Kenan Thompson gets personal during his stand-up at Syracuse University
Comedian and actor Kenan Thompson’s performance relied on storytelling more than punchlines.
When Thompson walked on the stage in Goldstein Auditorium in the Schine Student Center, the crowd went wild. The performance was presented by University Union and lasted for roughly an hour after it started at 8:00 p.m. Friday night.
Throughout the show, Thompson shared intimate memories of his childhood days watching television at his grandmother’s house, his life motivations and his favorite sketches to perform.
Thompson made sure to interact with his audience throughout his performance, as well. He poked fun at two girls who left to go to the bathroom, and pointed out one father in the front who had his arms crossed when he was talking about the shenanigans that today’s college students participate in.
Thompson answered questions submitted via social media with honesty and humor. When asked if he had any advice for undergraduates/recent graduates pursuing a career in the entertainment industry, he said, “Don’t do it,” with a laugh.
He continued, on a more serious note, “Follow your dreams. Don’t listen to the word ‘no,’ but pursue what makes you happy and be smart.”
Before the performance in an interview with The Daily Orange, Thompson shared the inspirations behind his work. He listed comedic icons such as Eddie Murphy, Bill Cosby (“he took a downturn eventually,” he said) Kevin Hart and Dave Chappelle as driving forces behind his work. He said he is inspired by his extended and immediate family, including his wife and 15-month-old daughter.
As both a Disney and Nickelodeon actor, Thompson said he had good experiences as an adolescent acting in those shows. He poked fun at former child stars that are in trouble now, including former Disney star Miley Cyrus and his former “All That” co-star Amanda Bynes.
He told stories about what happened behind the scenes on the sets of “Saturday Night Live,” “Kenan and Kel,” and “Fat Albert.”
Thompson talked about the success of the smash-hit film, “Good Burger” which he co-starred in with Kel Mitchell in 1997.
This past week, the two reunited for a “Good Burger” sketch on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.”
“It was awesome. It’s been a super long time since we worked together,” Thompson said. “It was great to see him. He’s a good dude,”
Thompson switched gears and spilled some behind the scenes gossip from “Saturday Night Live;” where he has performed for 13 seasons.
“It’s hard to pick one, but I remember Liam Neeson being cool as hell,” Thompson said, when asked who his favorite host was.
He recalled being star struck by “one of the Beatles” and Mick Jagger when the both artists hosted their episodes of the show. He even said he “got to smoke weed with Mike Tyson.”
“I’ve been very blessed,” Thompson said with a smile. “Life is good right now.”