LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 12: Host Kenan Thompson speaks onstage during the 74th Primetime Emmys at Microsoft Theater on September 12, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Kenan Thompson has some very fond memories of his time at Nickelodeon. However, one experience following that period continues to leave a bitter taste in his mouth.
In a recent interview on ‘The Breakfast Club,’ Thompson called out the shady business his former accountant was allegedly doing behind his back.
Thompson consequently lost a whopping $1.5 million of his own money.
While making millions of children laugh on his show, ‘Kenan and Kel,’ fans had no idea the actor was dealing with severe financial issues in his personal life.
“I’ve been blessed to continue working, but I had a bad accountant, and it came to light around ’99, around 2000, which was really bad timing ’cause that’s right when I left my consistent gig,” he told Charlamagne and DJ Envy.
He described how he had entrusted his finances to an accountant who turned out to be corrupt. The Ohio native’s mother introduced him to the accountant, who had previously assisted with her taxes.
“We gave that dude power of attorney when we shouldn’t. I was a kid and my mom was trying to protect me,” Thompson explained. “He had helped her out of her and my dad’s tax situations. So, she thought she could trust him, but she could trust him with $30,0 “0 to $50,000 issues. When it’s a million dollars on the table, you never know what “people gonna turn into. And apparently, he turned into a demon.”
However, despite the drastic setback, the 45-year-old didn’t allow his spirit to be broken. Thompson decided he would continue working in the industry on a project-by-project basis.
“So, then I went into being an adult actor for hire, and that is very hit and miss.”
Thompson says he contemplated settling down in Atlanta, GA. But his hunger to correct the mistakes he previously made prompted his move to Los Angeles.
But things weren’t panning out as well as he’d hoped, the ‘Good Burger’ star revealed. He recounted how he could barely make ends meet despite his resume.
“I was still broke, like just money enough for the rent kind of thing. The accountant was dirty, and I ended up not letting that be the end all of what my life is gonna be,” he continued.
He’d spend years fighting his ex-accountant in court after the IRS came after Thompson, accusing him of failing to pay his taxes.
And while he went on to win the case, Thompson never saw a penny from the $1.5 million that disappeared from his account. But he viewed the loss as a stepping stone toward success.
He eventually landed on his feet, and his resiliency got him into ‘Saturday Night Live’s doors in 2003. He is reportedly the longest-tenured member in ‘SNL’ history as of 2022.
In 2018, he also scooped up an Emmy award for Outstanding Original Music for his ‘SNL’ song, ‘Come Back, Barack.’
