Chris Kattan Says Life Changed Forever After ‘SNL’ Sketch
Chris Kattan says one 2001 skit on “Saturday Night Live” changed his life forever.
In the skit, a spoof of “The Golden Girls,” Kattan choked on cheesecake and threw himself backward, hitting the ground hard. Kattan knew right away the injury was something serious but said he kept it to himself because he feared the repercussions for his career. “I went backward on my chair to sell it and I really put myself into the character,” he told Inside Edition.
Was Chris Kattan uncomfortable with the attention he received for playing the Mango character on SNL?
Chris Kattan, best known for his work on Saturday Night Live, recently opened up about the impact one sketch had on his life.
In a conversation with People magazine, Kattan recounted the famous Mango sketch from SNL, in which he played a flamboyant stripper who seduced male audience members. According to Kattan, the character had a profound effect on his career and personal life.
“Once I started doing Mango,” Kattan said, “I became pigeonholed as the gay character, and that was the only thing anybody wanted to see.”
Despite this seeming limitation, the Mango character was hugely popular, and Kattan received a lot of attention and acclaim for it. However, the role also came with some unintended consequences.
“I would get uncomfortable sometimes with how fans would react to me,” Kattan said. “They would try to grab me or kiss me, and it was overwhelming.”
Kattan also spoke about how the Mango character affected his personal life. “It definitely changed my dating life,” he said. “I would often attract men who were interested in Mango and not in me as a person.”
Despite these challenges, Kattan said he is grateful for the experience of playing Mango and for the opportunities it brought him. “SNL changed my life,” he said. “It allowed me to pursue a career in comedy and gave me so many amazing experiences.”
Kattan’s story illustrates the power of a single sketch to shape a performer’s career and personal life. While the benefits of success are obvious, it’s important to remember that fame and attention also come with challenges and compromises.
As Kattan said, “you have to take the good with the bad. But ultimately, I wouldn’t change a thing.”