RSS Feed
Print Story
E-mail Story
Comedian goes from Iraq to Nile
Headliner blends stand-up, mariachi
| Wednesday, Jul 11 2007 8:10 AM
Last Updated: Wednesday, Jul 11 2007 8:29 AM
Last fall, California comedian Frank Lucero spent a month in Iraq and Afghanistan entertaining U.S. troops.
BAKERSFIELD.COM HOT TOPICS:
Loading Stories
Advertisement
"It was an experience of a lifetime. I'll never forget it," Lucero said. "It was awesome to be out there with those guys, make them laugh and give them a little taste of home. When it got rough, I just pictured these guys out there for six months to a year. We were only out there for a month."
Lucero should have a lighter experience Saturday night when he visits Club Nile in downtown Bakersfield for the LOCO Comedy Festival. He'll be joined on stage by comedians Richard Villa, Erica Rice and Juan Garcia.
This is a follow-up to May's successful Latino Laugh Off.
Lucero, who blends stand-up comedy with mariachi music, is headlining Saturday's show. He recently toured with The Crown Royal Latin Kings of Comedy starring Paul Rodriguez.
Lucero, 41, lives in Hollywood. He spoke with The Californian July 5.
TBC: You grew up in an agricultural town in the Sacramento area and worked in the fields. Did you know then you wanted to be a comedian?
Lucero: I knew I didn't want to work in the field the rest of my life. It wasn't until I got into L.A.; I went to college. I was a theater arts major. I was doing the acting thing. I couldn't get any parts. You're a Latino, it's hard to get on stage. But I got on stage as a comedian. Man, I was like, "This is it."
TBC: What does your family think of what you do and your show?
Lucero: They like it. They come out to the shows whenever they get a chance. They're from Northern California, you know. Sometimes I get to go up to Sacramento. I'm going up there next week actually to do a show. They're going to come out and see, so it's going to be fun.
TBC: Is it difficult for a Latino to make it big in stand-up comedy?
Lucero: Yeah, I think so. I don't know. You have George Lopez. He's been doing it for years. ... All these guys, they've been at it for a long time ... It's not necessarily a Latino thing. It's just that comedy is hard.
TBC: How do you try to make your act original? Is it with the mariachi music?
Lucero: Oh yeah, that's my tag. That's what everybody likes, is that mariachi bit. So I do that all the time. And I tell my own stories. I tell my own experiences with the clubs or drinking or family, when I was a kid.
TBC: Who are some comedians you admire?
Lucero: Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, Chris Rock, Cheech and Chong, Paul Rodriguez, George Lopez -- all those guys. Actually, some of the guys that I hang out with, the Willie Barcena, Felipe Esparza, the Jeff Garcias, these guys that you work with, these guys sometimes will give you feedback and say, "Hey, what are you doing? You need to do this. You need to do that." These guys really inspire me because you look at them and they're working comedians.
Featuring: Frank Lucero, Richard Villa, Erica Rice and Juan Garcia.
When: 8:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Club Nile, 1721 19th St.
Tickets: $10 in advance, $15 at the door. To purchase tickets in advance, go to www.vallitix.com.