Kel Mitchell's Transformation From Hit Nickelodeon Star To Youth Pastor
From cranky Coach Kreeton, the child-loathing gym teacher on "All That," to loveable Good Burger employee Ed (also known as Grape Nose Boy), Kel Mitchell has graced the world with some of Nickelodeon's most hilariously iconic characters over the years. With fellow funnyman Kenan Thompson by his side, Mitchell was a permanent fixture on the network for most of the 1990s thanks to the kid-friendly sketch show and its spinoffs, including the sitcom "Kenan & Kel" and full-length film "Good Burger."
Following his Nickelodeon success, Mitchell remained in the industry, and even returned to his first acting home as Double G on "Game Shakers." Yet behind the laughs, he greatly struggled with his mental health. Ultimately, it was Mitchell's faith that got him through, leading him to eventually become a youth minister. Read on for the full story of how Mitchell transitioned from making kids laugh to offering them Biblical guidance.
He joined the All That cast after an unorthodox audition
Kel Mitchell doesn't hail from a family with roots in the entertainment industry. Growing up, his mom was a teacher and his dad was a psychologist, but they were willing to get their rambunctious son involved in any hobby if it meant he could blow off some energy. By the time Mitchell was a sophomore in high school, karate and other extracurriculars failed to stick. Acting was the only thing he felt truly interested in, so he decided to answer Nickelodeon's call for funny kids and teens.
However, things didn't start off as planned. Mentally preoccupied with finals, he was late to the audition and completely forgot his prepared monologue. Graciously, the casting team told him to step into the hallway and take a breath, then come back and try again. Yet on the way out, he tripped over a cord and knocked over a number of cameras (which were massive back in the '90s). Instead of panicking, Mitchell took a different approach. "I do this funny physical comedy of like, 'Oh, that didn't happen,' and trying to grab everything," he told Yahoo Entertainment. "They're cracking up laughing."
The team requested that he ditch the monologue and show them impressions, which he executed flawlessly. Mitchell got a callback and, in 1994, became a staple of "All That." Mitchell told The Christian Post that Coach Kreeton was his favorite to play, saying, "I would go over the top as much as possible, always different and insane."
His chemistry with Kenan Thompson landed them a spinoff
Though there was great chemistry amongst the "All That" cast as a whole, there was a special dynamic between Kel Mitchell and Kenan Thompson. Even after a long day of filming, the two could usually be found hanging out together. This friendship didn't go unnoticed by Nickelodeon creatives, who purposely put them in every sketch together.
In 1996, the network felt there was a demand for even more Mitchell-Thompson screentime. Mitchell explained to Yahoo Entertainment that, typically, the cast would go on an occasional hiatus, allowing them to attend school. Yet when that year's hiatus approached, he and Thompson were asked to stick around and film their own sitcom, "Kenan & Kel."
At one point, he added, their schedule was extremely hectic. "It was like, 'All That,' 'Kenan & Kel,' 'All That,' 'Kenan & Kel' back to back while in school and while doing all these other things that we had going on at the time," Mitchell said. Still, they made it work, with "Kenan & Kel" running for 62 episodes between 1996 and 2000. Many moments from the series became engrained in pop culture, with viewers remembering plotlines and quotes decades later. Mitchell revealed to Time that he constantly gets asked if he still loves orange soda, but it never gets old. "I'm thankful that people enjoyed it and that I was a part of their childhood, so I never get mad."
Good Burger marked his first film
As Kel Mitchell's Nickelodeon popularity grew, so did that of his character Ed. The happy-go-lucky fast food employee appeared on "Soul Train," MTV, and more, with celebrities — including Tyra Banks — vying for the chance to be included in the "Good Burger" sketch on "All That." By 1997, Ed and "Good Burger" were so beloved, that it only made sense to gift fans with a full-length film.
"Good Burger" marked a major achievement in Mitchell's career: Getting to star in his first-ever movie. However, the original concept would've had him donning Ed's blue-and-white striped uniform much less. He told ComingSoon.net, "I remember it was really big, the script was super huge, the first one, because originally, we put everything in it. So I was playing all my characters from 'All That.' But then we shaved it down and it became what it is today, which is super, super awesome."
It's been over 25 years since the release of "Good Burger," but the film and all of its quotable moments — especially Ed's greeting of, "Welcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger, can I take your order?" — stands the test of time. According to Mitchell, this is because of the writers, who he said created comedic lines that are still funny today, "It's kind of like how 'I Love Lucy' is, where it's just, you could turn 'I Love Lucy' on at any moment right now, watch any episode and you still enjoy it."
In 2023, new generations will finally be introduced to the world of "Good Burger," when the long-awaited sequel "Good Burger 2" hits Paramount+.
He voiced T-Bone on Clifford the Big Red Dog
Given his career start on a Nickelodeon kids' sketch show, Kel Mitchell was no stranger to the world of youth entertainment. However, in 2000, he delved into a fresh sector of it: Voicework for a children's cartoon. For three years and 63 episodes, as well as several video games and a movie, Mitchell voiced T-Bone on "Clifford the Big Red Dog."
The yellow bulldog, whose human is Sheriff Lewis (Nick Jameson), is one of Clifford's (John Ritter) best friends. Though he can sometimes be easily frightened by things, including fireworks and the dark, he's a well-meaning pup, not unlike Mitchell's "All That" persona of Ed. Just as Ed goes above and beyond to help his buddy Dexter Reed (Kenan Thompson), T-Bone is always there for his loved ones. For example, in the episode "Big Hearted T-Bone", he desperately wants to hang out with his crush, cocker spaniel Mimi (Tyisha Hampton), but upholds his promise to Cleo (Cree Summer) to watch her energetic niece Kiki (Gabrielle Carteris).
In "Friends Forever", Mitchell and his old "All That" bestie reunited when Kenan Thompson voiced Hamburger, who is fittingly the puppy-hood friend of T-Bone.
He wrote and starred in Dance Fu
In 2011, Kel Mitchell took on a new role in the entertainment world when he wrote and starred in "Dance Fu," a story about a man who can only properly fight when there's music playing. He told KarmaloopTV that the idea for the movie stemmed from his love of both dance and kung fu films, saying, "I wanted to put one together that was kind of like 'Last Dragon' meets 'You Got Served.'"
Mitchell added that the entire movie took only 16 days to film and was truly an independent endeavor. For him, "Dance Fu" is a major point of pride. Not only did it introduce him to the world of writing, it also put him beside top industry names like Tommy Davidson, Affion Crockett, and Cedric the Entertainer, the latter of whom directed the movie. "We had a blast, it was like going to a family reunion," Mitchell told The Christian Post.
Unfortunately for Mitchell, his passion project didn't exactly go over well with viewers. "Dance Fu" has an 18 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with one reviewer saying, "At no point in the movie does it seem that anyone read a script, or if a script even existed at all." Another, who expected more from Mitchell and Cedric the Entertainer, said, "This movie was the dullest most unorganized boring movie I've seen for a long time."
He made a big return to Nickelodeon as Double G
While some former teen stars distance themselves from their past, that hasn't been the case with Kel Mitchell. After "All That" and "Kenan & Kel" ended, he welcomed the chance to return to Nickelodeon when possible. In 2013, he appeared in an episode of "Sam & Cat," followed by "The Thundermans" the following year. But in 2015, and for the next four years, he once again became a permanent fixture on the network as Double G on "Game Shakers." For 61 episodes, Mitchell portrays the rich investor of Kenzie Bell (Madisyn Shipman) and Babe Carano's (Cree Cicchino) popular game, which they originally made for a science class project.
For Mitchell, it was a joy to reach a new Nickelodeon audience, while bringing a sense of nostalgia to their parents. He told Time, "It's so crazy because I have the moms coming up to me that watched me in the '90s and then also their daughters and sons are going crazy over the current shows that I'm on. So I get both, I get the whole family going, 'Hey!' And you'll get a parent going, 'Well I was his fan back in the '90s, you don't know about him,' and they're like, 'Yeah I do!.'"
"Game Shakers" was canceled after three seasons, when Nickelodeon declined to renew its contract with producer Dan Schneider in the wake of allegations against him, including inappropriate treatment of young stars.
He battled depression and suicidal thoughts
Since the '90s, Kel Mitchell has brought joy to the masses thanks to his electric energy, endearing characters, and always-happy persona. Yet behind that smile, Mitchell wasn't always so joyful. In fact, he battled depression and suicidal thoughts while simultaneously working on new shows. "Similar to Robin Williams when he was doing characters and bringing happiness to us all, right, same way with the characters that I was doing," he told TODAY. "I was bringing happiness within it but going through my own battles, you know?"
For a while, Mitchell tried to solve his problems on his own, which only led to feelings of frustration. It wasn't until he began to embrace his faith that he was able to find his way out of that dark place, crediting this new religious perspective with allowing him to recognize that he's special, loved, and has a purpose in the world. He told Fox News Digital, "When I figured that out, I wanted others to know that as well because He was always there for me in the ups and downs of my life."
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
He became a youth pastor in 2019
After becoming more connected to his church, Kel Mitchell began to take on the role of youth pastor in 2019. He told Fox News Digital of this moment, "God spoke to me so clearly in my time of prayer. And I said, 'Yo, I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it.' He's been there for me, and I want others to feel this joy and to feel this peace. We want people to live. We want people to enjoy life, and I'm all about that."
Mitchell became the youth pastor of Spirit Food Christian Center in Winnetka, California, which aims to help individuals form a stronger bond with Jesus Christ. Here, he runs ministry programs for children (Kingdom Kidz) and adolescents (Jesus Empowering Teens). He even shares some of his sermons on social media as part of a Soulful Sunday series, with topics including building trust, using digital platforms for positivity, and more. Through his work in the church, he's hoping to encourage young people — especially those battling mental health struggles — to develop a connection with Christianity that he believes will help them through difficult times.
He wrote the book Blessed Mode
Three years after becoming a youth pastor, Kel Mitchell wanted to inspire even more people to connect with God. That's why he wrote "Blessed Mode: 90 Days to Level Up Your Faith," which aims to do exactly what the title says. Each morning, for 90 days, readers are given a Bible verse, a related story of Mitchell's life, a prayer, and a call to action, the latter of which allows them to practice what they just learned in the real world.
According to Mitchell, doing a spiritual exercise in the morning is just as important as a workout or choosing an outfit. He told ComingSoon.net, "So it's like waking up, having some time to pray to God, let him know about what you're going through, getting some help in that, and just getting you ready for your day. It's really a motivation."
Additionally, Mitchell is the voice behind the audiobook for "Blessed Mode." While there was the option to have somebody else record it, he wanted listeners to hear the passion that he has for the content and, hopefully, feel more compelled to continue on the 90-day journey.
So far, "Blessed Mode" has a 4.7-star rating on Amazon. One buyer praised Mitchell for making it easy to read and incorporate into a daily routine, while another found it very relatable and inspiring, despite their hesitation given Mitchell's comedic background.
He released a faith-based song
As an acting-focused entertainer, Kel Mitchell never tried to make it as a musical artist (aside from the catchy "We're All Dudes" that's heard at the end of "Good Burger"). However, his fresh venture into faith-based music seems to be resonating with fans. Along with the 90-day devotional "Blessed Mode," Mitchell released a song of the same name that also aims to uplift the masses. The track, which dropped in March 2022, was inspired by the hip-hop music that Mitchell plays every week for his youth ministry attendees.
He said in an official statement (via The Christian Beat) about the song, "'Blessed Mode' ... is the ultimate anthem to make you feel good, whether you're in the gym, working out at home or just looking for that pep talk to lift you up and hype you up."
The song has received positive reviews from his religious followers since its release. In response to the official music video on YouTube, @madmellymel411 praised, "Nicely executed! This song has the hip hop feel yet a useful message. All while not making it feel so churchy." Many agreed, with fire emojis running rampant in the comment section.
He's listening to ideas given to him by God
Kel Mitchell credits his relationship with God for getting him out of his depression, and putting him on a path to teach and inspire the next generation. Therefore, it makes sense that, moving forward, Mitchell will continue to listen to any callings sent his way, whether it's a new faith-based book or acting project.
He told ComingSoon.net, "I'm just doing everything that God gives me, these ideas, and I just have a leap of faith and just go after it. That's the type of thing I want to show to everybody, just literally go after it. Go after your dreams, any of those ideas. It's not too crazy. Have faith and go for it. And if it doesn't work out, it will. There's always a door that's going to open, so just continue to create."
With an "All That" reboot and sequel to "Good Burger" released over 25 years after the original, Mitchell is doing exactly that. He still feels called to the screen, with his iconic characters continuing to bring joy to kids, including his own. In fact, he told TODAY that his youngest frequently requests bedtime stories in the voice and style of Ed.