Honestly, if you grew up in the '90s, your Saturday nights weren't complete without a specific orange splat on the screen and a theme song by TLC that absolutely slapped. Before he was the longest-running cast member in the history of Saturday Night Live, Kenan Thompson was the undisputed king of Nickelodeon. He wasn't just another kid actor. He was the anchor.
Most people look at his 20-plus seasons on SNL and think he just appeared out of thin air as a fully formed comedic genius. But the DNA of every "What Up With That?" or "Black Jeopardy" sketch was forged in the chaos of Kenan Thompson All That years. It was a weird, messy, brilliant era of TV that shouldn't have worked, but it did because Kenan knew exactly how to make a bald cap and a French accent the funniest thing a ten-year-old had ever seen.
The Pierre Escargot Factor
The show was basically SNL for the playground set. While other kids were out playing tag, Kenan was sitting in a bathtub wearing a yellow raincoat, teaching us "French" phrases that were total gibberish.
Pierre Escargot was more than a sketch. It was a masterclass in physical comedy and facial expressions. You’ve probably seen the meme of him in the tub, but if you weren't there, it’s hard to explain how much that character dominated the hallways of middle schools in 1995. Kenan didn't need a complex script. He just needed a bathtub and a rubber duck.
Iconic Characters That Defined a Generation
Kenan’s range on All That was kind of ridiculous when you think about the fact that he was a literal teenager. He wasn't just playing "the kid." He was playing:
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- Principal Pimpell: The high-strung authority figure with the massive, throbbing vein in his forehead.
- Superdude: A lactose-intolerant superhero who was basically invincible until someone pulled out a carton of 2% milk.
- Miss Piddlin: The lunch lady with a terrifying obsession with peas. "GIVE PEAS A CHANCE!"
Kenan Thompson All That: The Kel Mitchell Connection
You can't talk about Kenan’s time on the show without mentioning Kel Mitchell. They were the Jordan and Pippen of kid comedy. Their chemistry was so instant that the producers basically had no choice but to give them their own spin-off, Kenan & Kel, and a feature film, Good Burger.
But here’s what most people get wrong: they weren't just "The Good Burger guys." Behind the scenes, they were actually writing. Kenan has talked about how they’d stay late, pitching ideas and trying to figure out the mechanics of a joke. They were 14-year-olds doing the work of seasoned writers.
The Estrangement and the Reunion
There was a long stretch where the two didn't speak. It’s a bit of a bummer to think about, but as Kenan detailed in his memoir When I Was Your Age, life just kind of happened. Different paths, different struggles. Kel went through some heavy personal stuff—mental health battles and a religious awakening—while Kenan was grinding his way through the SNL ranks.
Thankfully, that rift is gone. Seeing them reunite for the All That reboot in 2019 (where Kenan served as Executive Producer) and later for Good Burger 2 felt like a collective exhale for '90s kids everywhere. It wasn't just nostalgia; it was seeing two friends finally get back on the same page.
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The Secret Sauce of Nickelodeon's Golden Era
What made All That different from the overly polished Disney Channel shows of the time? It was the grit. It felt like kids were actually running the asylum.
The show refused to talk down to its audience. It leaned into the absurd. It was diverse without making a "very special episode" about it. It was just a group of funny kids from different backgrounds—Atlanta, New York, Chicago—making each other laugh. Kenan has often credited his manager, Michael Goldman, for teaching him the business early, but the raw talent was all him. He had this "fearless" quality. He’d try anything once just to hear the audience react.
Learning the SNL Ropes (Before He Was There)
If you watch old All That clips, you can see Kenan practicing the "reaction shot." It’s the move where he stares directly into the camera with a look of pure, bewildered judgment. That is the exact same look he uses today on SNL when a sketch is going off the rails.
He didn't just learn how to be funny; he learned how to be a professional. He learned how to hit a mark, how to work with a live audience, and how to stay "chill" even when a sketch is falling apart. That’s why he’s the "glue" of SNL now. He’s been doing it since he was in high school.
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Why We Still Care in 2026
Nostalgia is a hell of a drug, sure. But Kenan Thompson All That legacy is about more than just old memories. It’s about the fact that he survived the "child star" curse and came out the other side as a respected industry titan.
He lost a million dollars to a shady accountant in his 20s. He went through the bankruptcy ringer. He could have been another "where are they now" story. Instead, he used the work ethic he developed on the Nickelodeon stage to become an Emmy winner and an executive producer.
How to Reconnect with the Magic
If you're feeling that itch to revisit the '90s, don't just watch the clips. Look at the craftsmanship.
- Watch the Pilot: See the very first "Mavis and Clavis" sketch. The chemistry between Kenan and Kel is visible from the first ten seconds.
- Check out the 2019 Reboot: Kenan didn't just put his name on it. He helped mentor the new cast, passing down the "SNL for kids" torch.
- Read the Memoir: When I Was Your Age gives the real, unvarnished story of what it was like to be the biggest star on kid TV while your personal life was a bit of a mess.
Kenan Thompson didn't just survive Nickelodeon; he mastered it. He took the silliness of a yellow raincoat and a bathtub and turned it into a career that has outlasted almost everyone else from that era. That's not just luck. That's being "all that" and then some.
Next Steps for the Superfan:
To truly appreciate the evolution of Kenan's comedy, try a "Double Feature" night. Watch three classic All That sketches (start with Pierre Escargot, obviously) and then immediately jump to his most recent Saturday Night Live highlights. Pay attention to the eyes. The characters change, but that "there's a laugh coming" look is exactly the same.