Fluffy is the new fat, at least according to Latino comedian, Gabriel Iglesias. Larger than life (in more than one way), Iglesias is an over-the-top, quirky comedian known for his giant Hawaiian shirts and ability to imitate a variety of voices. With such a boisterous, in-your-face style of humor, Iglesias doesn’t come across as your average Joe. In a recent interview with The Badger Herald, Iglesias discussed his rise to comedy fame and what fans should expect to see at his show Sunday.
“[I knew I wanted to be a comedian] since I was 10 years old. My mom likes to go play bingo and she couldn’t afford a sitter. She took me to the video store and let me pick out movies, and the videos became my babysitter. We didn’t live in the best areas, so I wasn’t outside a lot — I was inside watching TV,” Iglesias said.
Today, Iglesias has ventured from his own television set to the rest of America’s television screens. He can be seen in various television shows, starting from “All That” in 2000 and eventually taking sixth place on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.” And Iglesias still has more on his plate — his latest Comedy Central special, “I’m Not Fat, I’m Fluffy: Live from El Paso,” will premiere on Nov. 7.
“The special is about myself and how I’ve changed from a guy who used to party all the time who now has a family and all the things I’m going through. It relates a lot more to everybody,” Iglesias said.
Part of Iglesias’ charm comes from the fact he is more than just a Latino comedian, but a guy who everyone can enjoy because of his realistic yet entertaining delivery.
“You know, when someone talks about ‘Seinfeld,’ they don’t say ‘Jewish comedian.’ I don’t want to talk about one theme. According to where I’m at, that’s what I’ll base my material on. … I just feel it (being labeled a Latino comedian) pigeonholes you,” Iglesias said. “I just feel like whenever they put the title ‘Latino Comic,’ it separates you, and I don’t want to be separated. I want to be part of the big picture.”
Iglesias’ choice of material is definitely part of everyone’s big picture. Whether he’s making fun of cops eating donuts or trying to get away with drunken driving, his stories always have something an audience member can identify with.
“It’s all based on real events, real things that have happened to me, things that I’m going through, issues with my girlfriend or my friends. I try to make it as realistic as possible. So when people leave the theater, they know exactly who they saw. The person and the story is really me,” Iglesias said.
But the main thing for Iglesias isn’t just making people laugh but the special connection made when he’s on stage.
“I enjoy how the people come up to me afterwards and let me know that I could let them forget all the problems that they’re going through. I just feel that I have this connection with people.”
Gabriel Iglesias will perform at the Barrymore Theatre Sunday, Oct. 11, at 7:30 p.m. He promises he’s available to fans after every show.
