The Hollywood Walk of Fame officially welcomed Kenan Thompson with a star on Thursday.
The “Saturday Night Live” cast member and Emmy award winner was in town for his celebration at the iconic landmark.
During the ceremony, Thompson’s “Saturday Night Live” castmate Leslie Jones gave a speech in his honor. His former “Good Burger” and co-star, Josh Server, who appeared as an original cast member of the Nickelodeon comedy sketch series “All That” during the 90s, also honored him with a speech.
“Saturday Night Live” writer and performer J. B. Smoove joined them to offer some words and sing his friend’s praises.
“You know they say the purest form of laughter is from a child,” Smoove noted during his speech. “Well, if that’s true, what do you say about someone who’s been making us laugh since he was a child? Kenan might not remember this, but we worked together on SNL. I say he might not remember because he’s been on there so damn long… Kenan has been on our TVs for a good part of our lives, everybody. You have been making us laugh for decades.”
The star unveiling ceremony is the other bookend to an eventful week for the comic. On Tuesday, NBC and the Television Academy announced that he will host the 74th Emmy Awards. This year also marks Thompson’s 20th season on “Saturday Night Live.” He is the series’ longest-running cast member to date.
“You know, I never thought any of this would be possible. I just wanted to act and entertain and have a good time and put smiles on my family members’ faces, and that grew into the world now, apparently,” Thompson remarked during his speech at the unveiling ceremony. “So, I don’t know, man. It’s just an honor and a privilege going in next to the GOAT Lorne Michaels.”
According to The Walk of Fame website, Thompson’s star will be placed alongside “Saturday Night Live” producer Lorne Michaels. Thompsons’s plaque is the landmark’s 2,728th star.
“Kenan Thompson is the voice of a generation,” Ana Martinez, Producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, said of the occasion. “From ‘Kenan and Kel’ to ‘Saturday Night Live,’ Kenan has been making folks laugh for nearly 30 years. In celebration of his upcoming 20th anniversary on “SNL,” we thought it would be fitting to place Kenan’s star next to the star of the man who gave him his job, Lorne Michael.”
