Kenan Thompson didn't own jeans until he did an Old Navy ad

Kenan Thompson has been telling jokes on TV for more than 20 years, so it’s safe to think of him as a comedy expert. But one area that Thompson isn’t an expert in, as he would be the first to tell you, is fashion. 

In his new memoir, When I Was Your Age: Life Lessons, Funny Stories & Questionable Parenting Advice From a Professional Clown, the All That alum reveals that once upon a time, he didn’t own any jeans.

“I did a thing with Old Navy recently and they hit me with a bunch of clothes, including actual pants and jeans,” Thompson writes. “By golly, I’m wearing them. I didn’t have any jeans before, but now I have five different shades of jeans — black, brown, gray, blue, white! So I’ve been showing up to work in pants instead of sweatpants, and I’m very proud of myself.”

Thompson’s collaboration with Old Navy was a mockumentary ad campaign called “Lil Interns,” in which the Saturday Night Live and Good Burger star signs up for an internship at the clothing company — only to discover his fellow interns are children. 

Further highlighting the difference between himself and his “Lil Interns” costars, Thompson writes that wearing jeans has helped him feel more like an adult at SNL. 

“It’s a little jarring to wear pants that don’t have elastic, and yet I feel like a more responsible adult,” Thompson writes. “I’ve been combining my new pants with some flannel shirts and moccasins or loafers, and I’ve been getting such a positive response from the cast and crew. It’s like, ‘Hey, man, you look like an adult!’ And I say back, ‘Thank you, other adult!’”

Thompson has been on SNL since 2003, which makes him the show's longest-tenured cast member of all time. It's nice to know that even after two decades, you can still keep growing and surprising your coworkers.

When I Was Your Age: Life Lessons, Funny Stories & Questionable Parenting Advice From a Professional Clown is out now.

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