90's Nostalgia Commemorative Issue April 2017 | Page 30

MADEFEATURES MADEXXXX
MADE : So obviously you ' ve mastered the art of improv at a very early age , so tell us more about the process of bringing your talent to life on stage .
KEL : For me , I would definitely say what taught me a lot was theater . Everytime I meet young kids , I always tell them to start out in theater first because theater is take one and there is no take two on stage . You have to be that character in front of that audience and get your lines right . If it ' s physical , you got to really be physical . I remember Runaku Jahi , who was my drama teacher , told me in theater you have to ( if you ' re playing an old man ) from your head all the way down to your toes you have to show that you ’ re an old man so you got to do the leg ... you got to do the hands like " Ugh , now wait a minute . Aye ! Hey boy !" ( laughs ) Now , but if you ' re in television you don ' t have to do the foot shake and the leg shake . The camera shot might be a little closer , but what theater did is it really made me bring it all out . You have to believe that you are that person and I think that ' s the best way to start it off . Really see if you love this because you have to love this craft to be in it . You ’ ve got to really love it . I just love making people laugh . I love stories and I love storytelling and I think that ' s why I ' ve been in it for so long . I just thank God to still be able to do this and still be relevant with new shows . It ’ s definitely a blessing .
MADE : Can you share some of your challenges growing up as an actor and comedian ?
MADE : So through prayer and hard work , you gained insurmountable popularity at an early age but you still were able to have a wife and have kids . What kept you grounded and made you really decide to go that way and not the other way ?
KEL : When I was younger and I got this fame , there are things of course that will go to your head and your decision making is a little bit off so I wasn ' t always like how I am now . I ' ve been through a divorce and things like that . So that ' s why I always say that having that faith and Holy Spirit will definitely put you in the right direction because you have someone to speak to and put you into a direct path . For me in the beginning it was fast - it definitely moves fast . You don ' t know who you can believe are really your friends . You don ' t know who ' s out to get you or you don ' t know who ' s down with you . And all of those things can come at you at once . Then everybody wants something from you and then you have all these fans that are like “ You ’ re the man .” And then you have some friends that will get in your life and be “ Yes men ” instead of saying “ Maybe you shouldn ’ t do that , bruh ". But you can ' t look at that either because a lot of people would look to their fans and other people to tell them who they are . If you want to stay in this business you got to have a good sense of yourself .
MADE : We ’ re sure that was a balance to keep yourself as a man of many faces and impersonations .
KEL : Definitely , I mean you have to have faith . I grew up in the church . I am a Christian and I feel like that really is what helps you . When you know it ' s not about you . You ' re doing it to help others and inspire others . My whole thing is that I want them to see the God in me , the talent that he gave me . I want to show another kid in Chicago growing up on the southside that they can do it as well .
I had a teacher tell me " You ' re not going to amount to anything ." He told me that to my face . He said , “ You ' re going to be just like your friends out here getting shot and getting killed or like your uncles that got murdered .” That ' s what he said to me and what if I would have believed that ? You don ' t have to believe the hate . No matter where you are , no matter where you grew up you can be anything that you want to be . You ’ ve just got to have that faith and know that you can do all things .
MADE :
KEL : You can do all things through Christ and this is true . I definitely have that in my heart . That ' s what definitely helped me . Have I gone astray at times ? Yes . Have there been issues and things that has happened within this business ? Yes , but that ' s why you have to persevere and keep going and having people pray you through . A lot people prayed me through , so keep praying for your kids that they will do well and let God handle it . They ' ll turn out alright . I turned out alright .
KEL : I remember when I was working on Keenan and Kel and All That and all these different shows and when that had ended , then it was a time to say , “ Okay . Let me try to focus on who I really am , you know ? I ' m not the Good Burger guy , I ' m not Coach Kreeton and all these different characters that I play . It ’ s a job for one and also that ' s the creativity that God has given me but who you are as a person has to be separate . If you don ' t separate that , you start getting confused and then you start looking at people like “ Man , I thought you were here for me . I didn ' t know that you were just out to do something else .” Or , “ I thought that this person was going to always be here and always give me jobs or always do this .”
And then you have to really get out there and hustle . You ’ ve got to have that faith but don ' t lose sight of who you are . That ’ s the main thing because people will do that all the time in Hollywood . They tell you to be this person . “ Such and such is hot right now . Be like that person ,” but maybe that ' s not you . Be an innovator . Be someone totally different . Stay in your lane . It will definitely happen . It will take some time , but it will happen .
MADE : That ’ s great so , who are you ? What is the definition of Kel Mitchell .
KEL : What words would define me ? Loving husband . Loving father . I want people to have joy when they are around me . I want to convey that through just
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