Gabriel Iglesias, aka “Fluffy” will be performing on his current tour, “One Show Fits All” at the Nutter Center at the end of the month. Fluffy is not only one of the most viewed comedians on the web, but has also sold out some of the countries biggest venues, including Madison Square Garden.
Questions credited to Don Smith, DJ at WWSU 106.9 FM.
How old were you when you started watching stand up comedy?
I was 11 or 12 and it was a VHS copy of Eddie Murphy’s “RAW.”
Who were your biggest influences personally and as a comedian?
First, seeing Eddie Murphy standing on a stage and making people laugh was the first time I realized that was a job that someone could have. Later I would discover Robin Williams and he has another early influence.
If you were able to go back in time, what advice would you give your younger self?
I wish someone had told me to invest in Amazon.
What is the biggest obstacle that you have encountered throughout your standup career?
I’ve been sober for over a year and that has been really tough, but also a great thing. I was really stressed and drinking made it worse. I miss having a drink now and then, but I don’t miss the next morning after drinking when I had to see people worried about me.
Do you prefer to test out new material on friends or fellow comics before taking it on stage, or do you prefer to try out something new on stage first?
Because I am lucky in my career and perform at theaters and arenas - I tend to do smaller club shows to test out new material and I also keep that process up on the road in the bigger rooms. Comics have a lot of opinions, and it’s important for me to hear the reaction from the fans.
At what point did you look around and say, “I’ve made it as a comedian,” or do you feel you have?
There have been a few moments in my career that just make you feel good. One was selling out Madison Square Garden in New York. Last month, I performed and sold out the Staples Center in Los Angeles. That was another one of those times where I really had to pinch myself and tell myself how lucky I am to do what I do.
Do you or have you had any jokes that you tell on stage that never really get the reaction that you hope for but you keep them in because you like them?
I think every comic has those moments and it all depends on the joke. If it really tanks, I might scrap it, or find a way to make it work.
How many times do you try out a new joke before you decide to scrap it?
I don’t think I have ever kept track of a joke like that. I’m not a comic that writes my material down. It’s all in my head.
Playing the large venues, do you still work out new material at clubs from time to time or do you rotate material in throughout a tour?
Yes, I still like to work out new material at clubs from time to time. While I normally perform at theater sized venues, there is something special about the intimacy of a club, sometimes I’ll do a Q&A with the audience to see if that sparks a new story.
Being an extremely successful comedian, actor, voice-actor, etc., what is next in line for Gabriel Iglesias?
You can hear my voice as Sprinkles, a pug, in the Show Dogs film, later this year. I am working on my next stand up special, and maybe a series. Keep following me on social media for the latest updates. You can tell I run my own social media because of the spelling errors and emojis.
Fluffy will be at the Nutter Center on Thursday, March 22 at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m. To find out more information about Fluffy, or to purchase tickets for his show, click here.
