When the biggest stars gather to honor the best work done on television over the past year, they’ll be greeted by a veteran of the small screen and proven master of live TV. Kenan Thompson has garnered the honors of hosting the 2022 Emmy Awards, which is set to air on NBC and live-streaming to Peacock subscribers on Monday, September 12. Live TV may be a daunting task for some, but don’t expect any nerves from this year’s host, as Saturday Night Live’s longest-tenured cast member appeared excited about the opportunity when he shared his reaction on social media.
Kenan Thompson is no stranger to the Emmy Awards. The SNL comedian, who is set to begin his unprecedented 20th season with the famed sketch comedy show this fall, has been nominated three times (2018, 2020 and 2021) for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his work on the show, and in 2018 he was amongst the winners for the award of Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics. Given his Instagram post, it certainly looks like he’s ready to show what he brings as host. Check out his reaction:
The Kenan & Kel star sure does look pumped to celebrate the best of television with the rest of us! Kenan Thompson has been in the entertainment industry for decades, starting as a youngster, showing off his knuckle puck in The Mighty Ducks movies, and collaborating with his friend Kel Mitchell on Nickelodeon’s All That, Kenan & Kel, and the Good Burger movie (which we think is totally worth a rewatch), along with many other projects.
Especially in the past couple of years, though, Kenan Thompson has proven himself as a host. Last year he hosted both the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards and the People’s Choice Awards. In 2020, he was set to host the White House Correspondents’ Dinner before it was canceled due to the pandemic. On top of his social media celebration, Thompson released a statement about his upcoming gig, in which he said:
Being a part of this incredible evening where we honor the best of the television community is ridiculously exciting, and to do it on NBC — my longtime network family — makes it even more special. Like all TV fans, I can’t wait to see the stars from my favorite shows.
It looks like Kenan Thompson is just as excited as we are to see if Succession is going to clean house, as it leads the pack with 25 nominations, or if White Lotus or Ted Lasso will steal a few away for themselves, as they each garnered 20 nods of their own.
The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards are set to air at 8 p.m. ET Monday, September 12, on NBC. In the meantime, check out these movies and TV shows to watch if you like Kenan Thompson, and check out our full list of 2022 Emmy nominations. If you still need to catch up on any series ahead of the ceremony, here’s how to watch all of the Emmy-nominated series on streaming.
