The west coast comedy scene mourns the untimely passing of comedian/show promoter Michael “Big Mike” Mitchell. Big Mike was highly respected by his comedic peers as one of the most recognizable underground figures in all of Southern California. His life ending unexpectedly at the age of 47, Mitchell will forever be remembered for his larger than life smile and personality among comedians, as well as his ability to produce premier comedy shows at historic comedy clubs throughout the golden coast featuring a stellar blend of talented newcomers with established comedy legends.
Following the news of his death on Saturday, February 6th, many notable comedians, including Adam Hunter, Maija Di Giorgio, London Brown, and more, took to social media to pay tribute to their fallen friend and comedic brother.
Since the early 2000s, Mitchell has been glorified for his generosity when it came to up-and-coming comedians, as he’s connected to many of today’s popular comedians’ first comedy sets once they arrived in Los Angeles. Big Mike could not only teach you the basic rules that every comedian needs in order to maintain a positive reputation, but he was also quite the performer, headlining at various comedy clubs such as The World Famous Comedy Store, The Ice House Comedy Club, and The HaHa Comedy Club.
“Shocked by the loss of Mike Mitchell 🙂 Big Mike was one of the first guys to put me on his shows in LA. We had lots of fun times hanging at the Jon Lovitz Comedy Club when I first came to LA. Every now and then he would hit me up to close out some of his shows from the Improvs to the Mad House in San Diego. Definitely appreciated him and respected his work ethic. He gave a lot of comics opportunities to shine. This is definitely a big loss to the comedy community. RIP Mike Mitchell.” said Netflix “Cooking with Cannabis” comedian Vince Royale. He shared various photos of Big Mike and himself on his facebook page.
Ty Barnett, 2006 NBC “Last Comic Standing” runner-up, shared his thoughts on his friendship with Mitchell and his sudden passing.
“Wow, heard the news last night and still can’t believe it. Mike Mitchell was always cool, supportive and down-to-earth…which is hard to find in HOLLYWOOD. Sad to hear about his passing but happy to see all the outpouring of LOVE for this brotha, who was most definitely gone too soon. R.I.P my dude. Peace.” he wrote.
Showtime/MTV comedian Kate Quigley posted a photo and kind words in regards to her early days in comedy paying homage to Big Mike.
“Very sad loss. I really really liked this guy so much more than 99% of the fake ass motherfuckers in this town. Not many people gave me more stage time when I was a young (awful) comic. Never tried to bang me. Always treated me like one of the boys. Talked me up to anyone who would listen. Great guy. And honesty, Whether you liked him or not, one thing is for sure… there was almost no comic in town who didn’t get put up on at least one Big Mike Show. He was a legend man! “U will be so missed buddy. ” She writes.
MMA Roasted podcast host and Last Comic Standing alum Adam Hunter took to Twitter to share his gratitude and farewell to Big Mike the only way Hunter knows how saying “RIP Big Mike! Thanks for the hundreds of shows you had me on and for all the laughs. I’m sure you are producing a 5-hour show in Heaven with 97 comics.”
A father of three beautiful daughters, Big Mike’s time on earth may have come to an end far too soon, but his love for his family and friends will continue to live on. The comedy world will never forget the incredible contribution that Mitchell left to the genre. He never had a standalone comedy special on streaming sites nor was the star of a hit TV show, but with the hundreds of comedians that he helped find their footing throughout the years, leaves a legacy set to last longer than he could’ve ever dreamed and that’s matter most in life. Rest In Paradise Big Mike!
