Hi everyone and thank you for tuning in to the two hundred twenty first episode of awards

check the Hollywood Reporters Awards Podcast. I'm the host Scott Feinberg and

this episode is presented by Bravo. Top Chef, Imposters, Watch what

happens live with Andy Cohen and Inside the Actor's Studio, for your Emmy consideration.

For more info, go to bravo TV.com slash Emmys.

My guest today is one of the most talented comedy performers in the business and someone who I and a whole lot of other people grew up with

Keenan Thompson

Thompson Thompson still has the same animated baby face that endeared him to a generation of us who watched

Nickelodeon in the 90s. But despite appearances a lot of time has passed since

all that and Keenan and Kel were on the air. Thompson is now married with a child, he just turned 40, and he is in his 15th

season as a member of the cast of Saturday Night Live, meaning he recently passed

Darryl Hammond to become the longest tenured performer in that shows illustrious history.

You don't last that long in Studio 8H without the admiration of your boss and your peers,

and Thompson certainly has both.

SNL Chief Lauren Michaels has said,

quote, if you were designing the perfect person for S&L,

most of the components would look like Keenan, close quote.

Adding, quote, he's a thing that almost doesn't exist anymore.

He's a variety performer.

He can sing, he can move, he can do comedy, and he knows who he is in front of an audience, close quote.

Former SNL performer and head writer Tina Faye

once told an SNL host, quote,

...