Kenan Thompson and Bowen Yang Confront Dave Chappelle’s ‘SNL’ Cameo, Shane Gillis Hosting and if You Can Really Separate Art From the Artist
variety.comKenan Thompson and Bowen Yang have had very different “Saturday Night Live” trajectories. And yet, they both have made history.
Thompson, who joined the show in 2003, is the longest-tenured cast member in the show’s history. When Yang joined, first as a writer in 2018 then moving to the cast the following year, he became the first Chinese American “SNL” player.
Despite joining the show 15 years apart, they adapted in a similar way: by listening. Thirty years ago, Thompson was on the premiere of “All That,” the kids’ version of “SNL” that aired on Nickelodeon in the 1990s. “To have Kenan be at the show now is only a sign that he has the foresight, fortitude and forbearance to just be a pure master at this,” says Yang.
He turned to his co-star: “I don’t take it for granted that I sit next to you at read-through. I absorb so much just being in proximity.” Thompson’s flattered, but he also understands. “That’s how I felt when I started.
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