On this day in comedy on July 15, 1976 Comedian, Actor, Writer, Producer, Voice-Over Artist, Gabriel Iglesias (Gabriel J. Iglecias) known professionally as Fluffy was born in San Diego, California.
Like most successful comedians, Iglesias came from a poor background. He was raised by a single mother along with his five siblings in Section 8 housing. When he was old enough to work he got a job at a cell phone company. When he thought about giving comedy a try of course his family tried to talk him out of it. Stay at the job for security. Don’t risk it. Where will you be able to get another job at a cell phone company? He tried to do both and like most successful comedians, failed. Comedy requires concentration. So in 1997 he left his job, lost his car and got evicted.
Iglesias stuck to his guns. He struggled on the circuit in the San Gabriel Valley, L. A. and Inland Empire and made a name for himself. With his signature Hawaiian shirt and infectious smile, Iglesias built a formidable fan base. It was increased when he appeared on Nickelodeon’s All That with Nick Cannon. In 2006 he was finalist on Last Comic Standing, but got eliminated for smuggling in a Blackberry against the rules and not for comedy related reasons. Other standup shows he performed on were Premium Blend, Comedy Central Presents, Live at Gotham and Just for Laughs.
Gabriel Iglesias has had a fine film career (El Matador, Magic Mike, A Haunted House 2, Magic Mike XXL), television (My Wife and Kids) and a healthy Internet presence. He loves to do voice-over work and he’s has the pleasure on Family Guy, The Emperor’s New School, Planes, The Nut Job, El Americano: The Movie, The Book of Life, Norm of the North, The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange and Blazing Samurai.
Over the course of his career, Iglesias released three albums and scored big with his specials, Gabriel Iglesias: I’m Not Fat . . . I’m Fluffy, Hot and Fluffy Aloha Fluffy: Parts 1 and 2. Comedy Central is the home of his highly acclaimed show, Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand Up Revolution. His reality show on Fuse TV is entitled, Fluffy Breaks Even.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
Check out this clip:
