Kenan Thompson and Heidi Gardner on SNL Auditions, Jack Black, and More | The Job Interview

Saturday Night Live’s Kenan Thompson and Heidi Gardner sit down for The Job Interview with WSJ. Magazine to interview each other about their early careers, comedy and favorite times on NBC’s SNL. Kenan discusses his early days on Nickelodeon with the sketch-comedy show ‘Kenan & Kel,’ getting cast in his first movie ‘D2: The Mighty Ducks’ and his longevity on SNL. Heidi talks about how her time as a hairstylist influenced her characters on SNL, her days at ‘The Groundlings’ and her love for Jack Black.

Chapters:
0:00 When did Kenan know he was funny?
0:49 Heidi’s jobs before comedy
1:48 When Kenan knew he made it
2:10 Heidi’s SNL audition
2:45 How Kenan spent his first paycheck
3:08 'All That' and ‘Kenan & Kel’
4:18 Hardest flops on stage
4:58 Biggest impact on Kenan’s career
5:45 Heidi’s time on ‘The Groundlings’
6:31 Kenan’s longevity at SNL
6:57 Heidi’s SNL characters
7:32 Kenan’s favorite SNL tradition
7:51 What Heidi does to recharge on Sunday
8:01 What genre Kenan wants to get into
8:40 Heidi’s first comedic inspiration

In The Job Interview, visionaries and innovators reflect on lessons learned that have helped them reach the heights of their careers.

#SNL #Comedy #WSJ

[robertbeger]

Kenan is rock solid and I can't imagine SNL without him. I'm kinda in love with Heidi. She doesn't have to do much to make me laugh.

[theoriginal]

Love that Kenan and Kel are still going strong!

[AndorranStairway]

I normally don’t get drawn into all the Variety actors on actors conversations because they’re strangers talking to one another and it feels too stiff, but Kenan and Heidi really vibe well with each another here and you can tell they’re having fun which feels like a breath of fresh air!

[kerch-e]

I will never be bored of either one of these people. You two stay as long as you like. You're ok by me.

[TardarSauce]

makes me so happy that kenan and kel are lifelong friends

[lorenzosegote]

One of the better celeb on celeb interviews. Two of my favorite cast members and they seem like kind soul in the realz world.

[macunsolicitied]

There is something casually very attractive about Heidi. I find her very funny, and she can do drama when she wants to. It helps that she is so normal and was once a hairdresser.

[EmceePinks]

Kenan and Heidi—a comedic pair,
Bringing laughter beyond compare.
Kenan’s heart sparked from the start,
Heidi’s style, a quirky art.

Kenan’s candy dreams, a paycheck denied,
Had “All That” fame and pride.
Heidi’s characters, bold and bright,
Her mother’s quirks, her comic light.

From SNL laughs to Sunday cheer,
Football dreams and barbecue near.
Kenan’s drama waits in the wings,
While Heidi’s wild humor sings.

Together they end with laughter’s sway—
Guiding us forward, come what may.

[ripvanstinkle]

Your Busy Coworker is one of the best Update Characters...it's soooo perfect.

[sparkythancztwise]

Kenan, I'm ready to see you killin' it in a dramatic role. I'm not a big fan of straight up pure drama genre, but some of the drama productions that straddle genres are some of my favorites.

[DredgenX]

Cant believe I used to be a kid growing up watching young Kenan on Nickelodeon! It sure has been a long time! I technically didnt know he was in Mighty Ducks and I mustve seen that when I was just a few years old, I had a Mighty Ducks birthday cake one year also.

[ndrdst]

Wow, these questions they wrote for each other are really thoughtful and interesting...

[stellarpercent]

Gotta love those two gems, been watching SNL for so long, and I am from Norway! The energy and good vibe they both individually seems to have, and maybe also still express to us all even on days that are not. I listen when Keenan says he want to try other sides of drama, however making people laugh is a gift of so many levels imho, but of course understandable professionally as well as after 20+ years on the cast of SNL. Thx for just being a positive side of my small nordic life!

[michaelthomas]

80’s cocaine lady was great I think the acting was superb, it was just more dramatic than comedic

[spustatu]

This was very sweet. I do a tiny bit of stage acting and boy is it hard when you kind of expect a beat in your scene to elicit a certain response from the audience and you only hear crickets. Apparently, I never actually hear the audience ever because castmates will tell me after that there was a big response when all I heard was the sound of silence.

[clurkroberts]

This was such a honest and fun interview. Love them both.

[sheikfreek]

As if I couldn’t love Heidi enough, her first thought seeing Jables on SNL is “Airborne.” She’s the best

[waleskagracia]

The moments that Keenan played the Mobster in The Game sketch let me see he could be very good at drama. Couple of moments there made me stand up and take notice. Give it a watch.

[spustatu]

Not really expecting Kenan to see this, but man, you were my favorite character in D2. I loved you, man.

[tnp]

'Young lady.' That was so adorable.