The Players:
Bobby Moynihan:
Bobby has been a part of the SNL cast for 9 seasons since 2009. During that time up to last Saturday(Dec. 3rd), Bobby has been in 625 sketches. His first sketch was the Jar Glove in season 34.
Rolling Stone rates Bobby #98 out of the 141 members of all time, which is the lowest ranking among all four of these members.
Versatility: Bobby is best known for his Snooki, Governor Chris Christie and Guy Fieri impressions. His best character is the recurring weekend update speaker Drunk Uncle which is basically a representation of your older, conservative relatives who try to make sense of new fads by complaining about how the old days were so much better while saying offensive things that may or may not be racist and or sexist. This character bit is pretty funny and one of my favorites, but like Rolling Stone, I agree that not really much else can push him further up the all-time list.
Originality: Bobby is very good at comedic timing with weird noises, and his facial expressions are somewhat diverse. When he plays any character you can see him look off to the side like he is making sure no one is laughing at him, it is most likely a habit but it does not go unnoticed.
Impact: Bobby is there to be a goofy guy and get laughs. Most audience members would be fine with this, but for me, when you have the oppurtunity to spread awareness and speak to your viewers you need to act on it.
Awards: Bobby has received no awards or nominations for his role on Saturday Night Live.
Bobby Moynihan:
Bobby has been a part of the SNL cast for 9 seasons since 2009. During that time up to last Saturday(Dec. 3rd), Bobby has been in 625 sketches. His first sketch was the Jar Glove in season 34.
Rolling Stone rates Bobby #98 out of the 141 members of all time, which is the lowest ranking among all four of these members.
Versatility: Bobby is best known for his Snooki, Governor Chris Christie and Guy Fieri impressions. His best character is the recurring weekend update speaker Drunk Uncle which is basically a representation of your older, conservative relatives who try to make sense of new fads by complaining about how the old days were so much better while saying offensive things that may or may not be racist and or sexist. This character bit is pretty funny and one of my favorites, but like Rolling Stone, I agree that not really much else can push him further up the all-time list.
Originality: Bobby is very good at comedic timing with weird noises, and his facial expressions are somewhat diverse. When he plays any character you can see him look off to the side like he is making sure no one is laughing at him, it is most likely a habit but it does not go unnoticed.
Impact: Bobby is there to be a goofy guy and get laughs. Most audience members would be fine with this, but for me, when you have the oppurtunity to spread awareness and speak to your viewers you need to act on it.
Awards: Bobby has received no awards or nominations for his role on Saturday Night Live.
Vanessa Bayer:
Vanessa has been a part of the SNL cast for 7 seasons since 2010. During that time up to last Saturday(Dec. 3rd), Vanessa has done 444 sketches. Her first sketch was The new mosque at ground zero in season 36. Rolling Stone rates her #43 out of 141, the closest to Kate. Her most famous recurring character is Miley Cyrus. Her other memorable characters include Jacob the Barmitzvah boy and her impression of Rachel from friends who both speak on the Weekend Update segment.
Versatility: While Vanessa does not have many accents to contribute to SNL sketches, she has the ability to play many different characters. From Jewish boys with a speech impediment to a southern teen drama queen from Disney Channel, Vanessa can play fun and believable characters. However, she is too often found in sketches playing a wife or a mother and her performances are not as memorable as others.
Originality: In the gallery below you can see that all of her characters are quite physically different, a great deal of it due to the amazing SNL makeup and hair team, but Vanessa must also transform her own facial expressions and voice to create her own original character or impression of a real person. For Rachel, she closes off her words and makes her mouth much smaller but for Miley she keeps it in wide smile and speaks in a long drawn out drawl.
Impact: Vanessa was diagnosed with lukemia as a teen and received her own wish from the make-a-wish foundation. Now that she has been cancer free for a good time, she helps other children get their wishes. She hosted the "Evening of Wishes Dinner" in 2015.
Awards: Vanessa's IMDB page reports that she has never won any awards but has been nominated three times from 2014-2015 all for her role on Saturday Night Live. Maybe she can win one next year?
Vanessa has been a part of the SNL cast for 7 seasons since 2010. During that time up to last Saturday(Dec. 3rd), Vanessa has done 444 sketches. Her first sketch was The new mosque at ground zero in season 36. Rolling Stone rates her #43 out of 141, the closest to Kate. Her most famous recurring character is Miley Cyrus. Her other memorable characters include Jacob the Barmitzvah boy and her impression of Rachel from friends who both speak on the Weekend Update segment.
Versatility: While Vanessa does not have many accents to contribute to SNL sketches, she has the ability to play many different characters. From Jewish boys with a speech impediment to a southern teen drama queen from Disney Channel, Vanessa can play fun and believable characters. However, she is too often found in sketches playing a wife or a mother and her performances are not as memorable as others.
Originality: In the gallery below you can see that all of her characters are quite physically different, a great deal of it due to the amazing SNL makeup and hair team, but Vanessa must also transform her own facial expressions and voice to create her own original character or impression of a real person. For Rachel, she closes off her words and makes her mouth much smaller but for Miley she keeps it in wide smile and speaks in a long drawn out drawl.
Impact: Vanessa was diagnosed with lukemia as a teen and received her own wish from the make-a-wish foundation. Now that she has been cancer free for a good time, she helps other children get their wishes. She hosted the "Evening of Wishes Dinner" in 2015.
Awards: Vanessa's IMDB page reports that she has never won any awards but has been nominated three times from 2014-2015 all for her role on Saturday Night Live. Maybe she can win one next year?
Kenan Thompson:
Kenan has been a part of the SNL cast for 14 seasons, the most of all four members. Even though he has been a part of the show much longer, he only beats Bobby by a mere 100 sketches. I feel this is too close for the 5 season lead he should have on Bobby. Rolling Stone names him #46 out 0f 141 cast members. Kenan's first sketch was Jack Black's Monologue in 2003 in season 29. Kenan Thompson might have won a Kids Choice Award Blimp in 2000, but the rest of his career has been "All that."
Versatility: One of Kenan's most famous recurring characters is Steve Harvey. In fact, Kenan plays the host in quite a few different skits such as "Black Jeopardy," "Who wants to be a Millionaire?" and "What's up with that?" His other impressions include Bill Cosby, Whoopi Goldberg and beyond scared straight convicts. Because of the lack of african american female cast members, Kenan had to cross dress for lots of sketches prior to 2013, which he executed convincingly. I also applaud Kenan's accent in the "20 years a slave sketch." It was quite a change to hear Kenan speaking in a proper uppity voice.
Originality: While I think Kenan is a very funny and talented individual, he seems to be playing the same characters in his sketches. You can especially see this repetition when listening to his regular voice. He makes the same facial expressions (duck face) and has the same tone (like he is always on the verge of laughing) for a lot of his characters. His characters won't go to the next level if he does not separate himself from the role.
Impact: Outside of SNL Kenan went to Autism Speaks Charity Event to raise money for autisic children. Other than that day, Kenan hardly does anything outside of SNL.
Awards: Like Vanessa, Kenan has not won any awards for his role on Saturday Night Live but was nominated once for an image award "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series" in 2006. 10 years later, Kenan has seen no more nominations or wins.
Kenan has been a part of the SNL cast for 14 seasons, the most of all four members. Even though he has been a part of the show much longer, he only beats Bobby by a mere 100 sketches. I feel this is too close for the 5 season lead he should have on Bobby. Rolling Stone names him #46 out 0f 141 cast members. Kenan's first sketch was Jack Black's Monologue in 2003 in season 29. Kenan Thompson might have won a Kids Choice Award Blimp in 2000, but the rest of his career has been "All that."
Versatility: One of Kenan's most famous recurring characters is Steve Harvey. In fact, Kenan plays the host in quite a few different skits such as "Black Jeopardy," "Who wants to be a Millionaire?" and "What's up with that?" His other impressions include Bill Cosby, Whoopi Goldberg and beyond scared straight convicts. Because of the lack of african american female cast members, Kenan had to cross dress for lots of sketches prior to 2013, which he executed convincingly. I also applaud Kenan's accent in the "20 years a slave sketch." It was quite a change to hear Kenan speaking in a proper uppity voice.
Originality: While I think Kenan is a very funny and talented individual, he seems to be playing the same characters in his sketches. You can especially see this repetition when listening to his regular voice. He makes the same facial expressions (duck face) and has the same tone (like he is always on the verge of laughing) for a lot of his characters. His characters won't go to the next level if he does not separate himself from the role.
Impact: Outside of SNL Kenan went to Autism Speaks Charity Event to raise money for autisic children. Other than that day, Kenan hardly does anything outside of SNL.
Awards: Like Vanessa, Kenan has not won any awards for his role on Saturday Night Live but was nominated once for an image award "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series" in 2006. 10 years later, Kenan has seen no more nominations or wins.