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Felipe Esparza

Felipe Esparza

Felipe Esparza (born June 11, 1976) is a stand up comedian and actor. He has done television specials with HBO and Netflix as well his live shows at comedy clubs across the United States. His comedy talks about his experiences as a Mexican American immigrant who grew up in poverty in East Los Angeles. Felipe is also recongnized for his catch phrase, “What’s up, fool?."

Early Life

Felipe Esparza on This Is Not  Happening; he talks about how his downward spiral into gangs and drugs eventually led him to become a comedian

Felipe Esparza on This Is Not Happening; he talks about how his downward spiral into gangs and drugs eventually led him to become a comedian

Felipe Esparza was born in Sinaloa, Mexico on June 11, 1976 the oldest of seven children. His family illegally immigrated to the United States while he was a child. The family lived in public housing in Boyle Heights a neighborhood in East Los Angeles, CA which was plagued by gang violence. Before becoming a comedian Felipe worked as a security guard and a drug dealer. He also a teenage father who struggled with drug addiction and decided to pursue comedy while in drug rehab.

Felipe had decided to pursue comedy after a drug counselor had asked him what he wanted out of life and for him to write down 5 goals for himself.

Felipe wrote among those 5 goals "to be happy", and "be a stand-up comedian" - because of how he connected to an old Bill Cosby album when he was younger.

Career

When Felipe Esparza first started his comedy career in 1994 after being in rehab.

For the first five years, he mainly did comedy that had nothing do with himself since he wanted to be awesome and popular.

He only become discussing his personal experiences as a Mexican American who grew up in poverty after 10 years in comedy which is now a cornerstone of his comedy.

Felipe Esparza first mainstream success as a comic came after he won NBC's Last Comic Standing award in 2010.

Comedy Specials

They're Not Gonna Laugh at You

After achieving success in the comedic sphere, Felipe produced his first hour-long stand-up comedy special, They're Not Gonna Laugh at You on Showtime in 2012. The show is now on Netflix.

Translate This

On September 30, 2017, Esparza's comedy special Translate This premiered on HBO. Shot in the summer of 2016, Esparza stated that this was a very special stand-up special for him because it was much more personal. He and his wife, Lesa, were the executive producers for the show, as well.

Acting

Felipe Esparza in a Target commercial; big mobile phones

Felipe Esparza in a Target commercial; big mobile phones

Felipe has also made several TV appearances such as recurring roles on "The Eric Andre Show" (2012) and NBC's "Superstore", (2016, 2017), truTV Presents: World's Dumbest... (2014) and "Russell Simmons Presents Stand-Up at the El Rey." Felipe was a spokesman for a national Honda campaign and a national Target Mobile campaign. [13]

During his early years as a comedian, Felipe was part of the successful stand-up comedy TV show, "Que Locos" on Galavisión (the only English-speaking show on Spanish television). That show and the resulting tour helped launch the careers of several other Latino comedians such as George Lopez, Gabriel Iglesias and Willie Barcena.

Podcast

In 2014, Felipe started hosting a weekly podcast on the All Things Comedy called "What's Up Fool?" It focuses on interesting interviews with everyone from celebrities to homeless people.

Felipe has interviewed, renowned author and humanitarian Father Greg Boyle from Homeboy Industries, actor Damian Chapa (Miklo from Blood In, Blood Out), the lead detective on the Night Stalker serial killer case, actor Emilio Rivera (from Sons of Anarchy), and the "Incredible Hulk" who takes photos with tourists on Hollywood Boulevard.

Upcoming Projects

He is currently developing a sitcom with fellow comedian Dustin Ybarra and writers Bobby Bowman and Peter Murrietta - Felipe and Dustin will play brothers in a single-camera comedy to be produced by 3Arts Entertainment. He also continues to do live stand-up shows in comedy clubs and theaters around the country.

Personal Life

He eventually got married in 2014.

Felipe Esparza's wife - Lesa O'Daniel Esparza - is the CFO of his company Felipe's World.

She previously worked at Laugh Factory.

He has a son from his previous relationship.

Esparza has been a vegan since 2011.

References

[1]
Citation Linkspeakerpedia.comSpeakerpedia
Jan 22, 2016, 3:24 AM
[2]
Citation Linkyoutube.comFelipe Esparza - Single Father - YouTube
Jan 22, 2016, 3:24 AM
[3]
Citation Linkcomedycentral.comFelipe Esparza | Stand-Up Comedian | Comedy Central Stand-Up
Jan 22, 2016, 3:24 AM
[4]
Citation Linktwitter.comFelipe Esparza (funnyfelipe) on Twitter
Jan 22, 2016, 3:24 AM
[5]
Citation Linkimdb.comFelipe Esparza's IMDbprofile
Jan 22, 2016, 3:25 AM
[6]
Citation Linkfelipesworld.comOfficial Site of Felipe Esparza | "What's Up Fool?"
Jan 22, 2016, 3:25 AM
[7]
Citation Linkfacebook.comFelipe Esparza's Facebookfan page
Oct 1, 2017, 2:58 AM
[8]
Citation Linkinstagram.comFelipe Esparza's Instagram
Oct 1, 2017, 2:58 AM
[9]
Citation Linkfelipesworld.comFelipe Esparza's podcast episode where he talks about being a vegan
Oct 1, 2017, 3:00 AM
[10]
Citation Linkvine.coFelipe Esparza's Vine
Oct 1, 2017, 3:09 AM
[11]
Citation Linkfelipesworld.comFelipe's biography on his website
Oct 1, 2017, 3:26 AM
[12]
Citation Linkhbo.com7 Things to Know About Felipe Esparza article on the HBOwebsite
Oct 1, 2017, 3:40 AM
[13]
Citation Linkyoutube.comFelipe Esparza on This Is Not Happening; he talks about how his downward spiral into gangs and drugs eventually led him to become a comedian
Oct 1, 2017, 3:41 AM
[14]
Citation Linkyoutube.comFelipe Esparza and Lesa O'Daniel's wedding (uploaded by their wedding photographer, Felicia Michaels)
Oct 1, 2017, 3:44 AM
[15]
Citation Linkwashingtonpost.comWashington Postarticle about Felipe Esparza journey as a comic and his the debut of his September, 2017 HBOspecial
Oct 1, 2017, 3:45 AM
[16]
Citation Linkyoutube.comhttp://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoIdzUWrPh1O6BY2_69Th-hz7YABm6x7u
Mar 29, 2016, 3:36 PM
[17]
Citation Linksoundcloud.comFelipe Esparza's podcast, "What's Up Fool"
Mar 29, 2016, 3:36 PM
[18]
Citation Linkywqaugeunhowzrcj.public.blob.vercel-storage.comOn s3.amazonaws.com
Jun 25, 2016, 7:09 AM
[19]
Citation Linkywqaugeunhowzrcj.public.blob.vercel-storage.comFelipe Esparza
Oct 1, 2017, 3:48 AM
[20]
Citation Linkyoutube.comFelipe Esparza on having a gay brother
Oct 1, 2017, 3:50 AM