Kenan Thompson wants to get back to real television — no more short clips recirculated on TikTok and reading books, or any of the other meaningless ways of passing time. The Saturday Night Live alum kicked off his hosting gig at the 2022 Emmy Awards on Monday night with a hilarious opening skit that celebrated the media format – with a twist.
The comedian and actor led the charge on a history-spanning, high production medley of classic television theme songs updated for the era of 100 gecs and SoundCloud rappers. Leading a group of Black and Latinx performers, Thompson transitioned through themes for mainly all-white shows, from an electro-trap mix of the Brady Bunch opening song to an eerie Stranger Things callback and the Game of Thrones theme while donning a Party City Khaleesi wig.
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“We’re all here because we love TV,” he later explained. “It helps make life easier. We turn on the news and every story is about rich people being greedy and shady – so we use TV to escape from all of that which shows like Succession, Ozark, and Better Call Saul.“
Even Squid Game, as he notes, is rooted in debt and a desperation for money. Steering away from getting too topical, Thompson shouted out the Abbot Elementary cast, who donated their Emmys marketing budget to local schools, and decided he would participate in a charitable act of his own.
“That’s what it’s all about, it’s about helping those in need,” he said. “That’s why all my salary from tonight’s show is going straight to Netflix.”
The streaming service caught a couple of jabs from the host, but none more brutal than one aimed at Leonardo DiCaprio’s strange dating habits.
“26 is a weird age in Hollywood,” he mused after wishing Zendaya a happy belated birthday. “I mean, you’re young enough to play a high school student but you’re too old to date Leonardo DiCaprio.”
While this was Thompson’s first time emceeing the ceremony, he is no stranger to the Emmy Awards as a six-time nominee. Thompson most recently received two nominations in 2021 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his comedy series Kenan, as well as a nod for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for SNL. And he won an Emmy for outstanding original music and lyrics in 2018 for the SNL song “Come Back, Barack.”
Thompson joined Saturday Night Live in 2003 and holds the record for the longest-tenured cast member in the show’s history. He also has extensive hosting experience, emceeing the 2021 People’s Choice Awards and 2022 NHL Awards.
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