Kenan Thompson and Lorne Michaels are both planning to stick around SNL for the foreseeable future

Variety

Thompson, who joined Saturday Night Live in 1994 and is in his 17th season, would like to reach his 20th season. Michaels, who's helmed Saturday Night Live for 41 of its 46 seasons, would like to make it to the show's 50-year anniversary in the middle of this decade. “I have a certain number I would love to get to,” Thompson says of how many seasons he’s aiming for, in a Variety cover story on the NBC sitcom Kenan. “I think 20 is a good, round, even number that I’m close to. I feel like that is in reach, but also it would be respected if I don’t get there. Like, 18 is fine, 19 is fine. It doesn’t really matter. What matters is, will I have time for my family? There’s only 24 hours in a day.” Meanwhile, Michaels is glad that Thompson is able to star in his NBC sitcom while staying on SNL. “The industry finally came around to my way of thinking, which is, why does a series have to be 24 episodes, and why do you have to leave SNL for it?” Michaels says, adding that he welcomes Thompson’s goal to reach at least 20 years. “And I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to hit the 50-year mark soon, so it’s good.”