Kate McKinnon said she has been diagnosed with geographic tongue, a nonlife-threatening condition that causes smooth, red patches on the tongue resembling a map.
The 41-year-old Saturday Night Live alum told People she first noticed the condition after taking a photo of her tongue and sending it to an actor friend, who also has the same diagnosis. "We both have the same medical condition. It's called geographic tongue," McKinnon said, adding that she and her friend "brag" about how "geographic" their tongues look on any given day and calling the appearance "gross."
Medical sources cited by McKinnon characterize geographic tongue as an inflammatory but benign condition affecting the surface of the tongue. The tongue is normally covered by small, pinkish-white bumps called papillae; with geographic tongue, patches of the surface lose these papillae and appear smooth and red with slightly raised borders. The condition affects roughly 3 percent of people worldwide, though some clinics say the true number may be higher because many people do not seek medical attention. While it can look alarming, geographic tongue is not linked to infection or cancer and typically does not cause long-term health problems. It can, however, make the tongue sensitive to certain foods, including spicy or salty items, and may cause brief episodes of discomfort.
In the interview, McKinnon continued to mix personal details with humor. She said she was given a chess piece from the set of Greta Gerwig's Barbie film, praising the production and prop designers for their craftsmanship. "They made a full chess set with these chess pieces in Weird Barbie aesthetic and they were so magical," she said, joking that the piece she received may have been a bishop.
McKinnon is also promoting the second book in her children's series, The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science, titled Secrets of the Purple Pearl. She spoke about which celebrities leave her starstruck, saying she was moved to meet Jesse Palmer at Saturday Night Live's 50th Anniversary Special and that she would be particularly awed by personalities from the HGTV universe. She singled out a television figure named Aziza as someone before whom she would "fall at her feet."
McKinnon said the geographic tongue has not altered her public appearances or plans. Medical descriptions note that geographic tongue episodes can resolve on their own but may recur for days, months or years. Health experts recommend consulting a physician if symptoms are painful or cause concern, but otherwise describe the condition as harmless and manageable.
McKinnon has combined the disclosure with the light tone familiar from her comedy and public interviews, framing the diagnosis as an oddity rather than a health crisis as she continues her creative work and public engagements.