Kenan Thompson has been a cast member on SNL since 2003, so he’s seen it all. The Ashlee Simpson hoedown dance, Donald Trump hosting twice, “musical guest Karmin.” But even with his sketch background, it took many years before the longest-tenured cast member in the show’s history stopped worrying about getting fired. In a Hollywood Reporter-hosted roundtable interview hosted with fellow comedians, including Ramy Youssef, Kumail Nanjiani, and Ricky Gervais, Thompson was asked how long it took him to feel comfortable on SNL. “After a couple of seasons, because you have to let that go and just do the job,” he responded. “If you’re so focused on getting fired every single show, you can’t focus on entertaining people. It just doesn’t work like that.”
Gervais had a different take than Thompson.
“No, you’ve got to try to get fired, that’s my advice,” the five-time Golden Globes host said. “Ricky, that’s terrible advice,” Nanjiani responded. “You can do that if you’re Ricky Gervais, but somebody else gets their first job, they take your advice and try to get fired and guess what?” Thompson answered for him: “They get fuckin’ fired.”
The interview is full of entertaining back-and-forths between Gervais and his fellow panelists, especially Youssef (you should really be watching Ramy). Here’s one:
Gervais: That’s the best time. When everyone’s on edge and sensitive, that’s the best time to be insensitive. My show was packed with jokes about AIDS, cancer, famine, the Holocaust. So, this is just going to top it off.
Youssef: I’m glad this helps Ricky’s brand.
And another:
Youssef: Ricky, what if God is real?
Get those two a The Trip-style movie ASAP.
(Via the Hollywood Reporter)