>> Tati: YOU KNOW HIM FROM
"SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" AND NOW
KENAN THOMPSON IS THE STAR OF
THE SHOW "KENAN" TRYING TO RAISE
TWO CHILDREN WITH THE HELP OF
HIS FATHER-IN-LAW AND HIS
BROTHER. >> I’M ALL ABOUT THE HUG.
>> I’M ALL ABOUT THE HUG.
>> JUST IN TIME FOR A HUG!
[SCREAMING]
>> DID YOU JUST GET HOME?
>> BOY, THE CLUB WAS THICK.
>> I GOT 9 NUMBERS, SHE MUST
HAVE LEFT THE LAST ONE OFF BY
ACCIDENT.
BUT I’LL FIND HER.
>> I WAS IN THERE SLEEPING, AND
I HEARD --
>> MAN, I’M LATE FOR WORK, WOE
DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THAT.
>> I’M UP FOR THE CHALLENGE.
>> BYE!
>> Tati: JOINING US TO TALK
ABOUT THE NEW SHOW IS KENAN
THOMPSON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH
US!
>> THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR
PLAYING THAT WONDERFUL CLIP.
IT WAS COOL TO HEAR IT.
IT SOUNDED LIKE TV ON THE RADIO,
THAT WAS AWESOME.
>> Tati: COOL.
PEOPLE KNOW YOU FROM "SATURDAY
NIGHT LIVE."
HOW DO YOU TAKE THAT EXPERIENCE
AND PUT IT INTO YOUR NEW SHOW?
>> I MEAN.
THEY’RE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
IT’S TWO DIFFERENT APPROACHES,
BUT TAKING WHAT I’VE LEARNED TO
TRY TO FIND JOKES, DEFINITELY
I’VE LEARNED A LOT OF THAT ON
THE FLY ON "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE"
BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO LIKE
HOPEFULLY LIKE MAYBE COME ONE A
NEW JOKE IN BETWEEN THE DRESS
REHEARSAL AND THE LIVE SHOW AND
ONLY 20/20 -- ONLY 20 MINUTES TO
GET IT IN BEFORE THE DEADLINE.
SO TRYING TO COMING UP WITH
JOKES QUICKLY IF I’M NOT FEELING
A JOKE AT THE MOMENT IS
DEFINITELY BEEN GOOD TRAINING
FROM SNL, FOR SURE.
>> Tati: THE SHOW IS A COMEDY.
BUT THE PREMISE ALONE MAKES IT
FEEL LIKE IT DEALS WITH SERIOUS
ISSUES AS WELL.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO TACKLE THOSE?
>> I MEAN, JUST TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE,
YOU KNOW, AS A PERSON IS TRYING
TO GET ON WITH THEIR LIFE.
WE DID THE PILOT A FEW YEARS AGO
AND IT WAS MUCH MORE CLOSER TO
THE EVENT AND THE TRAGEDY, AND
IT FELT TOO HEAVY, SO WE MOVED
THE TIME LINE IN THE SHOW AWAY
FROM IT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT
LIKE YOU KNOW A YEAR OR SO OUT,
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, TO WHERE
THE PAIN ISN’T SO RAW, SO YOU
COULD KEEP THE HOPEFUL YOU KNOW
LIGHT OF GETTING THROUGH THE
SHOW AND NOT LETTING IT GET TOO
HEAVY.
IT IS A SITCOM, BUT WE’LL HAVE
THE BALANCE OF EXPLORING REAL
EMOTION, TOO.
>> Tati: DEALING WITH REAL LIFE.
BUT NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT DON
JOHNSON.
HE IS NOT SOMEONE THEY TAG FOR A
SITCOM.
WHAT’S IT LIKE WORKING WITH HIM?
>> IT’S INCREDIBLE!
DON IS SO COOL.
AND HE IS ONE OF THE FUNNIEST
PEOPLE YOU’VE EVER SEEN IN YOUR
LIFE.
I DON’T KNOW IF PEOPLE KNOW THAT
ABOUT HIM.
I DO.
AND WE LAUGH ALL DAY.
HE HAS A SIMILAR SENSE OF HUMOR
TO MINE AND CHRIS’S AND
EVERYBODY ELSE’S.
SO HE FITS RIGHT IN LIKE A
SMOOTH LOTIONED GLOVE.
[LAUGHTER]
>> Tati: LET’S TALK ABOUT SNL.
IS THERE A PERSON WOULD YOU
STILL LOVE TO HAVE HOST BUT
HASN’T?
OR IS THERE A FAVORITE YOU
WORKED WITH THAT YOU’D LOVE TO
HAVE BACK?
>> I CAN’T BELIEVE WILL SMITH
HASN’T DONE IT YET.
I DON’T THINK HE HAS.
I REALLY DON’T THINK HE HAS,
BECAUSE I’VE BEEN THERE A LONG
TIME AND I HAVEN’T SEEN HIM DO
IT.
AND BEFORE THAT, HAFS GINORMOUS
MOVIE STORE.
I THINK WILL SHOULD DO IT.
>> Tati: I HAVE A QUESTION FOR
YOU FROM MY COHOST JASON.
AND HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT YOU
ATTRIBUTE YOUR LONGEVITY WITH
SNL TO?
YOU’VE BEEN THERE 17 YEARS, AND
THAT’S AMAZING.
>> YEAH, I MEAN, I ATTRIBUTE IT
TO PROFESSIONALISM AND
FRIENDLINESS.
I’M A HAPPY-GO-LUCKY KIND OF
GUY.
I TRY TO KEEP THINGS POSITIVE,
BUT THAT’S INFECTIOUS.
BUT MY FOCUS IS GETTING THE JOB
DONE THE RIGHT WAY, BY GETTING
LAUGHS.
MY MAIN FOCUS AND I THINK PEOPLE
CAN KIND OF FEEL THAT WHEN I
COME ONSCREEN, THEY FEEL LIKE
WE’VE GOT GOOD LAUGHS COMING.
>> Tati: I’VE BEEN A FAN SINCE
THE GOOD BURGER DAYS, SO I
APPRECIATE YOU BEING ON THE