25 Years of ‘Fluffy’: Gabriel Iglesias Reflects on Comedic Career, Selling Out at Dodger Stadium, and Uniting Audiences With Laughter
variety.comJenelle Riley Deputy Awards, Features EditorGabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias can remember the exact date and moment he made his stand-up comedy debut, even though it wasn’t planned.
It was April 10, 1997, at the Golden Sails Hotel in his hometown of Long Beach, Calif. There was a bar with a stage that welcomed artists on a regular basis, but that particular night the emcee failed to show up.“My buddy said to me, ‘Dude, you always talk about wanting to do stand-up.
Just get up there and emcee,’” Iglesias says.The 20-year-old cellphone salesman resisted at first, but destiny would not be denied — eventually he jumped up and spoke for what he believes was three or four minutes, though Iglesias admits, “It felt like an eternity.” But the crowd laughed.
And Iglesias was hooked.It would take some time for Iglesias to fully transform into his “Fluffy” persona, perhaps best exemplified by his broad smile, bold Hawaiian shirts and unique passions — including for his 40-plus Volkswagen buses and two pet Chihuahuas that are always by his side.
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