Considering Kenan Thompson has been in show business for more than 30 years now, it’s safe to say that he has his share of iconic, unforgettable, and outrageously hilarious characters. Whether you’re talking about his record-breaking tenure on Saturday Night Live, which returns to the 2025 TV schedule this fall, or his early days on the great ‘90s Nickelodeon show All That, he has no shortage of on-screen personalities.
I recently sat down with Thompson to discuss his new Autotrader “Auto Intelligence” campaign, and our conversation quickly turned to a rundown of those great characters he’s come up with over the years. When I asked which of those would be perfect to sell cars, trucks, or other vehicles, he wasted no time naming a deep cut character from his days on All That:
I mean, I feel like Lester Oaks, Construction Worker, just doesn't get enough callback. I love doing kind of like a Texas or country accent, you know, I love doing accents, and like there are so many trucks and stuff that could be possible on Autotrader. I just feel like he could be a dude to talk about cars kind of character. And it would be such a pleasure to step back into those shoes again. Lester Oaks, construction worker. Such a great title, too.
For those who don’t remember, Lester appeared in an early “Good Burger” sketch on All That back in the ‘90s, where he accosted Kel Mitchell’s Ed after the dim-witted fast food worker gave him a burger instead of a “milky shake.” The sketch, which features a hilarious back-and-forth between the two, goes off the rails as soon as it starts. The pair would go on to recreate the bit for the All That 10th anniversary special in 2004 and then again on a 2015 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
When I asked the question, I expected to hear Thompson name more recognizable characters like Diondre Cole, Darnell Hayes, or Lorenzo McIntosh from his SNL tenure, or perhaps Pierre Escargot or Superdude, but hearing him go on about Lester Oaks, Construction Worker, brought so much joy to the conversation. Though I wasn’t surprised he name-dropped an All That part, as he also went into great detail about the day he and Mitchell hit it off when they created the Mavis and Clavis bit.
Looking back on our conversation, it would be hilarious to see Lester Oaks accidentally stumble into the Autotrader Auto Intelligence command center. I mean, just imagine the cranky construction worker with his southern drawl trying to order a “milky shake” but only finding tools to help him buy a new truck. The tool makes things easier, but we all know how Lester goes about these types of situations, especially when he thinks he's been fooled.
Though Thompson didn’t say whether or not he’ll ever bring back Lester Oaks, Construction Worker, we will be able to see him doing what he does best when Saturday Night Live Season 51 premieres on October 4 on NBC and with a Peacock subscription.
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