Kenan Thompson kicked off Monday night’s Emmy telecast with a dancing dose of nostalgia as the Saturday Night Live veteran busted a move through songs from shows like Friends, The Brady Bunch and Law & Order. The medley then paid tribute to Game of Thrones and current hit Stranger Things.
But Thompson, who referred to himself as “the mayor of television” during his monologue, wasn’t finished with the throwbacks. During a segment at the orchestra bar opposite “honorary bartender” Kumail Nanjiani, Thompson surprised viewers by approaching a man that was slumped over at the end.
“You know what…can I get a good burger,” said Kel Mitchell, a longtime collaborator of Thompson’s on everything from Kenan & Kel to the 1997 comedy film Good Burger. Thompson responded to the request by offering up, “Let’s make it two good burgers.”
After the telecast, The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Mitchell at the Governors Ball and he said Thompson and show producers hit him up while he was in New York promoting his new book, Prank Day. After being presented with the idea, he said he jumped at the chance to join the Emmys. He even agreed to skip the red carpet.
“They had to hide me the whole time while I was here,” explained Mitchell, while strolling the event deck next to the L.A. Convention Center. “I was ready to walk the carpet and everything but they were like, ‘No, let’s hide you.’ That way it could be a big moment. But, yeah, man, it was really fun. We knew the audience would like that.”
It wasn’t their first Good Burger-themed awards show stunt. The pair also reunited on stage when Thompson hosted the NHL Awards at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas in 2019. “He’s always awesome. We hang out all the time and call each other all the time, so it’s always a great moment for us that we can share with our fans, you know,” explained the performer.
As for his favorite moment of the night, Mitchell singled out Sheryl Lee Ralph’s win for best supporting actress in a comedy for her work on Quinta Brunson’s Abbott Elementary. “I mean, that speech was just so heartwarming. That was a beautiful moment and I love that show, too. Abbott Elementary is amazing.”
Source: Hollywood
