Top 20 Hispanic Comedians in the Entertainment Industry

Top 20 Hispanic Comedians in the Entertainment Industry

Hispanic simply refers to a person of Latin American descent especially of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin living in the U.S. According to my research tis comedians are important in society and play a big role such as helping the audience fight depression and relieve stress. They provide a much-needed escape from everyday anxieties. They also use humor to highlight social issues in society, cultural norms, political issues, and challenging perspectives. Other than entertaining, they also use comedy to educate.

some example of Hispanic Comedians I have discussed in this article include Gabriel Iglesias, Joey Diaz, and Franco Escamilla among many others.  I would say Hispanic Comedians are important today as they are helping break down barriers and also challenging stereotypes by representing a growing and influential voice in the entertainment industry. They serve as a bridge between cultures, promoting understanding and laughter.

1. Gabriel Iglesias

Gabriel is one of the top most fantastic Hispanic Comedians having produced several stand-up specials for television outlets such as Comedy Central and Netflix such as ‘I’m Not Fat…I’m Fluffy and Hot& Fluffy’. He has appeared in many live-action and animated TV shows and Films such as starring in the sitcom Mr. Iglesias on Netflix where he played Tobias in the 2012 movie Magic Mike and its 2015 Sequel.

Other than comics, he has hosted some shows such as ‘Stand Up Revolution’ on Comedy Central and Fluff’s Food Adventures on Fuse. Can you all believe that this amazing comedian superstar was one of the top 10 paid comedians in the world in 2018? This is a guiding proof that he is one of the most fantastic Hispanic comedians in the entertainment industry.

2. Joey Diaz

Joey is a Cuban-American stand-up- up comedian, actor, podcast, and author. He has been active in the entertainment industry since 1991. He performed his first comic show on 18th June 1991 at the Comedy Works in Denver at a show headlined by Matt Woods. Over the years in the comedy industry, he has participated in some competitions and has won some. Some of his stand-up shows include It’s Either You or the Priest which was ranked number one on the Billboard comedy charts in the UK and Canada, and also number one on iTunes.

He is also a pioneer in the comedy podcast world. He had his own podcast show known as “The Church of What’s Happening Now”. It is one of the most popular comedy podcasts in the world featuring long-form conversations with fellow comedians, friends, and interesting guests.

3. Franco Escamilla

Franco is a Mexican comedian, voice actor, musician, philanthropist, businessman, freestyler, and founder of La Diablo Squad. He is famously known for his comedy shows which he has performed throughout the Mexican Republic and all through Latin America. He has done a “World Tour” for his comedic show in countries such as Australia, Japan, the United States of America, and Europe leading to sold-out nights in Los Angeles, Paris, London, Barcelona, and many others.

Franco’s fame made him the first comedian to appear at the National Auditorium and other important venues in Mexico such as the Arena Ciudad de Mexico. In February 2020, he became the first Latin comedian to appear at Carnegie Hall in New York. Some of his stand-up specials include: “Comedians of the World”, “For the Anecdote”, “Welcome to the World”, and “Eavesdropping” on Netflix.

4. Felipe Esparza

Felipe is a Mexican-born American Stand-up comedian and actor. He debuted in comedy in 1994. His stand-up involves the activity of everyday situations and spins them into hilarious gold.

He tackles everything from cultural differences to family life, and struggles of being “The main Mexican” in a diverse household. He is an honest man who doesn’t hold back. He tells it like it is, even if it is about his own shortcomings. He won “Last Comic Standing” in 2010.

5. Cheech Marin

Cheech is an American comedian, actor, musician, and activist. Marin participated in several comedy albums and feature film comedies in the 1970s and 1980s. One of his highly successful comedy duos is Cheech & Chong which was formed alongside Tommy Chong in the late 1960s.

Cheech & Chong explored counterculture themes mostly focusing on drug humor. Beyond Cheech & Chong, he has built a successful solo stand-up career over decades. His observation humor delves into his Mexican-American upbringing, family life, and cultural experiences.

6. Cristela Alonzo

Cristela is an American actress, stand-up comedian, writer, and producer. She is the first Mexican American woman to create, produce, write, and star in her own US primetime comedy. She debuted into comedy in 2003 immediately after her mother died. She says that comedy was a way to process her grief and talk about her mom and her family.

In 2006, she was hired to write on a Comedy Central show. She joined a team of comedian Carlos Mencia and several other comics but after two years she left the team. Later, she spent a lot of time on the road doing college comedy shows where she found a lot of success.

7. Tom Segura

Tom Segura is an American stand-up comedian, writer, author, actor, and podcaster. He began stand-up comedy immediately after graduating from Lenoir-Rhyne University. He once revealed that at the beginning, he was doing comedy in the evenings for the first few years while holding down other daytime jobs.

He has performed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, The Comedy Festival, the Global Comedy Festival in Vancouver, and the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival. He has been active in the entertainment industry since 2001 and has been giving amazing content hence pleasing his audience.

8. Al Madrigal

Madrigal is an American comedian, writer, actor, and producer. Madrigal’s stand-up comedy is a story- based which centers on his personal life, family, and the confusion caused by his multiethnic background.

He began his career in San Francisco’s comedy clubs as a solo performer and a member of the sketch group Fresh Robots which he co-founded. He has won several wins such as the jury award for best stand-up comedian at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen Colorado in 2004.

9. Anjelah Johnson

Anjelah is an American actress, stand-up comedian, and former NFL Cheerleader. Her motivation to join stand-up comedy came after a friend suggested that she join a joke-writing class. Her stand-up routine, comprising her impression of a Vietnamese nail salon employee, received a lot of attention on YouTube.

Her work as a comedian has received awards and recognition. In 2018, she was nominated for an ALMA Award for Outstanding Female Performance in a Comedy Television Series for her work on MADtv. She was given her own one-hour Comedy Central special, “Anjelah Johnson: That’s How We Do It”, in 2009.

10. Melissa Villasenor

Melissa is an American comedian and actress. She started performing stand-up comedy at the age of 15 at the Laugh Factory Comedy Camp in Hollywood. She auditioned for her first late-night sketch comedy show known as “Saturday Night Live” in 2009 where she did several impressions unfortunately she was not hired.

Melissa is the second Latina cast member after Noel Wells who is a quarter Mexican, and the first Latina to be promoted to repertory status. Her success and fame came when she was hired to join the cast of the NBC Sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live ahead of the show’s 42nd season in 2016.

11. Steve Trevino

Steve is an American stand-up comedian, writer, and producer. He has been active in the entertainment industry since 1997 at the age of 19. At an early age when he was debuting into comedy, he volunteered to take the club’s headlining comedians to promotional radio interviews.

One of Steve’s gigs came at the age of 19 when he opened for Carlos Mencia. He has released three stand-up specials the first of which was filmed for Showtime, the second on Netflix, and the third on Amazon Prime Video.

12. Horatio Sanz

Horatio is a Chilean-American actor and comedian. Sanz is best known for his tenure as a cast member on the NBC Sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1998 to 2006. He trained his improvisational skills at Chicago’s prestigious Second City and co-founded the Upright Citizens Brigade with Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, and Ian Roberts.

Till today he regularly performs with the UCB troupe in their long-running show “ASSSSCAT 3000” where he shows his comedic agility and way of generating spontaneous laughs.

13. Paul Rodriguez

Paul is a Mexican American actor and a stand-up comedian. He is the owner of the Laugh Factory comedy venue in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S. His comedy has received awards and recognition. In 2004, Comedy Central ranked him at No. 74 on its list of the “100 Greatest Standups of all time”.

He was also recognized with the “Humanitarian of the Year Award” by the city of Fresno for his work in the area of water conservation. His Comedy specials cover issues that are of concern to the Latino Community. Besides acting and stand-up comedian, he is a known charity worker.

14. Frankie Quinones

Frankie is a Mexican American stand-up comedian and actor from Los Angeles. From a young age, he knew he was destined for humor. He used a sprinkler head as a stand-in for a microphone to entertain his family. 

He is well known for his role as ‘Creeper’ in the Sketch comedy web series CholoFit and his lead role in Hulu’s This Fool. He hosted his own sketch comedy show on HBO Max known as “Frankie Quinones: Superhomies” showcasing his talent for creating quirky and hilarious characters and absurd situations.

15. Dustin Ybarra

Dustin is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He has been active in the entertainment industry since 2009. He began his stand-up career in Texas where he was a finalist in the Funniest Dallas Comic and Funniest Comic in Texas competitions.

He has graced national stages like Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club and Comedy Central’s alongside seasoned comedic veterans thus proving his stand-up prowess.

16. Aida Rodriguez

Aida is an American comedian of Puerto Rican/ Dominican descent who is best known for her appearance as a contestant on the eighth season of Last Comic Standing and as a commentator on The Young Turks. She has been active in the entertainment industry since 2007. She joined the comedy industry shortly after she divorced her husband. She explains that she turned to comedy for healing. 

She is a five-time host of the Imagen Awards which recognizes “the positive portrayal and creative excellence of Latinos and Latino cultures on screen. While still in this industry, she met Tiffany Haddish who has proven to be a long-time friend and a strong advocate for women of color comics.

17. Chris Estrada

Chris is an American comedian, writer, and producer. He began his comic career when he was 29 years old. He went to Maverick’s Flat to perform his first open mic and since then he has been performing stand-up comedy. In 2018, he was recognized by Time Out LA. As one of ten comics to watch. In 2021, Vulture named him to the list of “Comedians You Should and Will Know”.

18. Julio Torres

Julio is a writer, comedian, and actor. Besides comedy, he spent four years writing for Saturday Night Live, crafting some of the show’s most bizarre and beloved digital shorts such as “Papyrus” and “Wells for Boys” where he showed his ability to turn unlikely themes into comedic gold. His mother and sister have really collaborated and supported him to achieve his comedy passion.

19. John Leguizamo

John is an American actor, comedian, and film producer. He began his career as a stand-up comedian in New York City. He has One-Man shows such as “Freak” and “Latin History for Morons” which are his big masterpieces. His comedy explores themes such as race, identity, and history with raw honesty and biting humor.

 He is also known to dive deep into his Latino culture. He is more than just a funny guy. He is a cultural icon, fearless satirist, and a talented artist who leaves a lasting impact through his powerful humor and thought-provoking storytelling.

20. Daniel Sosa: Sosafado

Daniel is a Netflix stand-up comedy special by Mexican comic Daniel Sosa, his first stand-up special for Netflix. His stand-up revolves around relatable everyday situations such as awkward phone calls, and navigating family dynamics, but interconnects them with his quick wit and unexpected observations. He addresses Mexican customs and stereotypes with a playful and insightful approach.

Hispanic comedians are great people as they all impact differently in society. All this listed above and many others have portrayed their comedy skills and each one of them has something that they pass in their comedy. It is advisable to search each one of them and listen to their comedies.