Description: Kenan Thompson received a charity award from Neil deGrasse Tyson on October 23, 2026. The unlikely presenter makes sense once you know their Saturday Night Live history.
The person being impersonated presented an award to his impersonator. At a New York charity gala on October 23, 2026, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson honored Kenan Thompson, who has portrayed him repeatedly on Saturday Night Live (SNL). Tyson reportedly counted seven impressions across twelve years.
What was the event?
It was Self Help Africa's 16th New York Change-Makers Gala at The Lighthouse, Chelsea Piers, scheduled from 7 p.m. until midnight. Thompson received the Empowering Africa Award. Tyson had won that very award in 2025, making him a natural person to present it the following year. A normal ceremony tradition accidentally produced a comedy reunion.
Where did the impression begin?
In April 2014, SNL spoofed the American morning show Fox & Friends. Thompson played Tyson explaining climate science to hosts whose confused responses undermined the serious lesson. The contrast was the joke: an enthusiastic scientist versus television personalities who couldn't keep up. It was scripted satire, not an actual Tyson interview. Thompson also demonstrated his impression in an official Late Night with Seth Meyers video published October 2, 2018. That video is not footage of the 2026 ceremony.
Did Tyson dislike the parody?
His 2014 response was mixed, not a declaration of war. Speaking to Business Insider in May, he thought the performance could have been better, praised the accurate ties, and welcomed science becoming part of popular comedy. Criticizing the acting is different from disliking the actor. PEOPLE reported that the two laughed and posed together at the 2026 gala. The seven-in-twelve-years figure is Tyson's reported count, not an independent episode-by-episode tally.
Why is the encounter funny now?
Normally an impressionist appears on television while the real person stays offscreen. This time the original stepped onstage to honor the person who had turned him into a character. It feels like a twelve-year television joke getting an unscripted ending. PEOPLE's detailed story appeared October 26 at 5:10 p.m. Eastern, explaining the renewed attention. Photographs and reporting verify the encounter; they do not establish a worldwide viral trend or provide a complete video of the presentation.
The ceremony itself served a serious purpose. PEOPLE reported more than $400,000 raised, including $145,500 for community savings groups supporting women's businesses.
Conclusion
In 2014 Tyson reviewed his impersonation. In 2026 he presented the impersonator with an award. This time, the real scientist delivered the punchline himself.
