Since Saturday Night Live is one of the most legendary shows in television history, there is always a lot of attention paid to how performers get cast on the show. Similarly, many SNL fans care just as much about how people wind up leaving the legendary sketch comedy show and what they do next. For example, many observers got excited when Ego Nwodim was tapped to host an awards show after she left the show behind.
While SNL stars joining and leaving the show almost always garners headlines, the fact that the series' stars often take on other roles during their tenures can sometimes fly under the radar. Now, one of the sketch comedy show's stars has shone a spotlight on the fact that they have had an underreported role on the show for many years. However, that revelation comes as the star in question is considering giving up that role.
Kenan Thompson reveals he may stop warming up Saturday Night Live's audience
After joining the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2003, Kenan Thompson has become the show's longest tenured cast member by far. From the outside looking in, starring in an incredibly competitive sketch comedy show for 22 seasons sounds like it would be an intense experience. However, Thompson has always seemed to take that in stride. As impressive as it is that Thompson has thrived on SNL for more than two decades, it turns out he has been doing more than that.
A January 2026 LateNighter article focused on Thompson discussing the fact that he has been warming up the show's studio audience before filling begins when he appeared on Today with Jenna & Friends. Thompson has held that role on the show behind the scenes for more than a decade. However, while talking to Bush Hager, Thompson stated that he felt it might be time to stop warming up the audience.
“I think it’s about time to move on. "
Since he has been an SNL stalwart for so many years, it shouldn't surprise anyone that Thompson is invested in the sketch comedy show thriving. As a result of how much he cares, Thompson made it clear during the interview that he couldn't just give up warming up SNL's audience and not worry about what comes next. Instead, Thompson remarked that figuring out who would take over warming up audiences next would affect his decision to stop.
"But it’s also, you know, [about] who’s comfortable enough to want to do it.”
In response to that remark from the longtime SNL star, Bush Hager suggested that she believed Marcello Hernández could be a "frontrunner" to take over for Thompson, who gave a noncommittal response.
“Oh yeah? That’s an interesting choice.”
If it gets confirmed that Thompson isn't warming up SNL's audience any longer, it will be interesting to learn who ultimately takes over for him.