As the longest-tenured cast member on “Saturday Night Live,” comedian Kenan Thompson has participated in many sketches and met countless celebrity hosts and musical guests.
However, there’s one moment in particular from his debut season that still sticks with him. In a new interview, Kenan Thompson describes how host Jack Black and the rest of the SNL bunch made him feel immediately included.
Kenan Thompson Made His ‘Saturday Night Live’ Debut in 2003
Throughout Kenan Thompson’s run on “Saturday Night Live,” he’s had many treasured memories. The former child star debuted on SNL on October 3, 2003. Comedian Jack Black was the host that evening.
The “School of Rock” star morphed into a braggart during his opening monologue and sang about his many accomplishments. He also purposefully avoided making eye contact with audience members and behaved rudely to cast members.
As Jack Black continued singing about his “Megastardom,” he strolled into a hallway where Kenan Thompson and Finesse Mitchell were conversing.
“Hey, you’re the new guys, right?” the host asked. Instead of waiting for an answer, he pushed through them and declared, “Like I care!”
In a new interview with PEOPLE, Kenan Thompson cited that moment as one of his favorites. He told the outlet that getting made fun of from the very start made him feel “initiated into the group.”
“That was a good one,” the 48-year-old fondly remembered.
Thompson Bravely Opens Up About His Health Issues
As an entertainer, Kenan Thompson heavily relies on his voice. But several years ago, he developed extremely painful heartburn that negatively impacted his performance.
“I noticed that I would get hoarse a lot easier when I’m doing the show. Losing my voice quicker, but also uncomfortable sleepless nights because I’m burping up acid, just kind of hiccuping all night,” the actor told PEOPLE in a previous interview. “And that can definitely add more stress to an already stressful kind of environment doing a live show like that. So all of those factors, I was like whatever, I’ll get over it. But it just started to pile up.”
Thompson admitted to “suffering in silence” for a long time before seeking a medical diagnosis. Ultimately, he received a gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) diagnosis.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition “happens when stomach acid flows back up into the esophagus and causes heartburn. … This backwash is known as acid reflux, and it can irritate the lining of the esophagus.”
With treatment, Kenan Thompson was able to perform again without pain.
The Former ‘Kenan & Kel’ Star Takes on Broadway
Though he’s long been known for his comedy career, Kenan Thompson decided to give Broadway a try. “Saturday Night Live” season 51 just ended, giving him ample opportunity.
Right now, Thompson stars in “Celebrity Autobiography.” The show opened on May 18 and features “a rotating cast of actors reading unedited excerpts from the unintentionally hilarious memoirs of other celebrities,” as reported by PEOPLE.
“It’s just one of those things that all of us thespians grew up aiming towards,” the 48-year-old explained to the outlet. “You never really know if you’re ever going to get there, but you want to get as close as possible. Sometimes you have to be fine swallowing that pill if that’s the way the dice rolls, but we actually are right here, right now. So that’s amazing.”
Tickets for “Celebrity Autobiography” can be purchased through the show’s official site. Fans hope to see Kenan Thompson return to “Saturday Night Live” this fall.
