Comedy legend Kenan Thompson opens up about his personal health struggles with acid reflux and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). The SNL veteran, now in his 22nd season as the show’s longest-running cast member, candidly discussed his partnership with Phathom Pharmaceuticals after finding relief through their prescription medication Voquezna.
Thompson, whose career spans from Nickelodeon’s “All That” and “Kenan and Kel” to his Emmy-nominated work on SNL, shared important insights about breaking health stigmas in the Black community while reflecting on his remarkable journey in entertainment.
What led you to participate in this GERD awareness partnership?
I personally have dealt with acid reflux. This isn’t my first time openly talking about it because I ended up partnering with Phathom Pharmaceuticals because I was prescribed Voquezna, and it actually worked for me. So after years of suffering to myself, I finally talked to a doctor and was prescribed and took the medicine. And now I’m on the healed side of things, so that feels good. And I just want to share that story. Other people out there might be suffering without the information that they need to heal themselves.
What have you learned through this experience with GERD?
Well, number one, I learned what GERD is, the actual terminologies for it, gastroesophageal reflux disease, but also learning that you can overcome it is the best thing ever because I didn’t think that I was going to have such an ongoing issue, but once it turned into that, I was glad I was able to talk to somebody about it and get the medicine that I need. People should definitely, if they’re suffering, go talk to your doctor about it because you don’t have to suffer. There is good medicine out there, and there are cures. So thank God for that.
Should more Black men talk openly about their health issues?
I would love to share my story if it inspires anybody. I definitely think our culture has tendencies in the past to avoid traditional medicines or doctors or talking to your doctor about anything. I know my grandparents refused to go to the doctor, it was just like, “Oh, I’ll fix it with this home remedy or that home remedy,” and if that works for you, fine, but if it doesn’t work for you and you see that things are persistent or they’re ongoing, then you should try to break that stigma of any kind of shame or guilt for seeking help. We’re not concerned about that, we’re just concerned about living your best life going forward and trying to give you the tools you need to do so. In my case, the tool I needed was Voquezna, and now I’m out here on a much better journey.
What’s it like being part of SNL for 22 years?
It’s a journey that I don’t take lightly. I take it very seriously. I was a big fan of the show growing up, but I’m also a big fan of comedy, and I love being a positive representative of the culture. SNL is a gift, it is the biggest gift I’ve ever received. It changed my life in so many different ways, it’s so much fun. I can’t tell you where 22 years went, just because it’s constantly changing. It’s always changing, and it never changes at the same time, like it’s always in Studio 8H, it’s always in 30 Rock, it’s always in New York, Lorne is always there, those are the common denominators. So it’s just a whirlwind time-warp kind of situation.
What three pieces of advice would you give to young professionals about managing health and career?
I would say I was blessed enough to be able to lean on fam, I have a large family that is very loving, and that definitely molded the way I treat my family now. I’m just very protective, very loving, very giving, and I think that’s how it is. When someone can’t stand, it’s nice to have someone there to help you, hold you up. So I’ve always been group-minded like that, I love ensembles.
Number two is, you’ve got to do the work. You’ve got to show up on time, you’ve got to do your work, you’ve got to be prepared, and you have to have something to contribute. That’s just part of it, that’s part of being an adult, that’s part of having responsibilities. You’ve got to show up, show up for the world, show up for yourself.
And then the third thing I would say is, just try not to overstress about it. Try not to overthink it because a lot of things are out of your hands, and you’ve just got to roll with it, as opposed to trying to control every single outcome.
Where can people find more information about GERD?
I’m just spreading the word. The website is gerdisnojoke.com. It’s got a lot of information there if you’re dealing with those kinds of symptoms. And if you get the Voquezna, I hope it works for you like it did for me.
