Finesse Mitchell
Finesse Mitchell | |
---|---|
Born |
Alfred Langston Mitchell[1] June 12, 1972 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
Occupation | Actor, comedian, author |
Years active | 1999–present |
Spouse(s) |
Jessica Santos (2008–2011) Adris Debarge (2013–present) |
Website | www.finessemitchell.com |
Alfred Langston "Finesse" Mitchell (born June 12, 1972) is an American actor, author and stand-up comedian. From 2003 to 2006, he was a cast member on Saturday Night Live.[2] Mitchell has also appeared on such television shows as Showtime at the Apollo, BET's ComicView, Comedy Central Presents, Disney's A.N.T. Farm and NBC's Late Friday.
Early life
Finesse Mitchell was born in Atlanta. He is a graduate of the University of Miami, where he was a member of the football team and the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.[2]
Career
Mitchell made his first television appearance on BET’s Comic View in 1999 where he instantly became a favorite among the show’s loyal followers. Shortly after Comic View, Mitchell moved to both Los Angeles and New York City where he had several appearances on The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn and two on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
In 2003, Mitchell became a featured player on Saturday Night Live. After two seasons, in 2005 he was promoted to full cast member.[3] His screen time was drastically reduced after this promotion.[4] On September 20, 2006, Saturday Night Live announced that the show was dropping Mitchell, Chris Parnell and Horatio Sanz from the show due to budget cuts.
After his stint on SNL, he has continued to perform stand-up comedy and appeared in the films Who's Your Caddy? The Comebacks and Mad Money.[5]
From 2008 to 2009, Mitchell made several appearances on The Today Show as a guest correspondent and on Tyra and Chelsea Lately as a guest panelist. In 2010, he appeared in the Comedy Central sketch series Nick Swardson's Pretend Time.
With the help of Quincy Jones’s son, QD3, Mitchell released his stand-up comedy available on DVD entitled Snap Famous. He is also a writer and offers relationship advice in Essence magazine. His 2007 book, Your Girlfriends Only Know So Much, gives dating advice to African-American women.[1][6]
In 2012, he participated in Fox's dating game show The Choice.[7][8] Mitchell also plays Darryl Parks, Chyna's (China Anne McClain) father, and a recurring character on the hit Disney Channel sitcom A.N.T. Farm.[8][9]
In the stand-up comedy space, Finesse was a member of the 2014 Shaq All-Star Comedy Jam tour. He further shined on the SHAQ All-Star one-hour comedy special taped in Atlanta, GA which aired on SHOWTIME.
In January 2015, Mitchell, a supporter of the men and women in the armed forces, appeared at Ron White’s Comedy Salute to the Troops. The live event from Las Vegas was recorded for airing at a later date on Country Music Television (CMT), and all proceeds benefit the Armed Forces Foundation. In February 2015, Mitchell hit the road with Cameron Crowe and producer J.J. Abrams for the Showtime Network’s new comedy pilot Roadies. In March 2015, he played a role in HBO’s new comedy pilot Brothers in Atlanta. The show is executive produced by Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live) with Tim Story directing. Mitchell appears in the film Barely Lethal in May 2015.
Recurring characters on Saturday Night Live
- Starkisha, a stereotypically ghetto woman with a bad attitude.
Celebrity impressions on Saturday Night Live
- 50 Cent
- Al Reynolds
- Andre 3000
- apl.de.ap
- Bobby Brown
- BooG!e
- Colin Powell
- Corey Clark
- Donovan McNabb
- Ed Lover
- Gayle King
- Kelis
- Kevin Eubanks
- Kobe Bryant
- Michael Powell
- Morgan Freeman
- O. J. Simpson
- Sean Combs
- R. Kelly
- Ralph Carter (as Michael Evans on Good Times)
- Ray Nagin
- Robbin Grider
- Ron Artest
- Shucky Ducky
- Stephen A. Smith
- Stuart Scott
- Venus Williams
- Willie Gault
Personal life
On September 13, 2008, he married Jessica Santos in Atlanta.[10] On May 20, 2011, Mitchell and Santos divorced. He married again, in September 2013, to Adris DeBarge, daughter of singer El DeBarge.[9][11]
References
- 1 2 Renee Michelle Harris, "FINESSE MITCHELL: Laughing his way to the top", The Broward Times, December 14, 2007 – via HighBeam Research (subscription required) .
- 1 2 Jinelle Shengulette, "Comedian Finesse Mitchell to perform at the Comedy Club", Democrat and Chronicle, June 3, 2014.
- ↑ "Finesse Mitchell Aims High on 'SNL', New York Post, republished at foxnews.com, July 31, 2005.
- ↑ Megh Wright, "Saturday Night's Children: Finesse Mitchell (2003-2006)", Splitsider, October 17, 2012.
- ↑ William Loeffler, "Former SNL Comic Finesse Mitchell Returns to His Standup Roots", Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, May 17, 2007 – via HighBeam Research (subscription required) .
- ↑ Leila Noelliste, Book Review: Your Girlfriends Only Know So Much: A Brother's Take on Dating and Mating for Sistas, Chicago Defender, December 12, 2007 – via HighBeam Research (subscription required) .
- ↑ Hibberd, James (May 8, 2012). "Fox's 'The Choice' cast revealed! Joe Jonas, Dean Cain, The Situation, many more -- EXCLUSIVE". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
- 1 2 Rodney Ho, "TV: A Second Act for Atlanta Comic Finesse Mitchell", The Press of Atlantic City, July 22, 2012 – via HighBeam Research (subscription required) .
- 1 2 Zak Stemer, "Finessing the issue: Finesse Mitchell’s Sunday", Chicago Sun-Times, August 25, 2013.
- ↑ "Finesse Mitchell: Ties the Knot", Essence, December 16, 2009.
- ↑ "Just Married: Comedian Finesse Mitchell Weds Adris DeBarge", Theybf.com, September 22, 2013.
External links
- Finesse Mitchell at the Internet Movie Database
- Finesse Mitchell Official Website
- Finesse Mitchell MySpace Page
- Comedy Central Profile