. And then they called and they were like, all right, we want you to try one more time at the Laugh Factory. I was like, more stand up. You know what I mean? why didn't you just tell them i'm not a stand-up i didn't want to rock the boat you know what i mean don't tell them no you're trying to get a job but stand up is a man stand up is the most difficult thing i feel like anybody can

do in comedy it really is and i also wasn't really aware of the second city and groundlings of it all because i'm not an improver i just like started working you know from like age 12 you know from doing commercials to theater to you know movies or whatever so i didn't really have a chance to like go to school for performing necessarily like that was my school um so yeah more stand-up and i you know didn't want to rock the boat and it was a terrible night for me because the other four people were actually stand-ups you know didn't want to rock the boat and it was a terrible night for me because the other four people were actually stand-ups you know I mean and they were killing JB Smooth Finesse Mitchell you know I mean D-Ray oh man it was you know it was a lineup and they was destroying and then I went up there and did my little bullshit and like where were you were you

first were you fourth were you second I was last oh yeah you fourth? Were you second? I was last. Oh, yeah. You went after D-Ray, JV, and Finesse Mitchell? Jesus Christ. Yep. And Kyle Grooms. Kyle Grooms, too? Yeah. I think Kyle, but I know Kyle was in New York, but I think he was in L.A., too. But I know I went last after a bunch of brilliant comics.

And I was so nervous, man. I was drinking out the sink because that was the bathroom and like the bar was over there so i didn't want to like go back and forth you know what i mean like interrupt or anything like that so you really wanted to kill it but you couldn't get to you know but i was so nervous like i was just like man i can't quench my thirst i'm drinking water drinking water new york water back then was i'm sure i'm like filling it up with the sink water and like still and i was just like crazy nervous but did you get booed i didn't get booed so that was you know definitely not a dagger because if i would have got booed i don't even know if i would have wanted the job because i would have felt like i didn't

deserve it but then after that they called the next day and then i think they called on a saturday and i was in new york on monday yeah wow and now you're the longest running cast member i want to i want to go back to this one point five million. How does how do you lose one point five million dollars? I know you said it, but I know people are listening. Like, how does that happen? We gave that dude power of attorney when we shouldn't have our kids. Yeah, I was a kid and my mom was trying to protect me. You know what I mean? And he had helped her out of her like tax situations like her and my dad's like tax situations so she thought she could trust him but she could trust him with like day 30 to 50 grand issues kind of shit but like when it's like a million dollars on the table you never know what people gonna turn into and

apparently he turned into a demon and you know i'm sure his karma has come back to him but if it wasn't for that i don't know if you know my track would be the same because i was ready to settle into atlanta you know what i mean like i was ready to just be like no i'm good and like you know it's three and a half hours to la so if they need me they can call me kind of thing but i don't think i would have been as hungry or you know as you know dedicated necessarily like i was dedicated to atlanta like at was, you know, my everything basically. So I was very comfortable there and very willing to just be like around the corner from my mama and be happy kind of thing. You couldn't sue the accountant or nothing?

I did. And I won. You know what I mean? But he can't pay. You know what I'm saying? So it's just paperwork basically. You want to spend more money to sue him and not get no money back. One million percent. You know?

And I sued him for years and ended up winning. But I sued him because the IRS came after me. You know what I'm saying? And they were like, you haven't paid your taxes all the time. I'm like, well, that's what he was supposed to be doing. And he went and ran. Don't y'all see? Like, I ain't got the money.

You know what I'm saying? So, but. And Uncle Sam don't care. They don't care. At all. They want their money, you know. So, I got my settlement and it's on that person now. But as far as like me getting that money back, and I knew it as soon as it happened.

You know what I'm saying? I'm like, I ain't never going to see that money. I might as well just get back and start from scratch and just, you know, forget about it. If it comes back, great. But, you know, it has yet to. But I've been blessed in so many other ways. I take those life lessons and just learn from them i feel so sorry for everybody in that situation because word they don't teach us financial literacy when

when in the communities we come from but then we get people that we think are supposed to have our best interest in that way yeah and they take advantage it's like man how can you ever trust a black man god damn an elder black man come on my brother how can you trust somebody ever again because like you want to try to keep hope you know you want to try to keep hope on humanity you know what i mean just jackson just now keenan you try to keep keep hope alive you know um but yeah i i don't know man like i've never been one to be like oh he, he's a piece of shit. So this next person might be, you know what I mean? Like, everybody has a chance to kind of prove themselves to be what they are. I was going to ask, when did you get comfortable in Saturday Night Live?

Because you had to be nervous, you know, when you first started off with all these people that's been there before. And when did you get comfortable? It took a while because you have a writer's burden on SNL. And I didn't come from that. You know, I just came from being given scripts, and then I do what I do. And if we add something, then they'll put it in or whatever, but I was never part of that process. So it was like a learning thing as I went along,

and I don't think I was comfortable until I got my first personal idea on the show, and that was like season five. Wow. Yeah, Scared Straight. Shout out to Scared Straight. Why that role in particular? What straight yeah like why did that make you the most comfortable well that was just my the first one that i got on and i was like oh i finally like made my sense of humor make sense in this place gotcha you know what i mean so yeah like i just felt like up until that point my ideas were going all over the place.

I didn't really know how to really collab with writers or I would collab off of their ideas as opposed to something personal to me. You know what I mean? And then like I started to like learn how to bring forward the black zeitgeist. You know what I'm saying? And like make that appealing. Is that going to go on after 50? I remember when I interviewed you on my late night show you said you think you should end it at 50 I mean I thought it would be a good number to stop at

if that was the case but I don't think it is I think they're going to keep it running you know what I'm saying like it doesn't make a difference if it winds up stopping at 72 like it doesn't really matter but 50 it just felt like such a good package just like you know here's 50 years of snl time warner you know i mean sell that around the clock or whatever dvds this that and the other it's just a nice round number like if they get to

100 great if they get to 200 you know i mean incredible it doesn't really matter but i've never seen a tv show outside of like a game show or a soap opera go past 30 years you know 20 like that's just crazy so i didn't really know how long it was going to take and then if dude was going to retire you know after that year lauren michael yeah it might be you know it might be smart to pause it or something like that but at the same time tina can do it i can do it yeah steve higgins there's a lot of people that can keep it going it's just will it have the same support you know like budget wise kind of thing like if you slash the budget it's a completely

different show and then that's not fair to whoever's in that chair so it's up to them you know i'm saying but i from what i'm hearing i think it's probably going to continue did you ever feel like you didn't have support of, of the culture, the community, you know, cause starting off as a new culture, any black comedian that's on Saturday night live,

they always say, Oh, he's a token black or he's not that funny. It's like the hate comes first. Did you ever feel that? I mean, yeah. And anytime I do something that's,

you know, pushing boundaries or anything like that, there's, there's a lot of pushback, you know. So I definitely felt like the majority of black people weren't like, yo, Saturday Night Live is my show. You know what I mean? It just felt like, oh, you on that white show. You know what I mean?

When people talk to you about it. But, you know, I took that and was like, all right, well, that's how y'all feel. You must not really know, you know, kind of the history of the show and who's really come out of there, you know what I'm saying? And it's just as much our show as anybody else's kind of thing because, you know, we have, you know, the biggest star probably in movie history probably coming out there, you know? Yeah, I've never heard people say that there's token blacks on SNL.

It just was always there wasn't enough of enough black people on SNL you know one at a time for a while you know because the black people they have are black yeah Eddie didn't try not to be black Tracy Morgan didn't try not to be black like they went for it I don't think Tracy can help himself you know

but yeah that was part of the conversation that I was talking about when it was time to get more black women in the show. You know, it's just like my quote that was heavily misquoted or whatever was just the fact that, you know, the pool to choose from isn't large, basically, as far as the people that are ready to do that show. Like it's not like I personally didn't know about the ground is a second city. You know what I'm saying? So let alone, you know, a whole bunch of us knowing about it. And, yeah, it's just, you know, it's slim picking sometimes. So it is kind of one at a time as far as like discovering the next person that is ready.

You know, because a lot of us might have other interests, athletics, you know, music business and stuff like that. That might seem cooler to the culture and stuff so you know when it is time to like look for the next you know they might be you know there might be slim choices kind of thing but i think that's expanding and you know the more we you know continue to display the fact that we can do it and that you know you should open up the doors and look a little harder if that's the case you know you find your leslie joneses and your ego wotums you know, you should open up the doors and look a little harder if that's the case. You know, you find your Leslie Joneses and your Ego Wodums, you know what I'm saying, and your Shids and Maters and, you know, you give people, you know,

an opportunity to show you that we can do this as well kind of thing. And, you know, I think. Is your country falling apart? Feeling tired, depressed, a little bit revolutionary? Consider this. Start your own country. I planted the flag. I just kind of looked out of like, this is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. There's 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete. Everybody's doing it. I am King Ernest Emmanuel. I am the Queen of Laudonia. I'm Jackson I, King of Capraburg. I am the Supreme Leader of the Grand Republic of Mentonia. Be part of a great colonial tradition.

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I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. You know that rush of endorphins you feel after a great workout? Well, that's when the real magic happens. So if you love hearing real, inspiring stories from the people you know,

follow, and admire, join me every week for Post Run High. It's where we take the conversation beyond the run and get into the heart of it all. It's lighthearted, pretty crazy, and very fun. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. As a kid, I really do remember having these dreams and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you.

Alicia Keys opens up about conquering doubt, learning to trust herself and leaning into her dreams. I think a lot of times we are built to doubt the possibilities for ourselves. For self-preservation and protection. It was literally that step by step. And so I discovered that that is how we get where we're going. This increment of small, determined moments. Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay. Like, grace. Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best.

And you're gonna figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese investigative journalist who on October 16th 2017 was murdered. There are crooks everywhere you look now. The situation is desperate.

My name is Manuel Delia. I am one of the hosts of Crooks Everywhere, a podcast that unhearts the plot to murder a one-woman Wikileaks. Daphne exposed the culture of crime and corruption that were turning her beloved country into a mafia state. And she paid the ultimate price. Listen to Crooks everywhere on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's up? This is Ramses Jha. And I go by the name Q Ward. And we'd like you to join us each week for our show Civic Cipher. That's right. We're going to discuss social issues, especially those that affect black and brown people, but in a way that informs and empowers all people to hopefully create better allies.

Think of it as a black show for non-black people. We discuss everything from prejudice to politics to police violence, and we try to give you the tools to create positive change in your home, workplace, and social circle. Exactly. Whether you're black, Asian, white, Latinx, indigenous, LGBTQIA+, you name it. If you stand with us, then we stand with you. Let's discuss the stories and conduct the interviews that will help us create a more empathetic, accountable, and equitable America. You are all our brothers and sisters,

and we're inviting you to join us for Civic Cipher each and every Saturday with myself, Ramses Jha, Q Ward, and some of the greatest minds in America. Listen to Civic Cipher every Saturday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. That's kind of like what my words should have been in that quote. You know what I'm saying? Oh, you remember the quote? The quote that they say I said was that, you know, black women ain't funny, but that's not what I said.

It was like, that's better, though. That's a good one. That one goes viral. That one goes over. You need that. You got to think about the person writing the story. Black women ain't funny. Kenny Thompson says black women ain't funny. what I said it was like that's better though that's a good one you know that's basically how they blasted me like for a while you know Leslie was mad like before she met me she was like let that motherfucker come over here and I'll burn his ass up first of all I didn't say that and when we first met you know that was clarified in two seconds

because you know when you meet me you know I'm not outside the culture like that. You know what I'm saying? And I don't disrespect my black women at all. You know, like because like how would my mother look at me? How would my sister look at me? My cousins, my this, that, and my that. I'm not an idiot. You know what I'm saying?

And I'm not detached from the world either like that. You know what I'm saying? So I would never say something so egregious. But my point was, yeah, man, like this is I'm sure so I would never say something so egregious but my point was yeah man like this is I'm sure there's small low numbers you know in those improv houses wherever they might be so if I'm wrong let me be wrong but I don't think I am because I've been in the business a long time and I go to shows a lot you know I'm saying and I'll be looking you know and I look back on history like when you watch Chris Farley in his second city days or whatever and you look at the background and his performance it was tim meadows it wasn't

like it was tim meadows and there's kevin and there's joe and there's this time and they all black and together and only tim got the shot it was just tim meadows there you know i'm saying that was it the problem with headlines is there's no nuance to headlines because headlines are can't be nuanced like if you tried to nuance the headline it looked like the title of your book so it has to be something quick you know what i mean it has to be sharp yeah so like i get it and it you know they did their job throwing me under the bus like that you know what i'm saying that black that bus driven by black woman is no joke you know but at the same time you know you got to look towards the positive and the positive is it did open the doors for some people you know even if it was you know, but at the same time, you know, you got to look towards the positive. And the positive is it did open the doors for some people, you know, even if it was, you know, me having to be the scapegoat or whatever.

So I can't be mad at it. How much longer? I mean, I can be, but, you know, God got a plan. How much longer does Keenan want to do SNL? I mean, I don't know. That question continues to vary. You know, like, it all kind of starts depending on, like, what the kids want to do and where the kids want to be

and, like, how much more time can I spend with them if possible. And also, like, are people getting tired of my moves? You know what I'm saying? Like, are people getting tired of seeing me on the show all the time and stuff like that? So it also is a long schedule and takes up most of the year kind of thing so you know it might be time for like to make room for other opportunities at the same time but i want to see that 50th at least is it scary for you when you think about

all right last time i walked away from a steady gig for For sure. I've been there 20 years. I am not in no hurry to get back to that. I've been there and done that. You know what I mean? You know that's a guaranteed check. Yeah, and it's a guaranteed way of life, which is rare for an actor. A lot of actors is at the airport,

and some cast is going to New Zealand for 10 years. I can't really afford to do that with small children. You know what I mean. I love them. So the 50 of you might walk away. See, I tried to put you on the headline. It could be. It all depends. It all depends on how that season goes as well.

You know what I mean? Because right now, we're only halfway through 49, and that's a lot of ideas and a lot of sketches. There's a lot of chances to do something brilliant and stuff like that, but lot of sketches a lot of chances to do something like brilliant and stuff like that but it's also a lot of chances to kind of like you know show people that i've been there a long time which is like it's not necessarily great when you're trying to create things fresh and new and you want the show to feel fresh and new you know what i mean so i've been you know kind of happy to be in the background or see like devon get a sketch on new you know what i mean so i've been you know kind of happy to be in the background

or see like devin get a sketch on finally you know what i mean like for himself kind of thing like he did you know on saturday you know like i was like very happy for him for that like because other things have been like collaborative or he'll have a part here and there but a whole sketch to himself i think that might have been his first one on saturday and i said that's a big step you know what i'm saying And that's how the show continues to move on through history. So if I need to move to the side to allow for those things to happen and just

come in at the end of the sketch or whatever and help or whatever, I'm good doing that. I've had my moments where I put up an idea and people are singing it as they decorate their Christmas tree. What's up with that? You know what i'm saying and that's something that like went hyper viral and like i hear about it to this day i did that for the first time 14 years ago something crazy like that maybe 17 years ago

season one season under 21 yeah 14 years ago so you know what i mean like that's a long time bro and we do 20 shows a season that's a lot of sketches and a lot of different characters and stuff like that so i mean long story short if i feel like i'm still creating and it's not a headache for people you know what i mean then yeah i'll keep it going because financially you got to be good it's not like you're gonna be in line at the food bank that you're an ambassador yeah no yeah man you shout out to the food bank that's right. They're doing really, really great things over there.

We're ambassadors of the food bank. Yeah, we are. Yes. You know what I'm saying? We're ambassadors for, you know, leaving nobody behind. You know what I'm saying? And, like, I love that. Financial-wise, yeah, we're doing all right,

and we're going to continue to do so. But at any given moment, you know what I mean? And also, like, you know, there's a lot of things going on in the world. So if anything happens any given moment you know what i mean and also like you know there's a lot of things going on in the world so if anything happens like you know worldly then you know you don't have no control of it don't matter what we got in the bank kind of thing so that's right try to celebrate the day man as it goes i was gonna ask you know when you watch things that happen do you have an opinion or as in do you care or is it the first thing a sketch right so shannon sharp cat williams right he's going

crazy are you thinking oh this is a sketch and this i'm gonna break it down or are you thinking damn why is he going at so many people well some things are obviously going to be a sketch you know i'm saying like as soon as i saw it i'm like oh yeah like this is definitely going to be a sketch only because like cat williams is a good impression you know i mean shannon sharp is a good impression and this is definitely a moment that everybody has seen, right? So it's going to be like, you know, whoever's first to get the sketch up, basically, at that point. There's a lot of nighttime shows that could have done it, you know what I mean,

or whatever. But when we do it, it's on a different level because, like, our departments are crazy. Like, our wig department, our wardrobe, you know what I mean? Our sets, like the audience, the whole team, you know what I mean? Yeah. Like the whole team is like on super duper point because they've been doing it for forever and they take it serious.

They love it. You know what I mean? It's a family, like a generational kind of family that worked there. So yeah, when I saw that, I was like, we're doing this for sure. I wish we weren't on break and everybody was texting me like I know y'all about to do this this weekend I'm like man we off for another week and a half bro oh my god we gotta wait but shout out to Echo man you know what I mean she was like get it in like yeah they destroyed it and I was I was eating it up

because I was it was entertaining like the first time I watched it and I was like oh snap you know he's spilling everything you know and I was enjoying it that way and then of course you know the elders started chiming in and like when Dave chimed in like why are you painting us with such a you know why you paint dirty ugly pictures of us or whatever it's like all right I gotta calm down and like you know I'm saying? Like, take that into mind, the fact that, you know, the bigger picture is we are supposed to be pushing uphill together kind of thing. And, yeah, it was like, all right, well, you know, maybe we shouldn't be, you know, lashing out

or throwing each other under the bus or whatever. But, you know, at first I was like, oh, I love this, you know. As a comedian, is that something you would want to get mentioned in would you want cat to say your name no i don't want to be in nobody i don't want to be in nobody drama at all you know what i'm saying especially like you know the topics that they were discussing i'm like i could be on the wrong side of this at any given moment if they want to mention me but my perspective on that in my mind doesn't have me on the wrong side of it but you know people have their opinion you might be a plant

to somebody yeah how you go from Good Burger to SNL and be there for 20 years yeah you know like that's his opinion on that and it's dismissive unfortunately of you know like Kevin's been showing up to work all this time you know what I'm saying it It's not, like, even if he was,

like, planning and being like, alright, here's a movie for you. He had to still do that movie. He had to show up to this. Do you know what I mean? Like, and, like... Don't say that, Keenan. Even if he was planning? Like, even if he was just giving an opportunity that doesn't come as easy to others. Say it like

that. You know what I'm saying? He still had to take it and run with it. You know what I mean saying? He still had to take it and run with it. You know what I mean? And do all the stand-up and do all the other TV shows, movies, and this, that, and the other and continue his track of professionalism. So industry plants, unfortunately,

dismisses the work ethic of an individual. You know what I'm saying? It's like nepotism. A lot of people want to do for their children in any kind of environment, whether it's Hollywood or corporate America. You know what I'm saying? But if the child becomes successful, it's not just because the dad padded them along the entire time. I mean, usually they have a work ethic and they want to actually go out there and make those connections and make people see them. You know what I mean? So try not to dismiss the individual just because they have an opportunity that you might not have had

kind of thing and I want to shout out the two black men who first put Kevin in movies Damon Dash and Russ par two black men put Kevin in his first project that soul play now before so plain it was death of a dynasty it was a state well not state property but state property he was in state property yeah state property devil of a dynasty he was in state property yeah he was in state property no paper soldiers

paper soldiers paper soldiers and Russ Paul put him in something too but I cannot know the name of it but they were the first two people to put him

in the movie shout out to damn shout out to Russ that's right yeah man like anybody that's giving you a leg up in this business

like shout them out the whole time you know do you make a shout them out the whole time, you know? Do you make a call to people? A lot of people. You know, I started young, so the people that helped me, like, work at Nickelodeon, they're not necessarily, like, names or whatever. But, like, the producers of all that in Kenya was, like, Brian Robbins, you know what I'm saying? And Mike Tolan. And, you know, Mike has gone on to do, like, more sports kind of documentary kind of stuff. And Brian is, like, the head of Brian Robbins, you know what I'm saying? And Mike Tolan and, you know, Mike has gone on to do like more sports kind of documentary kind of stuff.

And Brian is like the head of Paramount now, you know. But they were definitely big helps. Lauren is a big help. Theater teachers, you know, my high school, you know, drama teacher, Mr. Freddie Hendricks. Shout out. You know, people like that. This is as opposed to help. Just gave me game,

you know what I'm saying? And gave me game about surviving the game, but also how to like be a real performer and be professional and show up on time and kill it. I was going to ask, you know, do you make a phone call when you're about to do a skit or do something about somebody,

you know, something happens to somebody that you effort. I should, but I don't know. So they see, I just take it like damn you know you got those calls before like bro oh yeah steve harvey didn't love it you know he didn't love it at first what i'm saying you just like watch yourself you know because

yeah he's a grown man from the streets of cle or whatever it is. You know what I'm saying? Shake a hype. He's just a big guy. And he comes from the knuckle-up generation where you had to really get out there and get it in the cold. Working at factories or whatever he did. But yeah, at first he was like, hey, little rerun, watch yourself. I was like, all right. He called you rerun? No, man.

So he called you or you ran into him i would he would say it on his show he would say it on the radio and stuff like that so i would like eventually like call in and be like hey man you good you know like once we did like an interview or something like that but whenever i would speak to him it was always love you know what i'm saying but i just think you know he had to like make his staffs kind of known for his audience but you know steve's also been another mentor because we were on his show back in the day and he gave me a lot of game basically about just growing up and not treating the business so young just because you young you know there's a lot of like adults out here that's working really hard that's got like real problems when they go home or like, you know, you know, life is serious enough.

So you can't just be playing all the time. Right. Basically. How's fatherhood changed you? Because you've got a chapter called everything I need to know about life. I learned from my girls. I got four girls. You got two, right?

Yeah. How does fatherhood change you? I mean, it really like showed me life outside of my own personal perspective as far as how I approach the day, you know what I mean? Like, and living for others kind of thing, which was, like, very different, you know? Like, when you're in a relationship, it's different. Like, you're still both grown individuals, so you expect the other individual to, like, be able to take care of, you know, certain basics or whatever because they grown. But with a child, it's like, no, no they need you for everything you know what i'm saying in their first few years or the first decade or you know even for the rest of their life whatever

it is they need you in such a way that it's like it never turns off and i had never really experienced that you know i mean where it's like you know you have to be aware of you know and and know what's going on with your kids like on a 24-hour basis you know 365 it's not like you could take a week off just because it's Christmas and what did you learn what have you learned from your growth patience you know definitely a lot of patience. Emotion, like being able to like just embrace having emotional moments, you know what I mean? Because when we were growing up, it was either suck it up, take a lap, do this or any other kind of thing and never really like sit in what's really bothering you kind of thing. Shake it off.

You know what I mean? Like we had all those kind of like sayings from coaches and things like that or, you know, just growing up as a man, you know, like, you know, be a man, suck it up kind of thing and shake it off you know what i mean like we had all those kind of like sayings from coaches and things like that or you know just growing up as a man you know like you know be a man suck it up kind of thing you would hear that um but they taught me like it's okay to you know feel these feelings kind of thing and like understand what may be causing them and kind of work through it um but also like the perspective of a child because we go around, like, you know, kind of looking and not really seeing the world maybe just because we're seeing it at our height. You know what I mean? When you're smaller, you know, you see probably a bigger picture and stuff like that. Kind of Stop and Smell the Roses kind of vibe, basically. Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Who's your biggest critic? Myself. Yep. Because I'm the one that sees it all you know I'm saying like some people watch things and they just enjoy a surface level but I'm watching like I'll snap my shoes untied or you know little shit like my hair you still got a hairline you know I mean you know I'm saying that's all the black man can ask you got a hairline. God bless you, brother. God bless. So, like, you know, that kind of stuff, too. You know what I'm saying?

Like, oh, I need a haircut, but, like, thank God I do have hair kind of thing. That's a stab at you, Sharla. Yeah, man. I get haircuts. What the hell are you talking about? I get shaved. I get a fresh bald. You call it a haircut or a shave?

It's a shave. I get a fresh bald. Okay. You know, it just starts right here. The ha the headline starts here in the middle of the forehead do you do your own or you go somewhere oh no I go to a barber my man every time yeah yeah yeah I don't understand that but you know why I don't I like first of all my guy right all the treatment exactly there you go exactly in the conversation yeah you know what I'm saying yeah I mean that therapy is good I love therapy too but you know There you go. Exactly. In the conversation. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Catching up. Yeah.

I mean, therapy is good. I love therapy too, but you know, when you go into a barbershop and you just kicking it, plus I got all girls. Right. So it's good to get out the house

and get going to the barbershop with the bros, you know what I'm saying? That's it. Charlemagne pampers himself, so I take my daughters to this manicurist and pedicurist.

Oh, that's nice. Charlemagne is always there. They love me in there. They be like, every time I go there, they be like, oh, I see your friend. I went there the other day. Charlemagne is always in there. They love it. Take a lesson. Stay clean.

That's right. I bite my nails, unfortunately. Why, man? Habit. No, man. You got to go get your manicure, pedicure, Keenan, man. You deserve it. I can't sit there like that. I don't think I have patience to just sit there and like let people tickle me i'm also really i'm also really ticklish you look ticklish yeah when did you first realize that what when i got tickled ticklish. You do? Why do? Well, if that's the case, it's the truth

because I am ticklish. When did you first realize that? What? When I got tickled as a little kid, you know what I mean? Like,

oh, tickle, tickle, you know, that was actually like, oh, that feels funny. Yeah.

Yeah. Nobody does that to you as an adult though. No, grown men shouldn't be tickling other people because usually, you know,

they're like, what are you doing? Somebody's going to tickle you this weekend. Just have a good time. Tickle, tickle, tickle. you know they're like what are you doing just have a good time oh my god you and kel just reconnected too but we're not just reconnected but y'all did good burger too yeah man shout out to my brother man word now i don't know if to say how did y'all get back on good terms and i don't know if y'all was ever in back on bad terms no and i don't i don't think i mean but at the same time you know hearsay and stuff like that can push it in that direction if you don't get like the real answer from the individual and since there was a period where we weren't really in that much communication you know there were probably inklings of that kind of energy or whatever but once we actually did speak on the phone because we were doing a good burger sketch

on the tonight show or whatever you know and we hadn't spoken in years you know what i'm saying we knew we had to like at least talk before we go perform to each other it was a two-second reconciliation you know what i mean it was like time had never gone by basically and it was it felt like such a blessing to me and i feel like to him as well you know to have each other back in each other's lives you know i mean because we do work so well together and we had established you know i mean something so beloved that it would be a crime to kind of just let it go into the wind just because you know we wanted you know individual career identities kind of thing you know we didn't always want to be

just kenan and kel like my name is kenan thompson and his name is kel mitchell you know what i'm saying and like not a lot of people were willing to recognize that at the time so that's kind of like where that drift apart started happening and then you know as life does you know like different experiences are happening so it just takes you and then you the next thing you look up and you we haven't spoken in seven years or something crazy like that or 10 or whatever it was so for us to reconcile and do the good burger sketch that was six seven years ago something like that that was really really nice and then that was sparked a good burger too that's kind of sparked like yo i think we need to do this and they were going to do a cartoon it was like i think you should do the movie first and then do the cartoon like everybody's been kind of asking for a sequel since the first one kind of thing

it's like if you're going to get back into that world you might as well do the second especially if we're here you know i'm saying and we're young enough to like still do it with a passion and this and the other try to make a good movie so you know luckily we were able to like put it together and like get it green lit shot it in Rhode Island like thanks to Artists for Artists and my business partner you know Johnny Ryan who's from there and like that's your production company right?

yeah got a bunch of like you know whatever tax credits to make the budget make sense and it was good for me because it was right up the street you know what I mean and my girls were in school till late june or something like that so they were able to take the train up on the weekend you know what i mean as opposed to like having to shoot it in the middle of nowhere or something like that so it all became you know a good positive thing and then we actually made something that people enjoyed you know i'm saying and then it broke records you know debuted

as paramount plus his most watched original film ever ever you know i'm saying like several weeks of number one this that and the other so like it was all very positive and it was positive for our company because it was like we making history too took the first paramount movie to rhode island kind of thing you know what i mean so it was just like all you know all around really good and then also setting up as the you know the king and kill world continues to grow now you know i'm saying because we know we can go work on this project you know if he got a project he can go do it if i got a project i can go do it but if we come together and do something we know it's going to be like pretty dynamic so that that's a beautiful thing

you know because we laid a lot of track work early as opposed to like having to figure it out middle age that's right the cartoon was happening i don't know i think there's an opportunity to do even a third one before we do the cartoon kind of thing you know what i'm saying just because the second one did so well you you can continue that world and keep on getting it. Absolutely. I wanted to ask you one thing, man. You was on Stephen Colbert's show. You said that Seinfeld said...

You told Seinfeld he owed Colbert an apology. Yeah. For what? On that episode of Comedians in Cars that Colbert did with Seinfeld. Seinfeld was like... It was just a bit that I wanted to do for the sake of doing bits so it wasn't even really that serious but Seinfeld was saying like his show about getting coffee was way less stressful than Colbert's show which is like

obvious but to me it was like kind of like minimalizing Colbert's dedication you know what I mean he's one of the most highly dedicated intelligent absolute performers that we have and the fact that he does it you know should be shown a little more respect kind of thing but I was just talking shit starting trouble between the white people with no damn reason but it worked all right well we appreciate you for joining us, brother. That's right, Kenan Thompson, man. It's my pleasure, man. Get his new book, When I Was Your Age, Life Lessons, Funny Stories, and Questionable Parenting Advice from a Professional Clown.

Yeah. And thank you for joining us. Put the glasses back on. Man, you know what I'm saying? Thank you for having me, man. Y'all need a guest chair. Do you do Wake and Bake, Kenan? Why don't you let the guests sit in?

We are. Jess Hilarion starts on Monday. That's right. And we're gonna have The new set up Yeah yeah Well no she got She got a different chair

She got a different chair So that's gonna be For the guests Oh yeah yeah yeah My man I came right before that Yeah right before that You actually could've been The first if you wanted to

It's all good Do you do wake and bake In the morning Who's that Wake and bake Smoke weed in the early morning I don't know nothing about that Oh okay no more

You're trying to hurt Your kid sponsors now And all that right I mean you know Sponsors are you know Easy to No more. You're trying to hurt your kid sponsors now and all that, right? I mean, you know, sponsors are, you know, easy to talk to, especially when you go and get in front of them. It's like, hey, man, I don't know what he was talking about. You know, he drinks early in the morning. Don't worry about it.

He's just talking. Kenan Thompson. We keep everything legal. There you go. Kenan Thompson. It's The Breakfast Club. Good morning. Wake that ass up.

It's The Breakfast Club. Good morning. Wake that ass up. In the morning. The Breakfast Club. Had enough of this country? Ever dreamt about starting your own? I planted the flag. This is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete. Or maybe not. No country

willingly gives up their territory. Oh my God. What is that? Bullets. Listen to Escape from Zakistan. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-istan on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. As a kid, I really do remember having these dreams and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you. Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay. Have grace for yourself. You're trying your best and you're going to figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's up? This is Ramses Jha. And I go by the name Q Ward. And we'd like you to join us

each week for our show Civic Cipher. That's right. We discuss social issues, especially those that affect black and brown people, but in a way that informs and empowers all people. We discuss everything from prejudice to politics to police violence, and we try to give you the tools to create positive change in your home, workplace, and social circle. We're going to learn how to become better allies to each other, so join us each Saturday for Civic Cipher on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese investigative journalist who, on October 16, 2017, was assassinated. Crooks everywhere unearthed the plot to murder a one-woman Wikileaks. She exposed the culture of crime and corruption that were

turning her beloved country into a mafia state. Listen to Crooks Everywhere on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.