‘SNL’: Kenan Thompson Reportedly Earning Six-Figures for His New Creative Endeavor

Kenan Thompson’s life story is reportedly worth a hefty penny. Page Six reports that the long-standing Saturday Night Live star has sold the rights to a comedy-filled memoir for a $1 million paycheck. Sources told the publication that the former Nickelodeon staple had two book concepts in the works. The humorous memoir option is what caught the publisher’s attention for a seven-figure payday. A rep for SNL refused to comment on the reported deal.

The memoir will be the first for Thompson, who has been in the industry since he was a pre-teen. Other SNL alums, including Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, David Spade, Colin Jost, Gilda Radner, Amy Poehler, Jay Mohr, and more, have released memoirs in recent years.

Thompson is the longest-serving cast member in the NBC sketch comedy show’s history. He’s been on the show since 2003 and apparently has no plans of slowing down. He also stars in an NBC sitcom, Kenan. 

It was widely speculated that Thompson would leave SNL this year. Questions about his exit began after he crossed his fingers while he said the cast would all be back at the show around Thanksgiving. A source also told Page Six that the cast had a “very emotional year.” Kenan returned for the big season. 

He’s had a major year, with his sitcom being renewed for a second season. He also revealed that longtime Jeopardy! host Alec Trebek loved his SNL parody, “Black Jeopardy!” “That was the first thing he mentioned,” Thompson said in an interview at the time. “He actually said, ‘God bless you for figuring out a way to do a ‘Jeopardy!’ behind the legendary Will Ferrell ‘Jeopardy!’ You know, seems like anything Will Ferrell’s kind of, like, holy grail-ish, off-limits-ish, you know?”

Thompson, now 46, got his start on CNN’s Real News for Kids. He then transitioned to Nickelodeon where his career took off with the teenage sketch-comedy series All That. Thompson landed his own show alongside his sketch partner Kel Mitchell on Kenan & Kel. from there, the two appeared in the cult-classic Good Burger. Mitchell told TMZ that Thompson preferred to branch off to do his own thing.

Mitchell even says Thompson has distanced himself from the brand they helped to build together completely. “The truth is Kenan does not want to be seen with me in any form of media, or even have my name mentioned around him,” he said in 2012. “I have not been upset about this. I respect his choice of wanting to make a name for himself solo.” Thompson however insists the split was mutual.