Kenan Thompson, the longest-standing cast member of “Saturday Night Live,” is encouraging people to notice the symptoms that finally led to his chronic health diagnosis.
Thompson, 46, told Entertainment Weekly in an interview published April 4 that he was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) after about a decade of experiencing acid reflux.
GERD is a condition where stomach acid flows backward from the stomach through the esophagus, irritating the lining, according to the Mayo Clinic. Though acid reflux is fairly common, the Mayo Clinic notes that GERD is a result of untreated acid reflux continuing over time.
“It was highly uncomfortable and it definitely started to affect my work in certain ways,” Thompson told the outlet.
He continued, “If you’re not sleeping well or not able to do your job, that can bring on sadnesses. I’m not necessarily prone to depression, but I can see how those things can be triggers."
Thompson noted his symptoms began to impede his ability to use his voice while performing on “SNL.”
“All of a sudden I was hoarse or I was raspy. That’s not good when you’re supposed to be speaking to the back of the house,” he said.
“I sing the warm-up before the show actually comes on, and that’s kind of my major gauge, whether or not I can talk normally afterwards. And that’s when I know if I’m in my better health zone or not,” he continued. “There were some cold opens where I was very raspy and hoarse and voice crackly because I had just finished singing and my throat hadn’t had a chance to calm down yet, but we had to go right into the show.”
Thompson said he wanted to find a “serious kind of solution” for his issue and was eventually prescribed medication by his doctor to address it.
Thompson is now a spokesperson for Phathom Pharmaceuticals and appeared on TODAY to talk about finding a medication that's finally given him relief. "I was suffering from, you know, pretty intense like acid reflux and heartburn and stuff like that. I ended up being diagnosed with GERD," Thompson said on April 7.
"I was given a prescription that worked for me, and, you know, (I'm) trying to spread the message, basically, because it is a very uncomfortable situation. I just want people to get the help that they need if they need it."
The Mayo Clinic reports that most people can manage GERD symptoms with lifestyle adjustments and medication. In some rare cases, however, surgery is required.
During his interview with Entertainment Weekly, Thompson, who has been on “SNL” for 22 seasons, answered the question that's been on fans' minds since he broke the record for the longest-tenured cast member: Has he considered leaving the show?
“It would be cool if I never left the show," Thompson said. "That’d be crazy.”
The comedian joined “SNL” in 2003 at 25 and currently holds the record for longest-standing cast member, surpassing Darrell Hammond’s previously held record of 14 seasons.
Along with performing as part of the “SNL” 50th anniversary special this year, the show has catapulted Thompson into stardom. He’s been nominated six times for Emmy Awards for his work on the show. Thompson has appeared in several films and television shows, including starring in “Kenan,” his own sitcom on NBC.
“I guess the only other milestone would be just to be the forever cast member. Just never leave the show,” he said. “Thirty (seasons) is like, okay, that’s just another number kind of thing. Twenty was just such a thing that nobody had ever done. People had gotten into their teens before, but nobody had gotten all the way up to 20. And then I was close to doing it."
He continued, “Once I started getting into 17, I was like, ‘Well, if I can, I would love to stick around till 20.’ And now here we are at 22, so I don’t know.”
“SNL” fans have long speculated on whether the show’s creator, Lorne Michaels, has plans to soon retire. When asked, Thompson provided his own intel — or lack thereof.
“I have no idea,” Thompson said of Michael’s potential retirement. “I feel like we’ll both just ride until the wheels fall off.”
