Kel Mitchell Talks New Book "Prank Day," Nostalgia, & Stepping Out On Faith
Kel Mitchell is living a truly blessed life!
It's not often that a person gets to chat it up with one of the most iconic figures from their childhood, and that was the case when TV Fanatic caught up with the '90s icon, comedian, two-time Emmy nominee and all-around ray of sunshine, Kel Mitchell to talk about his latest venture.
While we don't have too much information about the rumors circulating around a Good Burger revival, there was plenty to discuss outside of that, particularly about the debut of his second book, Prank Day.
Speaking of Good Burger, the cult hit just celebrated its 25th anniversary over the summer, something that we couldn't help joking about because there's no way it has been that long, right?
"I was a kid when it started, a teen, so the 25 doesn't hit too hard. We're still young; we're still young," Mitchell jokes.
From Good Burger to All That and the Kenan & Kel Show, not only has Kel been the face of a generation, but with streaming networks airing all of his work, he's become a familiar face that spans generations.
We had to ask him how it feels to have that type of impact, and the humble star took it all in stride. "It's an awesome feeling. It's a humble feeling."
While many know Mitchell best as a comedian and actor, he's walked quite the impressive and inspiring path. He found his calling in youth ministry, and with a powerful testimony, charisma, and ability to connect with others, he's excelled as a youth pastor.
"With every experience, when you've got through something in your life, it's so important to let others know how you got through. A lot of people are dealing with a lot of depression, a lot of mental health... if you can help someone by telling your story or just through your actions, giving someone a hug, showing them a smile, talking about a joyous thing, some people don't hear joy every day. It's important for us to bring heaven to earth."
Mitchell radiates positivity and good vibes, and he definitely can make you smile. And that's why his latest venture into a children's book is suitable for him.
Prank Day is his brainchild and the second book he's written. Mitchell made his author debut with Blessed Mode: 90 Days to Level Up Your Faith, an inspiring book of devotion.
And he's hopeful that his days as an author are only just beginning.
He shared that his parents used to make him read books all the time when he was young. He'd have to put on full performances to them, and that love for books sparked an interest in creating stories of his own.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r36ZTmxu7Vk
The premise of Prank Day is "What if all the April Fool's jokes came to fruition on April 2," and from there, the story came to life.
Prank Day follows a young protagonist, Chase, who orchestrates a series of epic pranks that take on a life of their own the day after April Fools.
Of course, all of it gets away from him, so he must come clean and set everything right again while also navigating his crush on Zoe.
It's the type of comedy-fantasy adventure that appeals to tweens, but it's fun-filled comedy for the entire family. Adults will be as enthralled by the book as the kids they're reading it to, which makes it all the better.
With its diverse characters, endearing storyline, life lessons, and fantastic illustration by the acclaimed Santy Gutierrez, it's the perfect addition to any family's book collection.
And make no mistake, Prank Day got the stamp of approval from Mitchell's children. He shared that his youngest daughter was the one to approve the cover.
Mitchell's passion comes through when discussing Prank Day; if you didn't already want to get it, he's quite the salesman when making his pitch.
"If you want to laugh out loud at zany, wacky story and also feel good about this adventure, it's going to literally give you all the fun feels that you had when you were a kid, and for the kids, you're going to go on an adventure. It's going to have a great ending, and you're going to be smiling."
Mitchell is an incredibly busy man. When he's not blessing us with books, he's also on MTV's Deliciousness. And he's working on a Christmas movie that he was pretty mum about, so we'll have to stay tuned for more information.
Prank Day released on September 6, so you can grab a copy or two in stores or online now!
To keep up to date with Kel Mitchell, you can follow him on Instagram and Twitter. Also, don't forget to check out his website for more of his work, merchandise, or if you need some uplifting and food for the soul.
Check out our full interview with Kel below.