Curious to hear from fans online, Redditor Nickster1619 asked:
"Who is the best SNL cast member of all time?"
Repertory cast members from earlier seasons get a shout-out.
Known For Eugene–The Anal Retentive Chef
"Quite possible! It's Phil Hartman."
– Jaoxpax
The Larry King And Burt Reynolds Impersonator
"Idk about the best, but Norm McDonald was always my favorite."
– Burgerpocolypse
Memorable Sketch
"Norm did a skit where he played a police sketch artist who wasn't any good at eyes or hair so everybody had a giant hat and sunglasses. It was a rip on the Unabomber sketch with the hood, bandana and glasses. It was so dry and hilarious."
– tuenthe463
Best Weekend Update Host
"Norm was by far the best weekend update. No question. Seth Meyers and Tina Fey were second. I'm a big fan of Michael Che because I've been following him since he was doing stand-up. Who else? Dennis Miller, meh. Collin Quinn, I like the guy but he wasn't my favorite weekend update by a long shot. Norm was the perfect person for that gig."
– arcaneresistance
The "Beverly Hills Cop" Star
"Eddie Murphy. He carried the show when he was on it, and it probably would have been cancelled if he wasn’t there to do so."
– ovid10
Iconic Characters
"Seconding! Murphy was at a career peak during his time with the show, and his characters - Gumby, Mr. Robinson, Buckwheat - were iconic."
– Brilliant_Tourist400
The Church Lady
"Dana Carvey was incredible in his time."
– Iwannascream2
The 2000s boasted these greats.
Now Starring In "Barry"
"Bill Hader"
"I dont really watch a lot of SNL so my knowledge is limited. He just always appeared to be having a really good time on the show and he's one of the ones who could make me laugh sometimes."
– adios-b*tchachos
The Giggles
"I loved it when he’d get the giggles at something he was going to say and he couldn’t deliver it because of his laughter. That was as good as the joke."
– opossumonmyporch
Love To The Ladies
"Gotta send love to my ladies, it’s Tina Fey for me. Amy Poehler is also a goddess but I don’t remember her as much until Parks and Rec. Also Kenan Thompson? He had such a long run!"
– __nothankyou__
Kiss Me, Kate
"Kate McKinnon. She is the most versatile cast member of modern times."
– Guest8782
Longtime Cast Member
"Gotta give some love to Kenan. He is often the center and driver of the sketches. So consistent and has been there so long now."
– Naes422
No one made me crack up harder than the great comedy legend, Gilda Radner.
In 1975, the SNL alum was one of the original "Not Ready for Prime Time Players"–the freshman cast of the show's first season.
A character of hers I'll never forget was the know-it-all Weekend Update advice expert, Roseanne Roseannadanna. YouTube clips of her hilarious turn as the wacky consumer affairs reporter show her comedic timing and delivery brilliance.
Unfortunately, Radner left us too soon in 1989 having died from ovarian cancer. She was 42.
Actor and comedian Kenan Thompson is best known for his tenure at Saturday Night Live.
He has a number of solid characters and impressions under his belt, from Charles Barkley to David Ortiz.
One of his most popular, and perhaps most dead-on in his portrayal, is Steve Harvey.
Family Feud: Extended Family - SNL www.youtube.com
The SNL cast member was recently approached by Harvey himself, on the set of Thompson's new reality competition show Bring the Funny. Turns out, Harvey is very familiar with Thompson's impression of him, and issued him a joking threat.
Thompson spoke of this encounter to Fox News.
"I just saw [Steve Harvey] when we were shooting 'Bring The Funny' and he was on the next stage doing 'Family Feud,' so I sat down with him and he was like, 'You better watch yourself'. I love Steve. I've known him for a super long time."
Despite Fox, it was a pretty funny encounter.
Many SNL fans thought so too.
Steve Harvey telling Kenan Thompson to watch himself over his SNL impression is by far the funniest thing he has ever done— Dazzling, Deft & Devoid of Feeling (@Dazzling, Deft & Devoid of Feeling) 1558026290.0
#SteveHarvey #kenanthompson Celebrity boxing match is needed to settle this!! https://t.co/GDVbikjtgq— christian (@christian) 1558023586.0
While initially some fans took the threat a little seriously, it was obvious to Thompson that the comment was in jest.
After all, he is a comedian.
"Comedy is a craft. It's something that you sharpen over time so the more you educate yourself about topics and references the better [your comedy] will be and the more appealing it'll be to a wider audience. Your comedy skills get better over time but you have to work at it."
Thompson has gained a large following over the years, beginning with his involvement with Nickelodeon in the 90's. After starring in shows such as Kenan and Kel and All That!, he wound up scoring a spot on the biggest sketch comedy show of all time.
In fact, Thompson broke the record for the longest running SNL cast member.
He is now has sixteen seasons under his belt, and he won't be stopping anytime soon.
The year 2093. Earth is a barren hellscape. Humanity has been extinguished. Kenan Thompson celebrates his 100th sea… https://t.co/cFkI4g8e7D— JC (@JC) 1557536065.0
Thompson is now getting his own sitcom on NBC, titled The Kenan Show, along with a new unscripted reality game show called Bring the Funny.
He has no plans to leave SNL.
What a legend.
