Kenan Thompson, the Longest-Tenured Cast Member Hails SNL as the 'Greatest Job' After 22 Seasons

Kenan Thompson reflects on his 22-year streak on SNL as a cast member while praising his job. Read on to know the details.

Written by Ipshita Chakraborty , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Jan 30, 2025 | 06:05 PM IST | 10.4K

Youtube / Saturday Night Live

Kenan Thompson has secured his position as the longest-running cast member of Saturday Night Live, with an incredible 22 seasons on the legendary sketch comedy show. He joined SNL in 2003.

The 46-year-old comedian said his role on NBC's late-night series is the best job in television while reflecting on his time at the show. While most of the cast members stay for around eight to twelve seasons, for Thompson, the atmosphere of SNL is different from others, so he keeps returning.

The Kenan & Kel star told People, "It's a one-of-a-kind place. It's the people in front and behind that embrace it, need it. So when they call me, what, am I not supposed to oblige the greatest job in the world? So it's just out of love. What a blessing it is to have steady employment."

Thompson really appreciates the friendly community in front of and behind the camera and is honored to keep working on this show. In addition, he thanked it for the steady work.

In his earlier days at SNL, he admitted to feeling out of his depth. His experiences with stand-up comedy were minimal, and he was surprised at how demanding the environment could be. However, his talent as an actor quickly found its place in the format of the show, and he settled into a role that played to his strengths.

"It was very surreal and very stressful because I had to do stand-up without being a stand-up," Thompson said, adding, "And luckily I made it into a situation where what I really do is good for the show, which is act. I just got lucky, but it was very stressful."

As SNL enters its 50th season, Kenan Thompson quipped that he's been on the show since its inception, joking that he's always been there in the background.

Saturday Night Live airs on NBC at 11:30 pm ET.