Watch Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell Reunite in SNL Sketch With Keke Palmer

Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell had a Kenan & Kel reunion on Saturday Night Live, appearing together in a skit with guest host Keke Palmer.

By Corinne Heller Dec 04, 2022 7:36 PMTags
Watch: "Kenan & Kel" Theme Song: A Dramatic Reading by Kel Mitchell

Live from New York, it's another epic Kenan & Kel reunion!

Kel Mitchell made a cameo on Saturday Night Live Dec. 3, marking his first time on the NBC series. He appeared in a sketch with cast member Kenan Thompson, his former co-star on the hit Nickelodeon comedy, and guest host Keke Palmer.

In the skit, the three act in and offer a behind-the-scenes commentary about a mock Kenan & Kel reboot, a drama series titled Kenan & Kelly, which also incorporates the actress' pregnancy. Keke had confirmed rumors she is expecting her first child with a bare baby bump reveal during her SNL monologue.

In the Kenan & Kelly sketch, Kel makes a dramatic entrance and an equally dramatic exit. "The show is not good," Kenan deadpans in a confessional, before adding jokingly, "But Jordan Peele called us."

Kel adds, "He wants us to do a sequel to Nope."

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Kenan Thompson's Best Roles

Watch Kenan and Kel reunite on SNL below:

Kenan and Kel, both 44, starred together on Kenan & Kel for four years until the series ended in 2000. They last appeared onscreen together at the 2022 Emmy Awards just this past September. Kenan, who hosted the ceremony, performed in a short sketch in which Kel was revealed to be a guest at one of the event's bars, with Kumail Nanjiani as the bartender.

In 2015, Kenan and Kel reunited to co-star in a "Good Burger" sketch on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. In 2018, they competed against each other on a revival of the classic Nickelodeon game show Double Dare. The two later became co-executive producers of a 2019 reboot of All That, the '0s Nickelodeon sketch comedy series that made them famous.

While Kel has never appeared on SNL before his recent onscreen reunion with Kenan, the actor actually auditioned for the show in 2003, the same year his former co-star tried out for the series and was chosen to join the cast.

NBC

"I think it's hilarious now thinking about it, but now doing standup and being good at it now, i realize now what I did was not good," Kel said in a 2015 Reddit iAMA session about his SNL audition. "But basically I did this joke about DMX - if DMX was in TOY STORY. It was so bad, it was good, to me."

He continued, "And I remember Tina Fey was there, and I remember afterwards she was like 'Good job!' but I think it was a little too crazy for SNL."

NBC

Kel said he also performed a Michael Jackson parody during his audition. "I did a song about Michael Jackson if he was allergic to trees, hahahaha!" he wrote. "I starting dancing, I think my energy was so crazy, I did like a moonwalk move and actually stepped on one of the tables right in front of the stage, and flipped the table with someone's drink on it over, it was a MESS! It was SO funny."

Kel added, "But I wasn't upset about it. I was in a good class of guys who went for SNL and didn't get it." He also said, "So I'll be a guest on the show."

Nickelodeon

In an April 2022 interview with Yahoo! Entertainment, Kel recalled how Kenan got callbacks after he did not. "He went through, I wanna say, four or five more auditions before he actually got in," he said, adding, "And I love Kenan. I love watching him on there."

Kel continued, "We talk all the time. It's more about us being dads now and talking about the kids and things like that."

(E! and NBC are part of the NBCUniversal family.)

See photos of TV stars' reunions over the years:

Dawson's Creek

Katie Holmes and Michelle Williams reunited Feb. 7, 2024 at the opening of Chanel's first watches and fine jewelry flagship store, on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The event took place more than 20 years after Dawson's Creek ended its six-season run and more than five years since the last time the two actresses were photographed together (at Entertainment Weekly's 20th anniversary cast reunion cover shoot in 2018).

Game of Thrones

Ian Beattie, Daniel Portman, Natalia Tena and Ian McElhinney reunited on Feb. 2 ahead of the opening of Warner Bros' GOT Studio Tour, located at one of the HBO show's original shooting spots in Banbridge, Northern Ireland.

The Bachelorette

Mike Johnson and Rachel Lindsay catch up at a private Kendrick Lamar concert event hosted by Pair of Thieves in Los Angeles. 

Glee

In May 2021, Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz partied at her bachelorette party ahead of her wedding to boyfriend David Stanley.

Survivor

Survivors ready for this reunion?! Parvati Shallow, Rob Cesternino, Sandra Diaz-Twine and Ozzy Lusth attend the Rob Has a Podcast 10-year anniversary and viewing party for Survivor's new season.

The Office Ladies

The Office alums Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, and Kate Flannery pose for a photo at Thirst Project Gala benefit on September 28, 2019. 

Beverly Hills, 90210

Shannen DohertyJason PriestleyChristine Elise, Brian Austin GreenIan Ziering and Gabrielle Carteris hang out on the set of the 2019 reboot, BH90210.

Smallville

Tom WellingMichael Rosenbaum and Kristin Kreuk reunited at the Fan Expo Dallas 2019 event.

Boy Meets World

Rider StrongWill Friedle and Ben Savage were bumping along with pregnant former co-star Danielle Fishel at the Fan Expo Dallas 2019 event.

In Living Color

Tommy Davidson, Shawn Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Kim Wayans and David Alan Grier reunite at the show's 25th anniversary event during the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.

 

 
Saved by the Bell

Mark-Paul GosselaarMario LopezTiffani Thiessen and Elizabeth Berkley brought their spouses along for a quadruple dinner date in April 2019.

Alias

"A mini reunion in New York City—former castmates, favorite dinner dates, forever playmates. ♥️♥️♥️ Photographed by my favorite artist, @rainerarts," Jennifer Garner wrote on Instagram of this pic with Victor Garber and Ron Rifkin. 

Friends

"Saturday night with a friend," Courteney Cox captioned this pic of Monica and Phoebe back together, but Lisa Kudrow took a little issue. 

"I guess I would have looked at you if I could have OPENED MY EYES," she commented. She also posted her own selfie with the caption "My eyes! My eyes!"  

Cougar Town

Courteney Cox guested on Busy Tonight for a little Cougar Town reunion, and Philipps took it even farther by doing a bit with the show's biggest fan and costars Christa Miller, Josh Hopkins, and Ian Gomez

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

"Witches, demons, vampires, watchers, slayer, Gods, and Scoobies oh my!" Nicholas Brendon wrote on Instagram.

That's So Raven

"Happiness is spontaneously running into old pals from my That's So Raven days!!! @anneliesevanderpol & @rondellsheridanoffical," Rose Abdoo shared on Instagram after meeting with Anneliese van der Pol and Rondell Sheridan

Wonder Years

"I got to see these guys for lunch yesterday - it was so much fun to catch up and hear how their beautiful families are doing," Danica McKellar shared on Twitter. "And yes, @joshsaviano, I totally agree - *you guys* are like family... I mean, we DID grow up together, after all. #memories #TheWonderYears"

Scrubs

Reunited and it feels so good! Donald Faison, Judy Reyes, Neil Flynn, Sarah Chalke, Zach Braff and Ken Jenkins attend the Heineken Green Room during Vulture Festival presented by AT&T at Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. 

Game of Thrones

Hee's the story, of the Stark family...Game of Thrones stars Kit Harington and Richard Madden came out to support Maisie Williams and her new play.

Friends

Friends' Monica and Phoebe reunite at the the UCLA Semel Institute's 2018 Open Mind Gala. Cast members from the hit show have reunited several times over the years.

 

 
Flavor of Love

You know what time it is! Exes Flavor Flav and Tiffany "New York" Pollard found themselves together again while filming an episode of Braxton Family Values

Lost

In August 2018, Henry Ian Cusick and Sonya Walger, who played fan-favorite couple Desmond and Penny, reunited at the place where their characters first met. She posted on her Twitter page a photo of her and the actor standing together outside St. Andrew's Priory School in Honolulu, which was used to depict a monastery in Eddington, Scotland on the touching season four episode "The Constant."

The West Wing

Joshua Malina, who played Will Bailey on the NBC series, posted in July 2018 a photo on social media of him having dinner with friends, including fellow former co-stars Bradley Whitford (Josh Lyman) and Janel Moloney (Donna Moss) and show creator Aaron Sorkin.

Boy Meets World

Ben Savage attended former co-star Matthew Lawrence and Dancing With the Stars pro Cheryl Burke's engagement party in July 2018.

Murphy Brown

The FYI gang's getting back together! Murphy Brown is returning to CBS in the 2018-2019 TV season and Candice Bergen marked their reunion on Instagram. "MURPHY BROWN...together again. Coming to your neighborhood TV in the fall. Just in time...," she wrote.

Pretty Little Liars

Ezria lives on! Lucy Hale ran into Ian Harding in Chicago in March 2018.

Parks and Recreation

Natalie Morales (Lucy), Billy Eichner (Craig Middlebrooks), Adam Scott (Ben Wyatt), Aubrey Plaza and Paul Rudd (Bobby Newport) appear at the March for Our Lives rally in Washington D.C. in March 2018.

Pretty Little Liars

Sasha Pieterse, Brant Daugherty, Ian Harding and more familiar faces have a reunion thanks to Manchester United. 

ER

The cast of the later seasons of ER came together at John Stamos' house and took a picture with a piece of the show's set. "My #ER cast came to my house for a visit. We took a pic behind our old County General doors. (I keep everything) @goran_visnjic @lindacardellini @scottchristophergrimes #MauraTierney," he wrote on Instagram.

Saved by the Bell

The former A.C. Slater and Zack Morris caught up over some football on the sidelines of a Los Angeles Chargers game. 

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View More Photos From TV Cast Reunions That Made Our Nostalgia-Loving Hearts Swell

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