He also lent his voice to the movie Rock Dog that year. Our motto is, First of all, servants of all, we shall transcend allhes a servant, a lot of Alphas are servants at heart for their communities.. Then he starred in the films Snakes on a Plane and Space Chimps as well as in the TV show The Mighty B. Actor Ernest Lee Thomas, best known as Roger Raj Thomas onWhats Happening!!

Then from 2001 to 2003, he did a number of TV and film projects including Felicity, Off Centre, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Hamburger, Big Fat Liar, The Master of Disguise, Love Don't Cost a Thing and My Boss's Daughter. The Alphas in St. Louis Just Blew Our Minds With Their Latest Probate Video, Watch How Alpha Phi Alpha Revealed Their New Grad Chapter Initiates in Nebraska, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorors at University of Florida Revealed Their New Members With These Stunning Visuals, Watch How The Kappas at Northwestern University Revealed Their Spring 2020 Line, Watch The Brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi Perform at Langston Universitys 1991 Homecoming Step Show, These Coppin State University Students Remade This Cafeteria Photo From The 1970s, Check Out This 1991 Homecoming Step Show Performance from The Nupes at North Carolina A&T, Throwback: This Is How Delta Sigma Theta Did Step Shows at FAMU in 1991, This is What Kappa Alpha Psi Step Shows Looked Like In 1988. It was here, on the set ofHeavy Weightsin North Carolina, that Thompson was first introduced to weed. [2] He continued acting throughout his youth, appearing in school plays such as The Gingerbread Duck. He has two siblings: an older brother and a younger sister. QUACK! Williams herself is a graduate of the University of Houston, where she pledged Delta Sigma Theta. He played Gus's estranged college singing buddy. [40] Together, they have two daughters, born in June 2014,[41][42] and August 2018. 2022 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Warnock was initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha Inc., the oldest historically Black fraternity in the country, in Harlem, New York in 1993.

He starred as Kenan Rockmore on Nickelodeon's Kenan & Kel from 1996 to 2000, mostly while still working on All That. Im just deeply honored because we are a part of the ongoing project of ancestors who believe in America and loved America until America could learn to love us back.. Kenan Thompson (/kinn/; born May 10, 1978)[1] is an American actor and comedian. Subscribe today and get a full year of Mother Jones for just $14.95. Poor Miley Cyrus.. At events and rallies for the Reverend Raphael Warnock, there are a few constants: a sea of cars; a small stage that serves a rotating cast of local politicians and activists, and, eventually, Warnock himself; anda not insignificant number of men, of all ages,sporting black, gold, and white. Ylan Noel known for acting on HBOs Insecure crossed through the Omicron Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. Its bad when your behind is compared to a raw piece of chicken, said Thompson, referring to the infamous twerking of the former Hannah Montana star. Following a year with so much grief and anguish, of course they wanted to celebrate. [7] As a child he was a fan of The Price Is Right which he referred to as "my first love" and "very joyful viewing", which had an effect on his future acting style.[8]. ), Thompson said he had trouble finding work. Many of her family members belong to sororities and fraternities, and a commitment to public service and social justice was instilled in her from a young age partly through their memberships. Talking about his fan following, the American star is one of the most beloved comedy stars of the industry. Inexpensive, too! Prime Video Announces the Premiere Date and Trailer Release for Canadian Amazon Original Series The Kids in the Hall", "Kenan Thompson to host NHL Awards on June 21", "Kenan Thompson gets an NBC sitcom, but will stay on 'SNL,' too", "16 Times Women Changed the Game on 'Saturday Night Live', "Fred Armisen Is Leaving 'SNL' Too, Jason Sudeikis "Probably", "How Kenan Thompson Became The Ultimate 'SNL' Survivor", "Why Saturday Night Live Writers Lean on Kenan Thompson", "Why Kenan Thompson Is the Most Underrated, "Kenan Thompson hits 1,500 sketch milestone on Saturday Night Live", "See Kenan Thompson's Adorable First Baby Pictures", "Here's an SNL Weekend Update: Kenan Thompson Is a Dad! [3] He is ranked at No. His first role in a major film was playing inner-city hockey player andmaster of the knuckle puckRuss Tyler in the sequel to the hit film,The Mighty Ducks. People to this day still bring me orange soda, said Thompson. As Land adds, Media is only talking about it because they have a spotlight on Kamala. He taught me what funny is.. Thompson appeared on The Steve Harvey Show from 1996 to 1998 as a recurring character named Junior. Similarly, he looked back fondly on his time with Nickelodeon as a cast member onAll Thatwith one of his personal favorite characters, Pierre Escargot and even serenaded the audience with the catchy show theme song. ", "Kenan Thompson, Wife Welcome Baby Girl - It's the first child for the SNL comedian", "Kenan Thompson and Wife Christina Evangeline Split After 10 Years of Marriage: Report", "Kenan Thompson Files for Divorce from Estranged Wife Christina Evangeline", "PBS KIDS Debuts New Episodes & Online Content from ARTHUR and MARTHA SPEAKS BWWTVWorld", "Match Game (2016) (a Guest Stars & Air Dates Guide)", "Studio C + Kenan Thompson in Season 9 Premiere! Your job is to tell me what you can see and pass it down to me. Natty Nittany Terms of Service apply. In between bouts of enthusiastic honking, Williams, who joined the Warnock staff after working on the Biden-Harris campaign last year, made note of how Black Greeks were a powerful force in lobbying Biden to choose a woman of color for his VP. While that may be the case, there is no denying the role the Divine Nine have played in this years election cyclein boosting voter access, in elevating Harris, and in Warnocks historic campaign. He recently told reporters that he and Harvey have been friends for quite a while with the TV host and producer jokingly telling Thompson to watch yourself over his impressions. While "SNL" bans are very real, it did seem clear that Jackson was joking, but Thompson nevertheless took the chance to clear the situation up.

He would be working on set with his childhood idol. And so grown up work he did. Thompson had the crowd laughing within minutes of stepping onto the stage by looking back on his break into the movie scene withD2: The Mighty Ducks,where his naive self was surrounded by drug use and paraphernalia. Because Kenan knows how to take ordinary lines and make them funny, and take funny lines and make them special. Its something that you sharpen over time so the more you educate yourself about topics and references the better [your comedy] will be and the more appealing itll be to a wider audience, he explained. We dont just pioneer for ourselves, we pioneer for everybodybut Black women do that all the time. Black Greek institutions indeed have deep roots in organizing and political leadership that reach all the way back to their origin stories. He wished he could say the same for Miley Cyrus. [14] He also became an executive producer with Mitchell for Nickelodeon's All That revival, premiering in June. Naturally, young adolescent boys with nothing to do and money to spend found ways to entertain themselves.

A few weeks later, Saturday Night Live aired a skit featuring Kenan Thompson, called Strollin, that juxtaposed the deep dedication Black people have to voting with the barriers they face in exercising their right to vote.

I say, its the other guy, but Ill take it.. While a few pleas made from the rally stage to physically distance were clearly pointed at them,theyre brothers, and one of their own is in a nail-biting runoff for a US Senate seat. His other famous television works includeSit Down, Shut Up, Maya & Marty, The Steve Harvey Show and The Mighty B. He has been nominated four times for a Primetime Emmy Award for his work on SNL, winning once. He is best known for starring in NBC's Saturday Night Live and in the sitcom Kenan & Kel.

In 1997, Thompson did the flick Good Burger and portrayed the character of Dexter Reed in it. [6] He auditioned for a theater company, The Youth Ensemble of Atlanta (YEA). [32][33], Thompson has been nominated for four Primetime Emmys for his work on SNL, winning once. Set to Lizzos Like a Girl, Land and 19 other women affiliated with Black sororities dance (in heels, no less) against a backdrop of vibrant city murals celebrating Black women to encourage voting. [37], He has performed in over 1,500 sketches, hitting the mark during the March 5, 2022 episode hosted by Oscar Isaac. [31] Although early on he planned to stay on the show until something else came along, by 2019 he noted that SNL was his "forever plan". I dont know if you know this or not, but when you smoke weed, Taco Bell is delicious, he said. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Sign up for daily content and exclusive offers you'll love! And while I am a proud Alpha mantheres a lot of love between all these fraternities and sororities., As a nonprofit, Alpha Phi Alpha cannot and does not endorse political candidates, but members do fiercely believe in supporting one another and in being a force of good in their communities. [13], In 2019, Thompson served as a judge for NBC's comedy competition series Bring the Funny. He has been ranked at #88 on VH1's list of 100 Greatest Teen Stars. There were also a number of weird skits he and the rest of the crew had to perform, including one where Al Sharpton, an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and talk show radio host, held a phone conversation with Arnold Schwarzenegger. He also got featured in the comedy album named Good Times. He was the cleanest guy growing up, he said. It's us but for your ears. While Jackson hasn't been on "Saturday Night Live" since the sketch happened, fans will be relieved to learn that not only is Jackson welcome to come on the show any time (as well he should be), but that Thompson doesn't even have the authority to ban someone from the show in the first place. Then he doubled down and said it again, and I was like, 'Yo, my man, we got to pay for those.'". Kenan Thompson Finally Clears The Air About His Samuel L. Jackson SNL Feud. He has two siblings. At the conclusion of his routine, Thompson opened the floor up for questions, all of which he answered in a way that showed just how down-to-earth he was. Film director, television producer and television director Stan Lathan who is known for producing of shows such asSanford & Sonand Russell SimmonsDef Comedy Jam crossed through the Delta Theta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. Phillana Williams, the campaigns surrogates director, estimates that most of the campaign staff carries a Divine Nine affiliation. Thompson, who's known for his spot-on impression of the TV host, has actually been friends with Harvey for quite a while. Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, "The quiet brilliance of Kenan Thompson, SNL's longest-tenured cast member", "Kenan Thompson Talks New Sitcom, SNL Sports, 'Miami Vice' & More with Rich Eisen | Full Interview", "Kenan Thompson Biography Yahoo! I skate at Rockefeller Center all the time, he said of the famous ice rink in New York City. We probably all remember where we were on that fateful night in December of 2012 when Samuel L. Jackson accidentally dropped an F-bomb during a "What Up with That" sketch on "Saturday Night Live." In March 2022, AFA fully funded the launch of Twenty Two Entertainment, led by actors Michael Rainey Jr. and Gianni Paolo, best known from the Starz series Power Book II: Ghost. [4] His parents are Fletcher and Elizabeth Ann Thompson. Kenan Thompson first appeared on the big screen in 1994, in the movie D2: The Mighty Ducks. In a word, it means service for me, Warnock explained in a video on Twitter late last year. Its a wonderful way of connecting to other men with similar values. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms. Actor Lee Thompson Young best known for the Disney ChannelsThe Famous Jett Jackson crossed through the Beta Omega Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. Onward Debates: Is USC And UCLAs Move To The Big Ten Good For Penn State? [38], Thompson married model Christina Evangeline[39] on November 11, 2011. Thompson, who recently scored his own NBC series titled The Kenan Show, told reporters that his decades-long career has been full of learning experiences.

Following the movies success, he landed the role of Roy,an overweight camper at a weight loss camp,inHeavy Weights(1995), starring Ben Stiller as strict fitness instructor Tony Perkis. Spouse/Ex-: Christina Evangeline (m. 2011), education: Tri-Cities High School, Santa Monica College. Thomas Miles, the actor and comedian best known as Nephew Tommy onThe Steve Harvey Morning Show crossed through the Nu Alpha Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. Coming to Thompsons achievements, he is highly regarded because of his superb acting skills. I see it in the campaign, I see it in his leadership, she said. Copyright 2022 Mother Jones and the Foundation for National Progress. Hes a man of morals, and he has strong values, and I absolutely know that those values have been implemented in him from that experience [in Alpha Phi Alpha]and not only that experience, because its a continued experience, its a lifelong commitment., In fact, several brothers and sisters told me of how belonging to a Black Greek organization is a lifetime membership, which creates a deep and valuable well of intergenerational knowledge. [34], In 2014, SNL head writer Brian H. Tucker noted that simply putting "KENAN REACTS" would get a script more laughs, further elaborating, "Put him in your sketch somewhere, anywhere, and your sketch will get better.

This is no time to come up short. Thompson began his acting career in the early 1990s, and was an original cast member of Nickelodeon's sketch comedy series All That, where he often collaborated with co-star Kel Mitchell. But while the media narrative about their political activity was (understandably) frequently centered on Harris, the work has never been about just one personas proven by these men working to boost their brothers candidacy in a critical race that could determine the fate of President-elect Joe Bidens agenda. Comedian and actor Cedric The Entertainer was initiated into Kappa Alpha Psi through the fraternitys Mu Zeta Chapter. Movies", "For 25 years, group for young Atlanta performers has mixed art, issues", "An All That Reunion Is Coming to The SplatThis Is Vital Information for Your Everyday Life", "Fandango To Launch Brand Personality Series Starring Kenan Thompson", "Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell reuniting to compete on special episode of Double Dare", "NBC Orders Comedy Competition Series With Jeff Foxworthy Among Judges", "Kenan Thompson To Remain On 'SNL' As NBC Figures Out 'Scheduling Issues' For 'The Kenan Show', "Kenan Thompson Returns to All That Roots (and Universal Studios) for First Time in 20 Years: 'It Holds a Place In My Heart', "White House Correspondents Dinner Returns to Comedy With Kenan Thompson, Hasan Minhaj", "Kenan Thompson to Host 2021 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards", "Kenan Thompson To Host 2021 People's Choice Awards", "Kevin! Max Julien, the actor best known for his role as Goldie in the 1973blaxploitationfilm The Mack crossed through the Xi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. [43], On April 7, 2022, it was announced that the two had been separated for over a year, but they remain coparenting their two daughters. andWhats Happening Now!! I got the call Tracy Morgan had left the show and they needed someone to fill the blackness, Thompson said. So I guess Ill be doing a lot of that.. QUACK!!!!! "We kinda expect the F-word out of Sam Jackson, so no harm done. But more importantly, we agree with his policies, and we believe that his policies will be beneficial to the community that we advocate for., @ReverendWarnocks fraternity brothers are out at every event. Thompson, the longest-tenured cast member in Saturday Night Live history, portrays Harvey in hilarious Family Feud sketches on the weekly show. With two movies slated for release and another currently filming, Thompsons face is sure to see plenty of time on the big screen in the coming months. Your vote is everything, Land says. He has also worked in the comedy album Good Times. [19], 2021 would also see Thompson be named host of that year's Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards[20] and People's Choice Awards. [33] Vulture referred to him as the "heir apparent" to Phil Hartman, both being "the glue" of their respective casts. The couple announced their separation in April 2022.

Kenan was mean to me, said Thompson with an exaggerated frown on his face, receiving an audible awwww from the audience.

[16] He was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series after its first season.

(Were everywhere! she joked.) [9] While attending Tri-Cities High School, a Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School in East Point, Georgia, he began filming his first movie, D2: The Mighty Ducks. He studied at Tri-Cities High School and then attended Santa Monica College in California. But we cant do it without each otherbut dont diminish the fact that you have to climb on my shoulders., Percival Galloway, an Alpha Phi Alpha chapter president in Augusta, Georgia, echoed this generational commitment when we spoke recently. In 2009, Thompson appeared in an episode of Psych. In 1996, they began starring in their own sitcom Kenan & Kel (19962000). Offers may be subject to change without notice. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. No undergraduate students with household incomes of $75,000 or less would see a tuition increase this year, under the proposal. He has thrice been nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, in 2018, 2020 and 2021. One year later, he played a voice role in the show The Awesomes. Your comedy skills get better over time but you have to work at it.. By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from Mother Jones and our partners. His first role as Toto in a church production of The Wiz had no lines. He wouldnt talk to me.WHYYYYYYYY???!!!? Series", "Meet the 3 Chicago acts performing in new NBC competition 'Bring the Funny', "Fraggle Rock Cast Guide: Every Cameo & Guest Star In Back To The Rock", Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor, Comedy Series, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Male TV Star, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kenan_Thompson&oldid=1099131344, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Episodes: "Hoo, I'm Wild Wild West" (Parts 1 & 2), Voice; Episode: "Food for Thought/Friends Forever", Voice; Episode: "Stanley Saves The Day/Milo Goes For Gold", Contestant; episode: "Team Kel vs. With the success and popularity ofAll That, Thompson was able to co-star on a show with colleague and good friend Kel Mitchell.Kenan and Kelmade Thompson and Mitchell household names among younger viewers, many of which were seated inside Eisenhower Auditorium on Monday night to reminisce about their favorite childhood duo.