Kenan Thompson, Damon Wayans Jr. And More Respond To Kel Mitchell's Update After Hospitalization 'Scare'

Kel Mitchell on SNL
(Image credit: NBC)

As fans await the arrival of the meatiest sequel of 2023 — I’m obviously talking about Good Burger 2 — star Kel Mitchell experienced a medical situation that sounded anything but good. Thankfully, the actor was able to pull through the initial scare, and shared an update with fans indicating that he was back on the path to full health, which sparked some positive responses from his longtime buddy and occasional co-star Kenan Thompson, as well as other celebs from the worlds of comedy and television. 

Kel Mitchell's Hospital Update

As it was first reported by TMZ, Kel Mitchell was taken to a hospital in the Los Angeles area on the night of Tuesday, November 7, appearing to be conscious and alert as he was brought in through the emergency room. He seemingly remained in the hospital throughout some of the day on November 8, but was back in the comfort of his own home when he shared an update with his fans, friends and followers on Instagram, saying:

Grateful for the flood of prayers and positive vibes that surrounded me during a genuinely frightening time. The scare was real, but so was the support. With the grace of God and the skill of the medical team, I'm now on the road to recovery at home, embraced by the love of my family. Your kindness has been a lifeline, and I can't thank you enough. Much love to each of you. ❤️🙏🏽💪🏾

It’s still not entirely clear what the root of the problem was that sent Mitchell to the hospital in the first place, but it sounds like it was indeed fairly serious. Hopefully not so serious that his road to recovery is a hard and winding one, however. With the SAG-AFTRA strike now over, he’ll no doubt be eager to finally start promoting Good Burger 2 with fervor, but presumably not until he’s healthy enough to travel and make public appearances. I mean, given how well his last SNL cameo went during Keke Palmer’s ep, he just has to make another one in the next week or two, right?

Kenan Thompson And More Share Support For Kel Mitchell

Understandably, the All That vet’s post was quickly flooded with positive responses, not just from fans hopeful for his recovery, but also quite a few famous faces, some of which Mitchell has shared the screen with over the years. The most notable of the bunch is arguably SNL’s longest running cast member, Kenan Thompson, but check out some of the other stars who spread the love.

  • Kenan Thompson: 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
  • Damon Wayans Jr: Glad you’re feeling better my brother ♥️💪🏾
  • Yvette Nicole Brown: Glad you’re on the mend, friend!❤️
  • Nakia Burrise: Praying for healing my friend
  • Finesse Mitchell: 💪🏾🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽. Prayers answered

Not that those were the only celebs who shared optimism and support on Kel Mitchell’s update. He also earned some good vibes and prayer hands from 90 Day Fiancé franchise host Shaun Robinson, gospel singer Yolanda Adams, Mayor of Kingstown star Michael Beach, A Black Lady Sketch Show’s Gabrielle Dennis, stand-up comedian Affion Crockett, Power Rangers franchise vet Karan Ashley and more. 

While waiting on more updates about Kel Mitchell's recovery, check him out in fine form in the Good Burger 2 trailer below.

Good Burger 2 will be available to stream on November 17 with a Paramount+ subscription, but you can check out Kel Mitchell's A+ cameos in A Black Lady Sketch Show with a Max subscription.

Nick Venable
Assistant Managing Editor

Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper.  Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.