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Carlos Mencia
The telling sign of a great stand-up is the ability to reach a diverse audience by pointing out the hypocrisies in our society. From time to time, a select few with the perfect combination of perception and delivery, commitment and determination, and an original, distinctive point of view, break out. And, after years of hard work honing their craft, a handful rise to the top, eventually becoming household names. Carlos Mencia is on the verge, accomplishing this with select television projects and live performances. Carlos Mencia just signed a multi-part deal with Parallel Records to be distributed by Warner-Electra-Asylum (WEA), one the industry’s leading labels. For the first time, two "versions" of one album will be recorded. The first (in English) will be recorded next weekend, Friday, February 26 and Saturday, February 27, 1999 at ComedyWorks. In May, a Spanish version of this album will be recorded live in San Antonio. The album(s) will be released simultaneously in late summer, 1999. Carlos was studying electrical engineering at Cal State Los Angeles and holding down a full-time job at Farmers’ Insurance when he went up on amateur night at the Laugh Factory. Three minutes into his routine he drew a blank, told the audience bluntly that he had run out of material, and walked off the stage. The reaction was incredible and the owner, who thought the lines were part of his routine, told him never to stop doing comedy. One month later, Carlos showcased the The Comedy Store and became a regular, performing nightly. In 1989, he was invited to appear on Buscando Estrellas, the Spanish version of Star Search. His set brought down the house, earning him the title of International Comedy Grand Champion. Soon after, Carlos’ appearances at the Store, Laugh Factory and L. A. Cabaret helped build a loyal following, creating a buzz in the industry. This led to successive guest spots on several television shows including Fox’s In Living Color, The Arsenio Hall Show, A & E’s An Evening at the Improv, and The Paul Rodriguez Show. In 1993, Carlos served as host of KTLA’s innovative showcase series, Comedy Compadres. When not performing, Carlos spends his time with his family and close friends, enjoying the fruits of his labors. He aims to serve as a role model to youth as his popularity increases. "I grew up in the projects and I know how important it is for kids to have hope. I want them to look at me and say, ‘Man, I could do that."’ And, though the concept of laughter as a unifying force is not uncommon, Carlos Mencia is taking action to make it a reality in daily life. Carlos talked about whether Hispanics or non Hispanics support his act. "It doesn’t matter" if the product is good, all buy it, if it is bad no one buys it.
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