Kenan Thompson Reveals the Surprising Name Fans Call Him When They Stop Him on the Street (Exclusive)

Angela Andaloro, Genevieve UzamereMon, June 15, 2026 at 2:49 PM UTC

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Kenan ThompsonCredit: Slaven Vlasic/Getty -

Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell have worked together as castmates, starting with All That in 1994

Thompson, 48, and Mitchell, 47, have shared the screen for many projects in the decades since

As the pair expands the Kenan & Kel universe with their new mobile game Orange Pop!, they tell PEOPLE about fan mix-ups

Fans are still mixing up Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell after all these years!

The comedy duo recently chatted with PEOPLE about their new game, Orange Pop!, and admitted they get confused for each other all the time by well-meaning fans.

"I get Kel all the time. I got Kel coming in the building just now, 'Big Kel. Come this way, big bro,' I swear to God," Thompson, 48, laughed.

"I get that too," Mitchell, 47, shares.

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"Swear to God. I get it all the time, and I love it... It's a thing I think that's embedded in the subconscious of people that we just embedded in their childhood, and maybe it's because it's the end of the phrase. But that mix-up between ... I never get just Kenan. I get 'Kenan Thompson' or something because of other shows and stuff. But anytime it's like someone recognizing me from Kenan and Kel, they call me Kel really confidently."

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Thompson recalled a particular incident where he was walking somewhere at night when somebody greeted him, calling him Kel from across the street.

"I remember it was the middle of the night, and somebody shouted Kel. I would pass them from across the block, and it was just echoing through the streets because it was like 2:00 in the morning. Someone's like, 'Yo, Kel.' I was like, 'Yo, what's up? My name is Kenan.' He's like, 'I'm going to call you Kel,' " he laughed.

The comedian explains he doesn't get offended, not only because he knows people often think of him and Kel together, but also because of what it means to him.

Kel Mitchell and Kenan Thompson in 2023Credit: Arturo Holmes/Getty

Kel Mitchell and Kenan Thompson in 1998Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc

"The intention of the love that they're sending out is that energy, is that confidence. Because they can confidently say, 'I f---s with you,' with what they're saying. So I'm like, 'Yeah, but by the way, just for the record...' I don't want them to be out there making mistakes," he continues.

Check out Kenan & Kel's new mobile game, Orange Pop!, now available on the App Store and Google Play.

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”