Nearly four years after his Saturday Night Live exit, Chris Redd is opening up about his behind-the-scenes mental health journey.
The comedian said he’s “leading with a lot more vulnerability and openness” as he revealed that he struggled with a pill addiction during his stint on the NBC sketch comedy show from 2017 to 2022.
“While I was at the show, I had some pill issues. I had some pill problems, nothing too crazy, but crazy for my Black ass,” he admitted in an Instagram video. “And I was even selling some to the people, some of my castmates. I’m not gonna snitch on y’all motherf*ckers, man.”
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Redd continued, “But I found it really funny that I would be around, on this sh*t, and people would talk sh*t about it and buy. People would talk sh*t about me, because I would hear them—you know, some of the Adderall got you super hearing and sh*t—but wouldn’t help me. I would have panic attacks, and [they] wouldn’t be concerned about me or nothing like that. Just would talk shit. It’s crazy how somebody would watch you destroy yourself.”
In the video, Redd also opened up about dating his castmate Kenan Thompson‘s ex-wife Christina Evangeline, “the only one to call me on my sh*t, to help me with my sh*t,” who also helped him with his therapy journey.
“But I did choose love, and that’s what this story is. And it made me look terrible,” added Redd. “It made me look terrible to people I love and a lot of my fans.”
Redd said he and Thompson “talked about it, and we were cool, and we continued to work together for a year after,” but noted that “sh*t changed” after everyone else found out.
The comedian’s tearful confessional comes as he prepares for his stand-up show on Jan. 28 at Caveat in New York City. He can also be seen in the upcoming comedies Run and What the F*ck Is My Password?.