Former Saturday Night Live star Chris Redd has opened up about a difficult period in his life, involving an addiction to prescription drugs.
In a new video posted to Instagram, the comedian, 40, spoke about his five-season tenure from 2017-2022 on NBC’s popular sketch comedy series, revealing that “while I was at the show, I had some pill issues; I had some pill problems.”
Clarifying that it was “nothing too crazy, but crazy for my Black ass,” Redd claimed: “I was even selling some to the people, to some of my castmates. I’m not gonna snitch on y’all motherf***ers man.
“But it was really funny to me that I would be around on this s*** and people would talk s*** about me, and I would hear them because you know some of that Adderall and s*** got you f***ing super hearing and s***,” he continued, “but [they] wouldn’t help me — I would have panic attacks — wouldn’t like be concerned about me or nothing, just would talk s***.
“And it’s just crazy that people would watch you destroy yourself,” he said.
Redd said that the only person to “call me on my s*** [and] help me with my s***” was the ex-wife of his former co-star Kenan Thompson, Christina Evangeline.
Thompson — the longest-tenured cast member of the show, having joined in 2003 — and Evangeline were together for 15 years, married for 11, and share two children. The comedian filed for divorce in May 2022.
“Bottom line is, I’m not the type of person to scheme on a person. I’m not the type of person to even date somebody that one of my homies is dating. This is a very unique, nuanced thing that happened,” he emphasized.
“We were all cool. I was never hitting...” he added, trailing off. “It was never nothing crazy until it got crazy.”
Of Evangeline, Redd remembered: “She helped me with my therapy journey. And she told me stuff about her life that made me look at a lot of people involved differently. And in that time, we fell in love.”
Acknowledging the mixed feelings he had about his relationship with his friend’s ex, he admitted that he “felt bad from the start.”
“This always felt like an emotional double-edged sword for me because I really love everything me and Kenan did,” he said. “I really appreciated every piece of work that we put together. I think that we were a great team. And I hate doing something to somebody that I know would hurt them.
“But I did choose love,” Redd noted, tearing up. “It made me look terrible, it made me look terrible to people that I love — a lot of my fans.”
Directly addressing all the fans he “disappointed,” he said: “Just know this was not something... I don’t feel like a pimp. I don’t feel cool about this at all, besides the fact that I found somebody that makes me feel like I didn’t even know what love was for real. And I felt like I couldn’t just miss out on it. And love is not sensical.”
He revealed that he and Thompson had talked about everything, mutually agreeing to keep it “under wraps.”
“We were cool, and we continued to work for a year after we talked about it,” he recalled.
“And as soon as everybody found out, and s*** changed. And then by the time everybody found out and the world found out, I was out of there. SNL,” Redd said of his abrupt exit from the show in 2022.
If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, you can seek confidential help and support 24-7 from Frank, by calling 0300 123 6600, texting 82111, sending an email or visiting their website here.
In the U.S., the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP.
Chevy Chase sparks backlash after telling documentary director she’s ‘not bright’
At 82 years old, Chevy Chase is laying it all out there in his new documentary
SNL writer issues plea for help after his sister vanishes: ‘This is not like her’
The Vivienne’s sister turns grief into warning after drag star’s death aged 32
Top five secret traitor suspects explained ahead of tonight’s reveal
Stranger Things star shuts down Conformity Gate theory after finale backlash
