This Actor Was ‘Shocked’ By ‘Keenan & Kel’ Reunion
Keke Palmer made her debut as host of Saturday Night Live on December 3rd, 2022, and wasted no time making it memorable. From the moment she stepped onto the stage, Palmer exuded confidence, charm, and contagious energy that had the audience and viewers alike hooked. For many fans, though, the highlight of the evening was when Palmer joined Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell to perform a surprise routine from their popular 1990s sitcom, Kenan & Kel.
Keke Palmer got Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell to revive ‘Kenan & Kel’ on ‘SNL’
One of the standout sketches of the night was Kenan & Kelly. The project saw Thompson reprise his childhood character, while Palmer played a female version of Kel — Kelly.
The sketch opens with Palmer (playing herself) informing Thompson on the SNL set that she wants to bring back Kenan & Kel because she was a huge fan as a kid. At first, Thompson is really enthused. But as snippets from the new sitcom Kenan & Kelly are presented, Thompson begins to concede that the show turned out to be “not good,” due to its poor execution, dramatic overtones, and clichéd plot.
At one point, Kelly tells Kenan that she’s pregnant with his baby right before saying her cheesy tagline, “Uh-oh, here comes the bus.” Later on, Mitchell shows up as Kel and is happy as he drinks his famous orange soda. In the end, a robber shoots Kel dead. And as he lay dying, Kelly turns to Kenan telling him Kel was the father of her child. “I slept with him to hurt you,” Kelly sobs.
At the end of the sketch, Thompson and Mitchell admit that Kenan & Kelly was a failure. However, they share the exciting news that Jordan Peele has contacted them about producing Yep, a sequel to Palmer’s 2022 film Nope.
Keke Palmer was shocked by ‘Kenan and Kel’ reunion
While appearing on Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show, Palmer revealed that she was shocked when Mitchell joined her for the SNL sketch. According to the Nope star, her original pitch did not include Mitchell, and his appearance was a surprise to her. She said, “I didn’t mention Kel. That was a surprise to me. When I actually read the sketch, I’m like, ‘You got Kel.'”
Palmer also expressed how excited she was to work with the Kenan & Kel alum, calling it a dream come true for her.
What is lined up next for Keke Palmer?
Palmer—who pulled off a stylish pregnancy reveal while hosting SNL—-may be on her way to becoming a media mogul. In October 2022, the actor-producer stated on her social media sites that she would be creating a digital network with the intention of helping others open the same doors she has.
Palmer released the first promotional video for KeyTV, a digital network that she said will be dedicated to giving exposure to a new generation of artists. The Instagram video was accompanied by the statement, “I’ve been doing this for 20 years, but this is what I’m most proud of.”
According to Palmer, launching KeyTV was her way of entering a field that is traditionally male-dominated and rarely occupied by young Black women. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the actor said that KeyTV’s debut slate includes nine projects: Heaux & Tell, The Walk of Shame: Heaux & Tell Aftershow, Make It Make Sense, The Edible Always Wins, Unlabeled, Big Girl Blues, Dear Keke, Sportsfan, and Keep Me in Mind.
Palmer has made a significant step forward in her quest to create a media empire and write her name into the annals of history with this new enterprise. And we can’t wait to see how her new adventure turns out!
