Chris Redd, the Emmy-winning comedian and former cast member of Saturday Night Live, is no stranger to turning personal pain into punchlines. But when it comes to the events of October 2022, the story is anything but funny. In a raw and emotional video posted to Instagram on January 6, 2026, Redd finally broke his silence about the assault that left him bloodied outside a New York City comedy club—and the tangled web of love, addiction, and regret that unfolded behind the scenes.
Redd, now 40, addressed his fans directly, opening up about the infamous night he was punched in the nose. "When I got punched in the face… most people who know me from back home would know that I would be retaliating in a heartbeat, but not this time, bro," Redd said in the video, as reported by Page Six. "This time it felt like fair — fair enough." He didn’t elaborate on the motives of his unknown assailant, but the timing of the attack coincided with a period of intense scrutiny over his personal life.
At the heart of the drama was Redd’s relationship with Christina Evangeline—who, until her separation, was married to Kenan Thompson, Redd’s longtime friend and co-star. Redd and Thompson had worked closely on SNL and later played brothers on the NBC sitcom Kenan. The revelation that Redd was dating Thompson’s ex-wife sent shockwaves through fans and the comedy community alike. "I wanted to address something that’s kind of just, I guess, been around for a long time, about four, five years now, but, you know, I’ve never addressed it," Redd confessed in his Instagram video.
He continued, "I know a lot of people talk about me dating Kenan Thompson’s ex-wife, and how that came to be. And I’m gonna just tell it to you straight." According to The Sun, Redd’s admission was punctuated by tears and a heartfelt plea for understanding. "It wasn’t no plan. I saw everything that everybody said. Every single thing that everybody said, I saw it. And 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 has dated. This is a very unique nuance thing that happened. We were all cool. It was never nothing crazy until it got crazy."
Redd’s candidness didn’t stop there. He revealed a struggle with addiction during his time on SNL, which began in 2017 and lasted five seasons. "Bottom line is, while I was at [‘SNL’], I had some pills issues, I got some pill problems, nothing too crazy, but crazy for my Black ass, you know?" he explained, according to Page Six. "I was even selling some to the people, to some of my castmates. I’m not gonna snitch on y’all motherf—ers." The only person who truly reached out to help, Redd said, was Christina Evangeline.
"It’s crazy how somebody will watch you destroy yourself," Redd reflected. "This lady (Christina) was the only one to call me on my s–t, help me with my s–t. She helped me with my therapy journey, and she told me things about her life that made me look at a lot of people involved in it differently." That support, he said, blossomed into something more. "In that time, we fell in love," Redd admitted. "And I felt bad from the start. It’s always felt like an emotional double-edged sword for me, because I really love everything me and Kenan did, bro. I really appreciated every piece of work we put together, I think that we were a great team, and I hate doing something to somebody that I know would hurt them."
The relationship between Redd and Evangeline was not a secret to Thompson, at least not initially. Redd explained that he and Thompson spoke privately about the situation and managed to continue working together for about a year before the news became public. "Me and him talked about it. We were cool and we continued to work for a year after we talked about it. And I remember it specifically being said ‘you know what let’s just keep this s under wraps’ and as soon as everybody found out s changed," Redd recalled, as reported by The Sun.
The fallout was swift. In 2022, Redd left SNL after five seasons, and the dynamic between the former friends shifted dramatically. Meanwhile, Thompson and Evangeline—who had been married for 11 years and share two daughters, Georgia, now 11, and Gianna, now 7—finalized their separation. According to Page Six, sources said the couple had actually been separated for over a year before the news became public, and they continued to co-parent their daughters.
Redd’s Instagram video was more than just a confession; it was an apology. "I did choose love. And that’s what this story is and it made me look terrible. It made me look terrible to people that I love and a lot of my fans," he said, his voice cracking. "I’m sorry for the people. I was disappointed with this. Just know it wasn’t to be a d***. It felt like a love I couldn’t miss out on and I had to shoot for it. And I’ve never put anything above my comedy and my work. But I felt like I couldn’t move on to the next stage of this creatively without addressing this."
He closed the video by posing a question to his followers: "What have you sacrificed for love?" The post also teased his new project, a show titled Caveat, set to premiere on January 28, 2026. For Redd, the past few years have been a whirlwind of professional achievements and personal challenges. He won an Emmy in 2018, contributed to memorable SNL sketches like "Boomers Got the Vax," and built a resume filled with television and film credits. Yet, as he made clear in his emotional address, the cost of love and the weight of regret have left their mark.
As the dust settles, Redd’s story serves as a reminder that even those who make us laugh the hardest can carry the heaviest burdens. With Caveat on the horizon, it remains to be seen how Redd will channel these experiences into his art—and whether his audience is ready to embrace the next chapter.
