By RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com, originally filed July 22, 2012
Comedy actor Finesse Mitchell joined "Saturday Night Live" in 2003 with fellow Atlanta native Kenan Thompson.
Thompson, who showed more skill for impersonations and more experience in sketch comedy from his days on Nickelodeon, is still there nearly a decade later.
Mitchell lasted three years. In a recent interview, he said he didn't leverage his fame well while he was on the show. When he left, he said, he lost that leverage.
His post-"SNL" career didn't take off. He wrote an advice book, "Your Girlfriends Only Know So Much" in 2007, provided relationship advice for Essence magazine, got married in 2008, then divorced last year.
"I guess I should have (written) an advice book for men instead of women," he said.
But Mitchell could pay the bills as a stand-up comic. And his acting career is starting to gain traction.
After "SNL," Mitchell nabbed a few film roles ("Who's Your Caddy?" "Mad Money"), but living in Miami, he felt disconnected from Hollywood. So after he divorced in 2011, he moved back to Los Angeles.
Within two weeks, he nabbed a role on a new Disney show, "A.N.T. Farm," as fellow former Atlantan and lead China Anne McClain's cop dad. The show has been a solid hit, which means job security for Mitchell.
"I love being on Disney," he said. "But I do want to get back to my adult fan base, too."
He's able to do that with a multi-episode arc as a bus driver-boyfriend on VH1's "Single Ladies," shot in Atlanta.
Mitchell acknowledges he's nothing like a blue-collar bus driver. "I'm a male diva," he said with a chuckle. "I like nice suits, designer shades, the big trailer."
Mitchell also recently participated in a cheesy new dating show on Fox called "The Choice." It blatantly steals the revolving chairs from NBC's "The Voice." The men (and a few women) pick dates based on voice only.
As a newly single man, Mitchell jumped aboard for free publicity. "I think for the record, I'm supposed to say, 'This is a great idea,'" he said, a twinkle in his eye.
He hopes one day to be as powerful as comedian Dave Chappelle, who lives outside Dayton, Ohio. Chappelle once showed his friend Mitchell around town, but Chappelle attracted no attention. Instead, people wanted to meet Mitchell. "It was crazy!" he said.
He said if he blew up like Chappelle, he wouldn't run away the way Chappelle did. "I know fame and money drives the best of us crazy. Let's just say I'm looking forward to going crazy!"
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