Chris Redd Says There Was No Drama with Kenan Thompson After Dating His Ex, But the Timeline Tells Another Story
Chris Redd says he’s heard the whispers for years, and as 2026 begins, he’s choosing to speak — without quite spelling everything out.
The former “Saturday Night Live” cast member recently alluded to the more explosive rumors tied to his time working closely with co-star Kenan Thompson, hinting that the chatter centered on the idea that something personal was taken — not professionally, but close to home — a claim that pushed the conversation far beyond comedy and now has fans quietly wondering who really made the best move.
Kenan Thompson Not a Suspect in ‘SNL’ Alum Chris Redd’s NYC Attack Despite Online Commentary
In an emotional video released on Instagram to promote his upcoming New York City show, Redd explains why he stayed silent and why confronting the narrative has become necessary for his creative growth.
“I wanted to address something that’s been around for a long time — about four or five years now,” Redd says. “I’ve never addressed it, but I know a lot of people talk about me dating Kenan Thompson’s ex-wife and how that came to be.”
He immediately pushes back on the idea that the relationship was calculated.
“I’m gonna be straight, man — it wasn’t no plan,” he says. “I saw everything everybody said. Every single thing. And bottom line, I’m not the type of person to scheme on someone. I’m not the type of person to even date somebody that like, one of my homies has dated.”
Redd describes what happened as “a very unique, nuanced thing,” emphasizing that it didn’t begin with crossed lines or hidden intentions.
“We were all cool,” he insists. “There was nothing. I was never hitting on anybody. It was never anything crazy — until it got crazy.”
According to the comic, the relationship formed during a period when he was struggling privately while still maintaining a professional presence. During that time, he says, he was dealing with dependency issues that affected his mental health.
“I had some pill problems,” Redd admits, “I’d be around people talking about me, judging me, but nobody was concerned. This lady was the only one who called me on my shifts, helped me through my therapy journey.”
Adding, “She told me things about her life that made me look at a lot of people differently.”
Over time, that support deepened, and they “fell in love.”
The emotional weight of that relationship, Redd says, was amplified by his close friendship and working relationship with Thompson, of whom he credits as a mentor and creative partner who played a meaningful role in his rise.
“I felt bad from the start,” Reed admits, later adding, “I don’t feel proud of this at all… The only thing is—I chose love.”
He explains that hurting someone he valued went against his character, and the fallout troubled him long before it became public.
According to Redd, he and Thompson addressed the situation directly and continued working together “for a year after that conversation… I remember it specifically being said, ‘Let’s just keep this under wraps.’”
Months after going public with Thompson’s ex-wife in September 2022, Reed released his first hour-long comedy special, “Why Am I Like This?” However, once the story of his messy love life became public, everything changed because he had already left the show.
After the video was shared by Ice Cream Convos, reactions poured in.
“Why is the plot always ‘She saved me,’” one commenter wrote.
A second offered a more harsh take: “Huh?!? Is that why he was fired from SNL?! He let a white woman trick him out of his future success. Clearly she wanted to make Keenan jealous. This is crazy.”
Still fans of Thompson were not settled on accepting this new relationship.
Another added, “Kenan owes you a straight up fade. You was never his friend.”
“What in the world. Drugs were involved and a white woman. Double Trouble. A mess. Doesn’t Keenan have kids with her. Lordy,” one person quipped.
One person bluntly asked, “Why are you crying.. Out of guilt?”
Thompson and Evangeline share two daughters, Georgia Marie and Gianna Michelle, born in 2014 and 2018. Reports claimed that the two had been separated for over a year before officially splitting in April 2022 after 10 years of marriage and 15 years together, in total.
He first joined the show in 2017 for Season 43, when Thompson was already a 14-year veteran. He stayed on for five seasons. Yet after years working side by side, some fans say the bond didn’t just disappear for Reed, with one noting, “Seems like he’s missing the friendship as well.”
Redd also addressed the incident that followed shortly after the story became public, when he was sucker-punched in the face outside the Comedy Cellar in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village neighborhood, around 9:40 p.m., before a scheduled performance in October 2022, according to NBC New York.
He recalls being taken to the hospital that night, treated, and later released. Kenan was not named as a suspect. The experience forced Reed to slow down and reflect on how quickly his life had spun beyond his control. As he prepares to bring the story to the stage, Redd insists the upcoming show isn’t about spectacle.
“This wasn’t meant for laughs,” he says. “I just wanted to put some narrative on something people talk about but won’t bring to me.”
Meanwhile, Thompson has kept quiet about their split, vaguely mentioning it in his new memoir, “When I Was Your Age: Life Lessons, Funny Stories & Questionable Parenting Advice from a Professional Clown – A Hilarious Memoir on Fatherhood and Positivity from an SNL Icon.”
During an appearance on the “Today” show, former news anchor Hoda Kotb asked why he held back from discussing the divorce in his book. Thompson said, “I didn’t want to speak out of turn on people who aren’t there to tell their version of the story.”
