On his own: Matt Mitchell on leaving It's a Southern Thing and what's next
Feb. 24—For almost five years, comedian Matt Mitchell entertained Southerners and other fans with his comedic talents on "It's A Southern Thing." Although Mitchell didn't create "It's a Southern Thing," he joined within a month of its launch. Its popularity took off immediately, and Mitchell soon became one of the most familiar faces to fans.
Mitchell, who hails from Walker County, has been creating online comedy for over 10 years. He has had a part in producing over 100 comedy sketches, and according to his website, alostrich.com, they have amassed over 2 billion views on various social media platforms. He has been nominated for two Emmys and was the 2021 recipient of the People's Choice Webby Award for Shortform Comedy Video for his sketch "If Genies Were Southern."
"My first week there, I worked on my very first video there which was 'Fall in the South.' It was a short video, less than a minute, about waking up and being excited about fall and then going outside and it's still blazing hot outside. It was a simple thing, but it went out in the morning and had over a million views by lunch," Mitchell said.
Mitchell made the difficult decision last year to leave "It's a Southern Thing," and he exited quietly. He admits that the decision to leave was something he carried with him, and he had a very difficult time. After talking about it with his wife and family he, with their support, walked away.
"It had been building for the last couple of years. When COVID started, the job changed. Everybody's job changed. I was furloughed, like everybody else. At that point, it was kind of a wake up call. I was making this content but I don't own it, and I am at their mercy. Not only do they own it and I can't do much with it after I give it to them, they furloughed me and I am not getting paid while the videos are still running and they are making all the money. That really pushed me to double down on getting myself established."
Mitchell had been producing content prior to going to work for "It's a Southern Thing" so, while furloughed, he began focusing on new videos for his own pages. According to Mitchell, this upset the leadership of "It's a Southern Thing" and caused a strain on relationships there.
He said, "It never really got repaired over the last two years. Looking back, I should have left then, but it is so difficult because I spent so much time and so many ideas and everything just poured into that. I knew walking away meant I was leaving that all behind and in somebody else's hands completely. It was difficult to let go of it, but I had to."
"I decided 'I am not going to create anymore things that I could just do on my own,'" Mitchell said. "They are a big business, and I think that's what a lot of people didn't think because we were the faces of it. At the end of the day, they are a big company so it's all about increasing revenue and making it as profitable as possible. Sometimes, that comes at the sacrifice of what your original vision was or what the creatives actually want to do. We aren't in the room when they make those business decisions."
Since departing, Mitchell has been putting out videos out once a week and they have been very popular.
"A lot of people hadn't realized I had left, because the videos I have been making are still popping up in their feeds. It was pretty heavy on the SEC Roll Call videos I was doing during football season. That started almost immediately after I left."
When the football season ended, he had to shift gears and get back to his talents of sketch comedy videos and of course, all things southern are still his focus.
"I am doing more Southern comedy sketches, and those are doing great. I am reaching that wider audience. I don't think people realize, because my video's in their feed and they see a familiar face and they never saw that I left, and 'It's a Southern Thing' never said anything about me leaving."
It has been very frustrating to Mitchell that his videos, his image, and images of his family are still being used by "It's a Southern Thing."
"It's not been great and very frustrating that they won't sever those ties and they are still making money, and I am not getting any of it," Mitchell said.
Besides making new videos, Mitchell hosts trivia and music trivia nights in Jasper and Cullman. He receives requests to do standup comedy.
"I don't have a set ready. The videos are my priority right now. If I was sit down and write down a set to perform, I would have to practice it. It would eat up my time, and I would have to travel. I have two little kids, so I am lucky to be able to make a living and stay here at home. Maybe when they are older and teenagers, I will want to get away from them and I can get on the road, but right now, I want to stay home," Mitchell said.
Mitchell will be continuing his "Bless Your Rank" videos, and his newest episode will be released March 31. In the new video, he will have a fun time ranking milkshakes. To see all of Mitchell's videos and to subscribe, visit alostrich.com
"I am super appreciate that people are watching this still. Even after I left, it blows my mind that people want to watch these videos and letting me do this for a living. People ask 'what can I do to support you?' The main thing is, watch the videos and sit through the ad, please. That's how I make my money. That's enough for me. I'm not trying to build a mansion over here in Walker County," Mitchell said.
