Kenan Thompson Knows The Deep Cut Character He’d Bring Back For Autotrader Ads

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It’s clear that Kenan Thompson has been entertaining audiences for over three decades and is known for creating memorable, laugh-out-loud characters. From his legendary stint on Saturday Night Live, which will air again in the 2025 fall TV lineup, to his early years on the popular Nickelodeon show All That in the ’90s, Thompson’s extensive list of on-screen personas is impressive.

Lately, I had a chat with Thompson about his latest Autotrader “Auto Intelligence” initiative. As our conversation progressed, we reminisced about the intriguing characters he’s created in the past. When I questioned which of these would be ideal for marketing cars, trucks, or other vehicles, he swiftly suggested an underrated character from his days on All That:

As a devotee, I can’t help but feel that the character Lester Oaks, the Construction Worker, often gets overshadowed. With my knack for adopting accents, particularly Texas or country ones, I find myself longing to revive this talent on Autotrader.

Lester Oaks is such a multi-dimensional character with his fleet of vehicles and blue-collar charm that I believe he could make a fantastic car-talking personality. It’s almost like a dream come true to imagine slipping back into those boots once more, becoming Lester Oaks the construction worker again. And let’s not forget about that captivating title – it just screams authenticity and rugged appeal!

In simpler terms, Lester first made an appearance in a comedic sketch for the ’90s TV show “All That”, playing a character who was displeased with Kel Mitchell’s Ed after he received a burger instead of a milkshake. The exchange between the two, filled with laughter, quickly spirals out of control from the start. They later reprised this skit for the “All That” 10th anniversary special in 2004 and also performed it on an episode of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” in 2015.

Upon inquiring, I was hoping Thompson would mention well-known characters from his time on Saturday Night Live such as Diondre Cole, Darnell Hayes, or Lorenzo McIntosh, or even Pierre Escargot or Superdude. Instead, discussing Lester Oaks, Construction Worker, brought an unexpected delight to our chat. Although I wasn’t taken aback that he referenced an All That segment, he also shared detailed memories of the day he and Mitchell formed a connection while creating the Mavis and Clavis bit, which added to the conversation’s enjoyment.

Reflecting on our discussion, it would be comical to visualize Lester Oaks inadvertently wandering into the Autotrader Auto Intelligence command center. Picture the gruff construction worker with his southern twang attempting to request a “milky shake,” only to find tools designed for purchasing a new truck instead. The device simplifies things, but we are well aware of Lester’s approach to such scenarios, particularly when he believes he has been tricked.

Even though Thompson didn’t specify if Lester Oaks, Construction Worker, will return at any point, we can look forward to seeing him shine in his usual way when Saturday Night Live Season 51 debuts on October 4th, exclusively on NBC and with a Peacock subscription.

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2025-08-21 17:50