Kenan Thompson opens up about doing “SNL” with Trump whereas hiding a damaged elbow: ‘Ache began setting in’

Kenan Thompson is opening up about his expertise breaking his elbow simply days earlier than then-presidential candidate Donald Trump hosted Saturday Night time Dwell in 2015.

The 47-year-old actor and comic, who has been a solid member on the sketch comedy present since 2003, defined that he sustained the damage after crashing into a person on the road whereas driving his bike again to work someday.

“I did [cycling] by way of the streets and I really hit any person and broke my arm years in the past,” Thompson mentioned on a latest episode of the IMO With Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson podcast. “I had a lunch that was a couple of blocks away from the studio… this was not too lengthy, this was when the Orange Man hosted final, I believe.”

The Orange Man, after all, being a nod to Donald Trump and his signature deep tan. The Republican politician has hosted SNL twice through the years, first in 2004 and once more in 2015 forward of the 2016 presidential election.

“The lunch was, like, 9 blocks, 4 or 5 avenues [away],” Thompson defined. “So I’m simply, like, driving down in between visitors and parked automobiles or no matter and, after all, this man simply got here flapping up out of nowhere after which I hit him with one of many handlebars.”

He continued, “I didn’t crash and flip over, essentially — however I hit him sufficient to make me fall down.”

Whereas Thompson’s arm actually harm after the collision, he famous that he may nonetheless transfer it round, so he brushed himself off and continued his journey again to the workplace.

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“It was slightly numb, however because the blood began [flowing], that ache began setting in, and, like, 15ish, 20 minutes later,” he mentioned. “I used to be at my desk. So I made it to work, however then I began not with the ability to transfer my arm.”

It was then that Thompson understood that he’d damaged his elbow — and that it might undoubtedly influence his efficiency on the present. “And we’ve acquired a present to do!” he famous. “It’s a Tuesday!”

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Not wanting his damaged elbow to have an effect on any of the present’s sketches, Thompson informed the Washington Post in 2019 that he went to an pressing care clinic, slept sitting up, and acquired his arm secured in a solid earlier than Wednesday’s desk learn.

“The writers, they work so arduous, they spend all night time, after which the one factor folks can be mentioning can be like, ‘Did you see Kenan’s damaged arm?’ That’s whack,” he informed the outlet on the time. “You by no means know the way lengthy they’ve been incubating an concept that they acquired on the present that week.”

And, when Trump hosted the present later that week, Thompson mentioned that he propped his arm on his waist in order to not draw any consideration to his damage.

“Even simply the smallest distraction throws off the potential of the expertise of the joke,” he mentioned. “You form of don’t have permission to not be excellent.”

Thompson was featured in three sketches that night and, regardless of his finest intentions, his giant solid was nonetheless seen beneath his long-sleeved shirts. He appeared in a "Dwell Tweets" sketch, which noticed Trump reacting to the sketch in actual time on social media, in addition to a "Rock Band" section that featured a laser-harp-playing Trump complaining about not getting an extended solo.

He additionally made an look as Frederick Nathaniel “Toots” Hibbert, who carried out when Trump first hosted the present in 2004, and chatted with Trump in between musical visitor Sia's performances.

Hearken to Thompson discuss his damage on the podcast above.

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