THE FLUFFY SIDE OF COMEDY
It takes persistence to become a stand-up comic, but Gabriel Iglesias’ comedy quest bordered on extreme recklessness. He chucked his real job to apply himself full time to being a funnyman, getting evicted from his home and losing his car in the process. “It was passion more than anything else that kept me going,” says the California-born Iglesias. “I just really wanted to do it.” He persevered and, after several years, the buzz started to build. Initially riffing mostly on his oversize girth — “I’m not fat, I’m fluffy!” was a trademark quip — Iglesias has expanded his stage act to include personal storytelling and sly parodies. His two in-performance DVDs have sold a million copies, and he’s now performing for audiences of up to 12,000. The genial and polished comic also does Hollywood work that has ranged from playing a DJ in Magic Mike to doing character voices in animated movies like Planes and Haunted House 2. His Victoria debut is likely to be a sellout. Expect a few fat jokes, sure, but mostly plan on laughing at some of the finest comedy you’ll hear this year. “I just keep it broad and friendly,” shrugs Iglesias. “I stay away from politics and religion.” Appearing October 5, 7:30 pm, at UVic’s Farquhar Auditorium. For tickets, call 250.721.8480.
The genial, polished comedian Gabriel Iglesias, also known as Fluffy, comes to Victoria October 5. 75