Kenan Thompson Reveals Shocking Health Battle After Years of Silence

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Kenan Thompson’s health is no joke.

The star of Saturday Night Live, who has held the title as the show’s longest-serving cast member for 22 seasons, recently disclosed that about two years ago, he started experiencing severe acid reflux in private. The condition became so harmful that it eventually impacted his work before he ultimately sought medical attention.

Kenan shared with People magazine on April 4th that he often finds himself losing his voice more quickly during the performance, and added that he frequently experiences acid reflux and hiccups throughout the night which cause discomfort and can contribute to stress in an already taxing live show environment.

He said, “All these elements accumulated, leaving me thinking ‘Oh well, I’ll move past it.’ However, they simply kept adding up.

Prior to receiving a diagnosis of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), a condition characterized by the recurring flow of stomach acid into the esophagus, causing irritation to its lining as defined by Mayo Clinic, the 46-year-old had been attempting to cope with the discomfort independently.

He explained, “For a while, I managed to fix a problem temporarily, but eventually, my efforts became futile.” He then added, “That’s when the real trouble began. It turned into a situation where I had to endure in silence.

Kenan similarly acknowledged, “I wasn’t exactly ashamed to discuss things with a physician, but I was unsure if it was necessary.

After recognizing the need for assistance, the comedian – who has two daughters, Georgia (10) and Gianna (6), with his ex-partner Christina Evangeline – discovered that there was a specific medical term for his condition (GERD). He then started adopting lifestyle adjustments and taking medication to combat his GERD.

Kenan expressed a sense of immediate relief. He’s ecstatic now, thank goodness! His daily routines and dietary choices are significantly improved, which puts him in a better mental state overall. All things considered, he’s doing well.

Read on for more stars who have been open about their personal health journeys. 

11-year-old Adam Devine was struck by a cement truck, an incident that has left lasting effects on his health up until the present day.

In that 2025 episode of the “In Depth With Graham Bensinger” podcast, Devine expressed it as a very difficult and painful time for him. He explained that he has been experiencing spasms throughout his body. The doctors had informed him not long ago that he was close to death—literally, within the past year.

He observed that pain sometimes appears and disappears, expressing, “My body seems to have its share of minor quirks and imperfections.

The former star from Bachelor Nation disclosed that he had to visit the hospital, moving on hands and knees, because of intense back pain that worsened during a camping trip in an RV with a companion.

Currently, there’s a strange sensation in my legs, from knees to toes, he stated during his Trading Secrets podcast on March 24th. To give you an idea, it’s been around two to three weeks, possibly a month, since I was squatting about 295 pounds. Now, I can’t even do a single-leg squat without falling – it’s as if I’ve had a minor stroke or something similar.

But with the help of a back specialist and some steroids, he added, “We’re on the mend.”

In a game held in December 2024, an AHL player suffered a deep cut from another player’s skate and needed 25 stitches to close the wound. Subsequently, when his son had fully recovered, New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald expressed gratitude to fate, stating to ESPN, “We were incredibly fortunate. I wouldn’t wish such an incident on any other parent.

In March 2025, Gina Kirschenheiter from The Real Housewives of Orange County revealed that her former spouse, Matt Kirschenheiter, had experienced a heart attack, but fortunately, he made it through this harrowing incident.

30 Rock’s lead actor experienced a health emergency during a New York Knicks game in March 2025, causing him to be moved from Madison Square Garden in a stretcher.

Yet, the entertainer posted an update on social media the next day, explaining it was a bout with food poisoning and he was recovering well.

In February 2025, an actress from the show “Even Stevens” revealed that she had been accidentally shot in the face during a trip for husband Brendan Rooney’s birthday celebration, while they were shooting clay pigeons together.

In a heart-stopping moment, I found myself caught up in a chaotic situation where another party carelessly discharged their weapon recklessly and struck me square in the face. Instantly, @thebrendanrooney leaped into action, swiftly evaluating my condition before rushing me to the hospital’s emergency room. The harrowing impact left five distinct wounds on my body, one of which was mere inches from piercing directly through my right eye.

The former star of “Kim Possible” added, “Regrettably, a piece became stuck near my eye, and it’s not safe for surgery right now. My doctors are keeping a close watch on me, but I can see fine for now.

She expressed her heartfelt gratitude for being alive, adding that her daughters, husband, family, and friends mean the world to her. In a moment when she glimpsed her life’s highlights, she emphasized the importance of embracing loved ones whenever possible. Life, she warned, can unexpectedly take a turn in just an instant.

Despite the internet often being unkind, Amy Schumer is grateful it provided her with answers in this instance. As she reflected on an episode of Call Her Daddy in January 2025, Amy remembered the internet’s reaction to her appearance, saying, “Everyone was calm down,” but doctors began commenting with concerns about her health. They suspected she might have Cushing syndrome due to abnormal cortisol levels or steroid injections.

Surprised by the medical scrutiny, Amy thought, “It seems I’m being trolled by doctors!” After the doctors suggested Cushing syndrome could be caused by her steroid injections given for scar treatments, she realized, “Oh, I’ve been getting these steroid injections for my scars from a breast reduction and C-section.”

Eventually, Amy discovered that she had developed Cushing syndrome, but the good news was that it would resolve itself. She expressed her relief in a February 2024 News Not Noise newsletter, stating, “Learning I have a type of Cushing that will naturally heal and that I’m healthy overall was the best news possible.

In March 2022, Hailey Bieber experienced a terrifying ordeal during breakfast with her husband Justin Bieber. Suddenly, she started showing symptoms similar to a stroke, including facial drooping and difficulty speaking. After Justin asked if she was alright, Hailey found herself unable to respond.

Later, on YouTube, Hailey shared the details of that day. She said that when Justin asked her again, she tried to reply but couldn’t. Her right side of the face started drooping, and she struggled to form a sentence. Although the facial drooping stopped quickly, she was concerned and went to the hospital for a check-up.

At the hospital, they discovered a small blood clot in her brain, which was categorized as a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). Further investigations revealed that Hailey had a hole in her heart known as a patent foramen ovale (PFO). The blood clot had traveled to her heart, escaped through the hole, and reached her brain, causing the TIA.

Hailey underwent a successful PFO closure procedure and reported feeling fine afterward.

In the same year that Hailey encountered a health issue, Justin Bieber also faced one of his own. Specifically, in June 2022, the “Baby” singer disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome. This condition led to temporary paralysis on parts of his face, causing him to postpone the rest of his Justice World Tour.

Justin described the ailment in an Instagram video, stating that it was caused by a virus attacking the nerve in his ear and facial nerves, leading to facial paralysis. As viewers could see, his left eye wasn’t blinking, he couldn’t smile on one side of his face, and the nostril on that side wouldn’t move—indicating full paralysis on that side. He also mentioned that it had become increasingly difficult for him to eat, but eventually, the paralysis subsided.

Hailey shared during a June 2022 episode of Good Morning America that Justin was doing well and feeling much better, despite the scary and unexpected nature of his condition. She expressed her gratitude that he was okay.

Jamie Foxx initially chose to keep the specifics of his April 2023 hospitalization confidential. However, in his 2024 Netflix special titled “What Had Happened Was…”, he shared details about his ordeal. One day in Atlanta, the Academy Award winner recounted, “I was experiencing such a severe headache, so I asked my friend to fetch me an aspirin. But before I could get it, I went outside and I can’t remember the next 20 days.”

Upon being examined by a doctor who administered a cortisone injection and sent him home, Foxx’s sister, Deidra Dixon, grew concerned and drove him to a hospital. It was there that they discovered he had suffered a brain bleed which resulted in a stroke.

Twenty days later, following surgery on May 4, the “Django Unchained” actor woke up in a wheelchair, unable to walk. He then traveled to Chicago for rehabilitation and therapy.

In a heartfelt statement, Foxx expressed, “All I can say is that I am grateful for every prayer, because I needed every one of them.

Actress Emilia Clarke, famous for her role in Game of Thrones, penned an essay titled “A Battle for My Life” in The New Yorker in 2019. Describing a gym visit, she recalled feeling sick and experiencing severe headaches that escalated to unbearable pain. Upon visiting the hospital for a scan, she was diagnosed with a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), a potentially fatal type of stroke caused by brain bleeding.

She underwent immediate surgery to treat the aneurysm but faced complications, including aphasia and difficulty communicating coherently. After overcoming these hurdles, she left the hospital after a month. However, in 2013, a growth was discovered during a brain scan, which had doubled in size, necessitating another surgery.

The second operation involved accessing her brain through her skull, and she faced serious risks due to the procedure’s failure. Fortunately, Emilia is now reportedly in perfect health.

Cori Broadus, daughter of renowned artist Snoop Dogg, expressed her gratitude towards her family following a severe stroke she experienced in January 2024. In an interview with TopMob News‘s correspondent Will Marfuggi in December 2024, Cori shared that upon discovering she had suffered a stroke and sending a picture to her loved ones, they all rushed to help her.

Due to additional health complications related to lupus, Cori’s hospital stay extended beyond what was initially expected. As she explained in the interview, “I could have gone home after my stroke, but my lupus wasn’t doing well. My kidneys were failing, so there was a lot going on.”

Fortunately, today, Cori is making progress and recovering well. “I’m doing great,” she said. “I just had to work on regaining some motor skills, but other than that, I was fine.

During the turbulent period of her twenties, Shailene Woodley faced numerous health challenges. The actress revealed on the September 2024 episode of the SHE MD Podcast that her condition was so severe it led to hearing loss, extreme fatigue, and stomach issues. She recounted, “Everything I ate would cause discomfort, making me fear food.” This prolonged period of physical distress also took a toll on her mental health, leading to body dysmorphia, confusion about identity, and feelings of insecurity within her own body.

However, Shailene, who has a holistic background, was determined to find solutions. She sought help from both conventional doctors and alternative healers, aiming to find comfort in her own skin. This quest for wellness took a decade, during which she grappled with various aspects of self-doubt and identity.

Thankfully, Shailene’s health has improved significantly since then. She shared, “This journey eventually led to my physical recovery, and I am now in excellent health.” The Big Little Lies star is happy to report that her struggles have come to an end.

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2025-04-08 00:50