C (2:49)

You did all that in a very short amount of time. Well, it seems like a short amount of time to someone on the outside, but you would say, nah, that's a lot of uphill climbing to get there. Yeah, those accomplishments are nice, but people don't see the, the, the, the, the 10 people that I was performing in front of when I first, when I first started.

B (3:07)

Exactly. I'm coming up on 30 years now. Wow. Yeah, I started April 10th of 1997. And yeah, next year it'll be 30. So I'm just like, you got something

C (3:17)

big planned for that?

B (3:19)

Well, Wembley Stadium.

C (3:20)

I mean, you got.

B (3:21)

Hey, man, you never know. It's like when, when the idea of Dodger Stadium came up, it was one of those, like, are you kidding me? No one's ever done that. So it's kind of like, you know, we joke like, oh, maybe you. Sofi wasn't supposed to happen. And now we're, now we're here. So it's, it's one of those. I think the sky's the limit.

C (3:40)

Yeah, it is. You know what? I'm going to toast you, bro.

B (3:42)

I mean, what you've been able to do.

C (3:43)

Okay, bro? I mean, think about it.

B (3:46)

It wouldn't be Club Shay if we didn't start.

C (3:48)

No, no, Club Shay. And you and Joe Coy got Sofi coming up.

B (3:53)

Yes, we do.

C (3:53)

Congratulations on everything.

B (3:55)

Thank you. Ah, very good. Huh?

C (4:04)

I thought we would go like, sip throughout the interview.

B (4:07)

Oh, that wasn't a sip. Sorry. I'm hearing your crew and they're like, oh, people don't normally do that.

C (4:15)

No, no, no, no. So now that you mention it, Saturday, March 21, the first ever stand up at Sofi. You and Joe Coyote. It's called the super bowl of comedy. How did that idea come about?

B (4:29)

It was me. I will take full credit for that idea just because it's like, you know, you do the math. Jo Koy has, I think, the most sold out shows for a comedian at the Forum. And between that and the numbers that I did at Dodger Stadium. I said, hey, man, look, our fan base is very similar. Every time I crash his show, people go crazy. Every time he crashes my show, people go crazy. So I said, you know, it's become a little redundant, man. How many sold out shows at the Forum do you want to do? So I was asked to present him with a plaque for the all those sold out shows. And I said, hey, man. And I'm talking on the mic. We're in front of all those people. And I said, I want to present you with this, but how about we do something together? And he's like, oh, a show here at the Forum. I go, no, man, let's take it across the street. And when I said that, the crowd went crazy. And I'm like, dude, that's your. That's the focus group right there. They just approved that, right? I said, let's do it. The numbers make sense.

C (5:23)

Yes.

B (5:23)

You know, all these sold out shows, my sold out shows, we put those together, that's a sold out stadium.

C (5:28)

I mean. I mean, think about it. That stadium holds 75, 80,000. No comedy show can ever, has ever said, yeah, okay, if you sell out five Madison Square Gardens, but one show, one, you're going to be the first, you enjoy to be the first to do that.

B (5:48)

And it's officially sold out. So that hardest part is over. Now we gotta deliver. You know what I mean?

C (5:53)

You definitely gotta deliver. So is this a. Is it gonna get streamed anywhere or it's just you and him?

B (5:59)

So the beauty of this show is that with Dodger Stadium, it was really challenging because I had to perform. And then I also had to report to Netflix. I had to deliver a special.

C (6:08)

Right?

B (6:09)

I'm recording a special. I'd never done a stadium before, so we had to make sure the sound, the lighting, the production, everything was at a certain level. So I was so stressed out just trying. Trying to make sure that everything was gonna, you know, work. I wasn't worried about my set. The material was there, but I was worried about everything else. Plus making sure Netflix was happy in this one. We cut everybody out. So it's just a performance. So it's a one and done. Anyone who goes, they're gonna see the show and it's only for them, and

C (6:37)

they're gonna be saying, you know what? I was there when Gabe and Joy sold out Sofi.

B (6:42)

Yeah. So it's not being streamed anywhere. It's not being, you know, you know, it's. It's just for us.

C (6:48)

You're known for your impressions. Give me Your top five impressions?

B (6:54)

I think more so the, the impressions are more like people or just characters as opposed to, like legit impressions. Because my impressions are. They're, they're okay, but it's not like, you know, like, oh, my God. It's not like, it's so spot on where it's like, I'm trying to think like Godfrey.

C (7:11)

When he does.

B (7:12)

Oh, when he does Steve Harvey. When he does Steve Harvey, you close your eyes and you see army.

C (7:17)

Or he does me. I mean, he's really good. Or when he does Jason Statham.

B (7:22)

That's another one. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

C (7:25)

So when you go into. I guess this is method acting, but I guess when you go into a character, because you've done a lot of voice acting, so how do you, how do you come like, they show you the character. They show you. The schedule says, okay, this is who we want you to play. And do you says, okay, I'm going to be Gabe. Or do you transform yourself and says, I'm going to be him.

B (7:46)

If we're doing a voiceover, like for a movie, sometimes they say, oh, this character has to be like, really excited over the top. So then I just. I'll do an excited over the top version. And they'll say, okay, bring it down. Or give me more. In a situation where, like, I did Speedy Gonzalez for Space Jam, right? They wanted me to actually do my regular voice. So, like, well, we're trying to modernize Speedy. And I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, keep it. Keep it original.

C (8:11)

Speedy. Old school.

B (8:11)

So then they're like, well, can you. And then I'm like, I'm like, come on, you know? So then it was one of those. And I did it like. And then they're like, wow. And I'm like, yeah, cut the check. So. And I'm excited because now they're gonna do. Warner Brothers is gonna do a Speedy Gonzalez movie. And I've already been asked.

C (8:34)

You already cast.

B (8:35)

So I'm. Hey, I'm there. So as far as what am I gonna do in 2027, 2028, we don't know when that's gonna come out, but. Yeah, but.

C (8:42)

You busy?

B (8:43)

Yeah, I'm going to be working on that one.

C (8:45)

You got an elevator voice?

B (8:48)

Elevator voice, yeah.

C (8:49)

So if you own. So if somebody says, you know what? We got this nice high end place that we want an elevator voice and we want. You know what, Gabe, can you give us an elevator voice to make everybody calm and let everybody know to spend all their money shopping? Or maybe they're going up to the fifth floor.

B (9:04)

Oh, okay. Yeah, so it's like a first floor, second floor, third floor, fifth. She sounds hot, huh? Sixth floor, seventh floor. So, yeah, it just depends. I share stories and when I tell stories, I just. Rather than just tell a story and talk about it, I try to animate it by adding voices and characters to it. That's what I've always done from day one. So if I'm talking about like, like earlier, before we got started recording, we were talking about Cat. I love Cat. I've known Cat forever. And Cat right away will just grab, you know, how you doing boo boo list, you know, Next thing you know, I don't want to say too much because then he'll talk about me later. I got a problem with these Mexicans, y'. All. Yeah.

C (9:48)

Yes. Shoot your shot on prize picks and get $50 instantly in lineups when you play your first $5. That's right. Prize Picks is now giving away $50 in lineups. When you sign up and play your first $5 prize picks makes every dunk, every dime, every board even more exciting. So don't miss a chance to get started on America's number one app for sports picks. March is officially here, which means the best time of year for all you basketball fans. The badness is upon us and the league is in the final stretch before the playoffs. Find your community on prize picks with new social feeds features. You can share prize picks with your friends and copy lineups from winners with a single click. Copy lineups you like or use them as inspiration for your own picks. You can even follow prize picks partners like us and tell a fake our picks just with one click. Get in on the action at. Prize picks is now available in all 50 states, including California, Texas, Florida and Georgia. Prize picks is simple to play. Just download the prize pick app today. Use code Shannon to get 50 in lineups after you play your first five dollar lineup. That's code Shannon to get 50 in lineups after YOU play your first five dollar lineup prospects. It's good to be right. So look, you've done Coco, Speedy Gonzalez and def jam, Dora, Ugly Dawes, Ferdinand. I love Ferdinand.

B (11:10)

Oh, that was the. Yeah, the movie with John Cena.

C (11:11)

Yeah. Playing Smurf and family Guy. So, I mean, like when you did speedy and you caused some backlash for

B (11:18)

doing speedy a little bit. But why. Yeah, exactly, exactly.

C (11:24)

If you can't do Speedy Gonzalez, I can see if they got me to

B (11:27)

do speedy, you know.

C (11:29)

They got you.

B (11:32)

Yeah. I was actually the first Mexican to actually Voice. Speedy Gonzalez. It's always been other than.

C (11:39)

Really?

B (11:39)

Yeah.

C (11:40)

I didn't know that.

B (11:41)

Yeah, no, it was the first one. So I was very proud of that. I was like, okay.

C (11:43)

But Speedy. But Speedy got a little. Got a little poncho on. I mean, he got everything. He is. He's born and he's born and bred.

B (11:51)

Years ago, when they took him off the air, Mexicans actually protest. They were upset. They're like, that's the only representation we have. And you took them away from us because someone else was offended, not us.

C (12:01)

Really?

B (12:02)

Yeah.

C (12:02)

Oh, my goodness. You also. You turned down Happy Feet. You had an opportunity. Oh, because that was a great cast. The great Robin Williams.

B (12:11)

I don't even know how you know that, but, yeah. Many years ago, I auditioned for this film called Happy Feet, and I got the part. I got the part. And I even had a part where there was singing involved.

C (12:24)

Right.

B (12:25)

It was a song from. It was my way sung in Spanish. And so I did the song in Spanish. It was originally done by the Gypsy Kings. Did it in Spanish. And so I had to sing the song. And so they liked the voice. They liked the way that I sang, and then they offered me the part, but they said at the time, they. The budget was really like. They're talking about points because they didn't have upfront money.

C (12:49)

Right, right.

B (12:50)

And at the time, I was doing really well. At the clubs.

C (12:53)

Yes.

B (12:54)

At the. You know, and my manager at the time said, you know what? This stupid movie about penguins. Are you kidding me? Go on the road. Go make that money, or make your freaking $800 plus points. Cause that's basically what it was.

C (13:08)

That movie did.

B (13:09)

So I passed on the movie. The movie freaking blew up almost 400 million. Oh, it was stupid. It was stupid. It was so stupid. And anyway, she's no longer my manager, and. Yeah. And every time I see a penguin, I cry. Just a little. Just a little tear. Just a little tear. But I love the fact that Robin Williams got the part.

C (13:29)

Yes.

B (13:30)

That I passed on. And I'm like, so you were going

C (13:32)

to be the lead.

B (13:34)

It was not the lead. It was the deli penguin that was like the sidekick.

C (13:38)

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay.

B (13:40)

But it was Robin's part.

C (13:41)

Because, look, you had Robin Williams, you had Nicole Kidman, you had. I think Emily Blunt was in it. Brittany Murphy.

B (13:48)

Now, keep in mind, that's when they actually. That's when they got a budget. I came in super early when it was just like, so you done made

C (13:55)

more because you got the points, but you don't know.

B (13:59)

You never know. And so the fact that, the fact that I turned on that movie and it was as successful as it was, it made me say yes to any time an animated film came across my table. I said yes automatically. I didn't even want to know. Don't even tell me what the deal is. Yes, I'm there. I'm there.

C (14:17)

Because you know, the animations are always going to do well because parents, because the kids want to go. And guess what? The parents gotta go. So now you got, instead of one person, you got two, three, four, five, six people coming to the movie. So animation always really does really, really well.

B (14:32)

So I wound up, I made a mistake again in animation. I was in a movie called Planes, called Planes. And in this movie.

A (14:44)

Safeway and Albertsons have made saving easier than ever, with great savings on family favorites this week at Safeway and Albertsons. USDA choice beef, boneless, tri tip, whole or flank and style ribs bone in are $6.99 per pound member price and asparagus are $1.99 per pound member price plus 16 ounce strawberries. Six ounce raspberries or blackberries are $1.97 each. Limit three member price with digital coupon. Hurry in. These deals won't last. Visit safewayoralbertsons.com for more deals and ways to save. Safeway and Albertsons have made saving easier than ever with great savings on family favorites this week at Safeway and Albertsons. USDA Choice beef, boneless, tri tip, whole or flank and style ribs bone in are $6.99 per pound member price and asparagus or $1.99 per pound member price plus 16 ounce strawberries. Six ounce raspberries or blackberries are $1.97 each. Limit three member price with digital coupon. Hurry in. These deals won't last. Visit Safeway or albertsons.com for more deals and ways to save.

B (15:43)

The lead was Dane Cook and the second character who was going to be like the, the mater in Cars, basically. So the mate, the mater character, the sidekick. I was sched. I was. I was. That. That was me.

C (15:57)

Right?

B (15:57)

I was the. I was the mater character. I was the sidekick. And they said, all right, look, we need you to come and do a table read. All the characters are going to be there. They're going to do a table read for the executives. Well, I had a bunch of work on the road on the weekends. You know, I'm a comic on the weekend. So it's like that's your business. That's What? That's what pays the bills. And so they said, well, we'll have somebody fill in for you. Don't worry. Go do your thing, and then we'll see you when you get back. So the person they had fill in for me is another comic who's also a voice actor named Carlos Elizrachi. And this dude is just. He's a juggernaut with voices. Like, I'm good. But this dude's amazing. He came in and did such an awesome table read. I got fired.

C (16:41)

Oh, my God. Without even reading it.

B (16:43)

I got fired because he killed it so hard. They're like, oh, this dude's. We don't even want to see the other guy. This guy killed it. So. Because I went on the road again, I lost the part. So then they called me and they said, all right, look, we got these other parts that are like C level characters, and they're like, we need somebody to fill in. Do you want to do it? I'm like, yeah. So when I show up and they're like, just be yourself. You don't even got to do a voice. Just be yourself. I'm like, fine. So, yeah, it happened. But since then, I've said yes. And every time, I always show up.

C (17:14)

So now if there's an animation available and the reed just happened to be on the weekends, what happens?

B (17:22)

I cancel what I'm doing and I show up. I ain't messing around, dude. Voiceover is like. It's that crapshoot. Like one of these is gonna hit, right? So that's why you need one. You just need one good one.

C (17:33)

Wow.

B (17:34)

Yeah. And actually, voiceover next to comedy is one of my favorite things to do. So it's like, yes, I can do a sitcom, I can do movies, but it's a lot of work and it's not fun. Comedy is fun. Standup is fun. And doing voiceover work, you just show up. You don't gotta memorize lines.

C (17:51)

You just in a booth or you're just reading.

B (17:53)

They feed you before you go in the booth. Do you need anything else? Do you want anything else? And I'm like, okay, you know, it's cool. And then, you know, you leave and everyone's happy and, you know, and then you show up and do press.

C (18:07)

Is turning down happy feet and going on the road and doing your gig. Because as you mentioned, that's what pays the bills. That's how Gabe stays gainfully employed, has a nice home, has a nice. Is that probably your biggest regret as

B (18:21)

far as work goes? Yeah, definitely. Because I know that would have definitely changed my life early on.

C (18:29)

Right. But now, all of a sudden, you got millions in your pocket, Gabe. It changes the way you think. It changes the way you do things.

B (18:39)

It does change the way you think, but it doesn't take away from the fact that you acknowledge that there was an opportunity there. You should have taken it. You should have done everything you could with that opportunity, and you did. And because you didn't, you saw what it turned into. It's a reminder. Don't take these little parts, these little things for granted. These little seeds can turn into a giant tree, you know? So don't ever think that you're, you know, you're too good or that something can't be.

C (19:07)

Even the redwood and sequoia started out as a seed.

B (19:09)

They started off as a seed. So, yeah, it's just. It's. But it's a reminder, you know? And I know all of this can go away with one bad tweet.

C (19:16)

Yeah.

B (19:17)

You know what I mean?

C (19:20)

You don't tweet anymore, do you?

B (19:21)

Man, I'm very selective with my tweets. You know, they say. They say you can say whatever you want now. You can't. You can't.

C (19:29)

You free. You free. It's freedom of speech, but you're not. Freedom of consequences.

B (19:33)

There you go. And in our game, it's one of those things where, because of the size of the platform, everything you say is dissected. Everything you say can be. You can take it one way or another. And so you. You do have to be careful because you got to protect it. You built this thing up. You worked really hard to get it to where it's at, Right? And you don't wanna lose it over something that's like, really?

C (19:55)

Yeah.

B (19:57)

That's what took you down. I was like, ugh.

C (20:00)

What's the number one thing that you learned in this business? Like you said, you've been doing comedy almost 30 years, and you've done voiceover acting, you've done a lot of other things, and you've been on TV shows. What's the number one thing that you think you learned in this business?

B (20:16)

You are replaceable. You are very replaceable. No matter how good you think you are, no matter what you think you bring to the table, there's someone else waiting in the wings to take your spot. So do you want to work? Do you want to be? Because for me, like, I don't take vacations. I don't take vacations. What?

C (20:36)

You don't take vacation?

B (20:37)

Absolutely not. I've never, ever taken time.

C (20:41)

People call me Crazy Gabe, because I don't.

B (20:43)

No, I'm from that cloth where, you know what? I worked really hard to get this spot. I'm not trying to lose it.

C (20:49)

Right.

B (20:50)

Work my ass off. And so when people see me in Hawaii or they see me in one of these other countries, just know, now I'm doing a show. There's a show happening right there. And I just added a couple of extra days.

C (21:01)

I came a couple of days early.

B (21:02)

Yeah, I came in a couple days early, or I stayed a couple days after the fact to enjoy it. So that's the only way I will enjoy where I'm at is as long as there's a show attached to it.

C (21:13)

Obviously, when you have the level of success that you've enjoyed, a lot of people ask, you know, being, you know, people used to ask me all the time, you know, how did you get into football? And what does it take to go to, you know, play in the NFL? And how have you had the level of success? What is the. One of the things that people ask you most? I'm sure young and up and coming comedians ask you, Gabe, man, you've been in this thing almost 30 years. How have you been able to enjoy the level of success? How are you. How are you able to break through? How are you able not to give up? Because I'm sure there are a lot of times that you're like, man, I don't know if this thing.

B (21:44)

For me, I think all of that was early on. A lot of that was in the beginning. I think the hardest part of doing what I'm doing is it was early on because you weren't sure. You know, it's like, I had a really good job. I had a job that paid me $5,000 a month. Keep in mind, this is 1997. My rent was maybe $500 a month. I had a car note that was maybe $150, plus insurance. I was doing extremely well for myself. I was selling cell phones for a company called LA Cellular, which eventually turned into AT T. And I was selling phones and making commission, and I was just. I was killing it. I had a badass leather jacket from Wilson's House of Suede. Remember Wilson's House of Suede at the mall? You'd walk by and they're like, yeah, smell it. You smell it. You know what I mean? It's like that in the food court, two things we could smell. And so I was doing really well. So to give that up to Chase this dream where basically as soon as I quit my job, I got evicted. I had to sleep on my brother's freaking couch. You know, it was one of those where everybody kept saying, you gotta go get your job back. You had a really good job. And I'm like, I can't, because I was burning the candle at both ends. For me, the hardest part was the beginning. And then once the ball got rolling, I'm like, okay, here we go. So when comics ask me for advice and they say, what should I do? It's really hard for me to give advice because it's coming from somebody who's been around for almost 30 years. And my advice is from 1997, not from now. The game is so different now with all of social media and all the other tools that you have at your disposal, it's so different. So it's hard for me to give that advice. As far as what happens on stage, that's something else. But now even comedy's changed, where people use screens and they use music and they use all kinds of other tools, and it's like, I don't do that. So it's hard for me to tell someone, you know, And I've tried giving advice, and unfortunately, the advice I gave wasn't good because it didn't fit that person. It was the good advice for me, but it wasn't a good, good thing for them.

C (23:53)

I think the thing is, is that they see you now. They see you doing Dodger Stadium. They seen you doing these big events, but they don't realize you didn't start out doing Dodger Stadium. You didn't start out doing Madison Square Garden. You started out performing in front of 20 people, in front of 100 people. And so people. All they see is the success. But. And nobody wants to see that period when you weren't as successful as you are now. And so people just can't wrap their round. Man, Gabe, you ain't never struggled a day in your life. That's what you hear, people.

B (24:23)

I hear it a lot. Why you? I hear why you? And I'm like, what?

C (24:28)

Damn.

B (24:29)

Really? You know, you just read off everything, and it's like, well, I might have done a couple things to lead up to that. And whether you're a fan of the comics or not, you got to understand that there's a lot of hard work that went into what I do. So, you know, comedy isn't like. Like football. There's. You can't rely on statistics.

C (24:48)

Yes.

B (24:48)

There's no numbers, because if you went off of numbers. The greatest comic of all time would be Kevin Hart.

C (24:53)

Correct.

B (24:54)

Kevin Hart would be, hands down, the greatest comic ever. Based on the amount of films, the amount of comedy specials, the amount of money grossed. Everything is pointing towards K. He would be the guy. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? So with me, it's, it's one of those things where it's like, all right, when people ask the question, all right, well, how is it that you're doing it? Well, I'm like, first of all, I'm willing to, you know, take time to relate to people.

C (25:19)

Yes.

B (25:19)

You know, something as simple as, as, hey, thanks for coming to my show. I really appreciate the fact that you guys came to my show. You could have been anywhere tonight. You could have gone to the movies. You could have done this or that. Thank you for coming to see me. I really appreciate it.

C (25:33)

Right.

B (25:33)

Something as simple as thanking the audience goes so far, and a lot of artists forget to do that. And then when you're sharing these stories, I don't come from a place of like, look what I'm doing. It's like, hey, man, look what we're doing. Because you guys are part of this ride. Without you, I'm just talking in front of a mirror, doing voices. And, you know, that usually requires medication, but

C (26:00)

were you always funny? Did you know you always wanted to do comedy? Were you a class clown? Did your mom like Gabe? Gabriel, will you please stop?

B (26:08)

That's enough for me. No, I'm actually, when I'm not on stage, I'm more analytical. I'm not trying to be entertaining off stage. I'm not the funniest person in my group of friends. My friends are way funnier offstage than I am. I'm not trying to be funny. I find those comics annoying, by the way.

C (26:28)

Really?

B (26:29)

Those comics that don't turn that shit off.

C (26:30)

I'm like, you're trying to be funny all the time.

B (26:32)

Wait, can I, Can I cuss. Yeah, okay. Sorry. I'm like, oh, yeah. No, I'm just, I'm just very, I'm, I'm paying attention. I'm listening to what's going on in the room. And that's, that's basically what what I do. I, I, I, I hear what's going on. I'm, I'm, I'm sharing these stories of these moments. That's what I do. I, I, I take what's happening around me, and then I take it to the stage. And that's when it, when it counts. Now, when I was a kid, I was 10 years old, and I was. I was home watching Eddie Murphy rock, which is not what you should be watching when you're 10 years old.

C (27:04)

Absolutely not.

B (27:05)

Absolutely not. But my mom wanted to go play bingo, and I wanted to just, you know, I was just home alone, right. I was a latchkey kid, and a lot of people don't know what that is. Basically, you're just left home alone. That's probably considered illegal now, but whatever, I'm gonna be that guy. In my day, back in my day, yeah, I'd stay home, I'd go to the video store with my mom, I'd rent a couple videotapes and. And, you know, I'd stay home and watch comedy. And my favorite thing to watch was Eddie Murphy and Robin Williams.

C (27:30)

Okay.

B (27:31)

And so I'd watch them, and that's what inspired it. And then I did a school talent show, and I basically did impressions of Eddie Murphy doing impressions of other people.

C (27:40)

Right.

B (27:41)

So that's how that whole thing got started at 10 years old in elementary school.

C (27:46)

Do when people meet you, they expect you to be funny?

B (27:50)

I do get a little bit of that sometimes. I get it more so from strangers. Yes, strangers go tell me a joke. And I'm like, I don't really tell jokes. I share stories. And they're like, well, tell me a story. I'm like, you know, because anybody who's been to my show knows, like, my stories are 15, 20 minutes long. So it's like, you know, I'm not gonna spend that time to kind of like, if you get it, you get it. If you don't get it, hey, man, just, you know, maybe I'm not for you.

C (28:16)

At the start of every new year, I set my goals. I tell myself, this year I'm eating right, I'm working out, I'm working hard staying on track. Then reality hits. Work, travel, cravings, distractions. Life just loves to test your focus. I've been there, I've fallen off. But I don't stay down. Because Amazon helps bring me back up every time. Amazon is here to make sticking to your goals easier. From healthy snacks I need to, workout gear I like to have on hand. All of my everyday essentials are available to purchase in one place. Not to mention, I can get it delivered fast so I don't have to worry about making a trip to the store and adding to my already busy schedule. Great prices, no running around, no extra hassle. Now that's convenient. So when life tries to steer you off track, Amazon can help get you back to the plan. Focus on your goals and stay on your grind. Save every day with essentials from Amazon. Tell us about the Volkswagen. You used to have.

B (29:14)

The Volkswagen. I. Well, shoot. I'm. For those of you that don't. I'm an excessive collector of Volkswagens. That's what happens.

C (29:21)

What. What. So what. What's special about Volkswagen?

B (29:23)

It was my first car. It was my first car. Yeah.

C (29:27)

A Bug, a Beetle.

B (29:28)

I mean, can we continue to sip? Because it's been. It's been at least 15 minutes. So I just, you know.

C (29:35)

But I. I thought. Here's the thing. I thought we'd go just like, you know, toast and, you know, sip casually.

B (29:42)

Well, thank you.

C (29:43)

We got another bottle.

B (29:45)

I love it. I love it. I think it's funny how your crew is like. Yeah, I can feel everyone. They're, like, watching. They're like.

C (29:54)

They judge you, huh?

B (29:56)

Yeah.

C (29:57)

Yeah, because we didn't. We didn't. We thought you was going to, like. This is.

B (30:03)

This is. Yeah. Here's to you. Thank you. This is cool. Let me tell you something, Boo Boo. The problem with Steve Harvey is, no, I ain't gonna see him. I'm sorry. Yeah.

C (30:18)

So. But you would say your very first car, was it a Bug or just a.

B (30:24)

So my first car was a 1968 Volkswagen bus, and it was eight shades of primer. And that car ran on gas and prayer. Cause it was one of those. Sometime it got me to work. Sometimes it didn't. And my brother helped me buy it. I think we paid maybe $500 for the car, and we put that thing together. It was like a Frankenstein car, because I had pieces from all these different buses to put it together and that, you know, it was my first car. And there's a certain level of attachment to that first car. And so many, many years later, I got my girlfriend, her, at the time, her. Her first car back. Not the actual car, but the car that she had, right? And the guys that I got the car from, they're like, hey, man, you know, if you want anything else, let us know. And I'm like, what about a Volkswagen? And I mentioned the car that I wanted, and they got it for me, like, in two days. And they said, if you want anything else, let us know. And I said, well, if you have anything else, let me know.

C (31:21)

Right?

B (31:22)

We played that game for about two years, and next thing you know, I got a building full of Volkswagens.

C (31:26)

So it's just Volkswagens. You're not. You're not a Lambo, Ferrari, or Rose or any. If you're not. You just want Volkswagen.

B (31:32)

I have other cars, but nothing that's so over the top, where you're like, you know, Leno has everything. Yeah. Tim Allen has everything. Seinfeld is a Porsche guy. And so I thought that with Volkswagens,

C (31:46)

I love K Hart. Got a collection, too.

B (31:48)

Kevin does have a sick collection. But with Volkswagens, nobody judges you. And that's what I really appreciated, is that it's a fun car. It's the people's car. A lot of people have stories. Oh, man. We used to take trips up the coast and that. Whenever I drive one of those, no one gives you that weird vibe. It's more like, oh, that's a cool car.

C (32:08)

So you got like a 21, 21 window.

B (32:11)

Yeah, they're all 21, 23. Yeah, they're. They're nice. They're nice. They're nice, but no one judges you. But I do have some. A couple of muscle cars, but nothing. That's crazy.

C (32:21)

What do you have?

B (32:22)

Muscle car barrels, Chevelles, Hellcats.

C (32:25)

Hellcats.

B (32:25)

I got.

C (32:25)

I got Old school or new?

B (32:26)

New. The new ones.

C (32:27)

Okay.

B (32:28)

New ones. I like them to work. You know what I'm saying? Because anytime you have a classic car, it's one of those. You gotta. You gotta own a charger. You have to own a charger, you have to own a gas thing, because they're. At one point, they're gonna wind up leaving you stranded.

C (32:39)

Yeah, yeah. That's a. That's a car that you only drive periodically, normally on the weekend where there's not a whole lot of traffic. Because you got to realize These cars are 50, 60 years of age and they're not built with modern technology. Can you.

B (32:52)

I've been stranded by every single one of my cars. Every single one of my cars has left me on the side of the road, and it's, you know, it's embarrassing. You're standing there, the car looks cool. You're just like, hi, people.

C (33:03)

Like, they recognize you. Yeah.

B (33:05)

They're like, fluffy, is that you? Hey, what's going on? What are you doing? Broke down. You need a ride? I can't leave this car on the side of the road because.

C (33:14)

No, it's a little bit too valuable to leave side of the road. I'm just gonna wait. I called aaa. They'll be here with it.

B (33:19)

Yeah. But you know what the craziest thing is? Out of all the cars that I have, you know what my favorite car is? It blows people's mind. Toyota Sienna. A minivan is my favorite car. To drive. It's my. I drove it here today.

C (33:33)

You hold on. I'm assuming with a minivan, you got to have kids that you take into school or the soccer club.

B (33:39)

Just. I don't got kids. I got a 4 pound Chihuahua and a white girl at home. And. Yeah, that's a minivan. A minivan.

C (33:53)

You know, you can find something with more space that's a little bit more.

B (33:56)

You know what? You know what I love about that car? It's so. It's such a low pro vehicle where it's like, I pulled up right in front of the building. None of the guys knew it was me in there. First of all, they said, you can't park that here. Right away. Right away, because it was an Audi. In front of me, there was another nice car. They're like, you can't park that in front of me. And then the guy saw me and they're like, ah. And then they start speaking Spanish.

C (34:18)

They're like, yeah.

B (34:19)

And then I spoke. Then I give him some money, and they're like, no, I promise you. That van is parked in front of your building right now. That car has 18 cup holders. It gets like 500 miles every time you fill it up. It's hybrid. It has never failed me. It never breaks down. The maintenance on it is minimal. I love practicality.

C (34:40)

Okay.

B (34:41)

Because of the amount of times I've been left on the side of the road, that freaking Sienna is clutch.

C (34:46)

So. So you just drive it. I'm not. It's not like. So you just driving around. If I get. You got to go to Target, you got to go to the grocery store.

B (34:53)

I'm not afraid to park it. Okay.

C (34:55)

And you know it's gonna be there when you get back.

B (34:57)

I know it's gonna be there, but if I take the escalade, there's a 50.

C (35:02)

50 chance.

B (35:02)

Yeah, I keep coming to the window. All right, all right, Get. Okay.

C (35:07)

You were in Haunted House 2 with Marlon and Wayans. Yeah, my wife and kids with Damon Wayans. How is it working with them? Cause they do it. Look, Keenan started it by putting everybody on In Living Color. And you see the Wayans, Sharon and Marlon, when they had their show, they put people on. Damon, they put people on. What is it about that family?

B (35:25)

The Wayans family is one of the most talented families of just comedy and just everything. I mean, God, I remember growing up watching In Living Color. Marlon. I think Marlon and I are really close in age, so we were both kind of kids at the time.

C (35:38)

Right?

B (35:38)

You know, and then Sean was SW1. He was the DJ. They wouldn't even let him on the show yet. You know, Kenan hadn't approved him yet. Once I had an opportunity to. To work with Marlon. By the way, Marlon is an incredible human being. I know you've had him on the show, but, man, let me tell you, Marlon has. On top of being funny, he has so much heart.

C (36:00)

Yes.

B (36:01)

At least once or twice a year, Marlon will send me a text message to just check on me. Not how the career is going, but asking me, how am I doing with. How's my health? What's going on? I mean, you know, I did one movie with him, and since then, we've been friends, and even though I don't see him all the time, he always takes time to. Hey, man, you doing okay? You know, how's your diabetes, man? You doing okay? You know, let me send you some info about a doctor. He's not trying to get money. He's not trying to get me to do a part. He's not trying to get me to do anything else. He's just. He just cares, just concern, and I love him for that. He's just been such a genuine human being, and I think more people need to know how awesome of a person Marlon is.

C (36:41)

Go ahead.

B (36:42)

Yeah. No, no, I said it.

C (36:43)

No.

B (36:44)

Love you, Marlon. I've only had one. Don't worry, dude.

C (36:47)

It's not.

B (36:48)

And by the way, that dude can drink. He can drink. We did a press tour after we did a haunted house, and we were hanging out one night, and he goes, hey, man, you want. You want to do some shots? And I'm looking at Marlon, but, you know, Marlin's, like, a hundred and something pounds, and I'm.

C (37:02)

Yeah, he can't hang with me.

B (37:03)

I'm not. My weight alone will crush him on.

C (37:06)

On.

B (37:06)

On the drinking. And we went toe to toe, and I said, yeah, he's not gonna. Because he kept saying, I'm gonna. I'm gonna go work out in the morning. I'm gonna hit the gym. I'm like, dude, you're not gonna. After that, you're not going. He text me from the gym, sent me pictures. He's like, see that? I still made it. And I'm like, meanwhile, I'm in bed freaking with freaking Gatorade. Gatorade and a towel.

C (37:29)

You did not make it to the jail.

B (37:30)

I did not make it to the gym. That dude can drink you.

C (37:35)

I told you in Magic Mike, the dj.

B (37:38)

I know people don't believe that one when you say it. You know, he was.

C (37:40)

You were the dj.

B (37:41)

Yeah, I was a dj.

C (37:43)

But, I mean, when they hear Magic

B (37:44)

Mike, I never got naked.

C (37:45)

Yeah.

B (37:45)

You know, they think it's magic, not tragic. Mike. Magic Mike, Yeah.

C (37:50)

So what was that experience, like? So when they called me and said, okay, we got this role. We gonna do this movie, X, Y and Z. It's kind of, like, kind of loosely based off the Chippendales. X, Y and Z. Like, that's right up my alley. I was. I was hoping I'd get a role like this.

B (38:05)

I didn't get that much information on the film. I was contacted by Channing Tatum.

C (38:11)

Really?

B (38:11)

This was like, my first real legit film. It's like, are you kidding me? It's like, you know, he's a fan. Yeah, I thought that was the best part. He's like, man, I got this part for you, and I think you'd be great. And I'm like, okay. Yeah, cool. So now I'm working with, you know, Steven Soderbergh, Channing Tatum, freaking Matthew McConaughey. Yeah, everybody in the film was already a successful star. Plus, I'm a huge wrestling fan. So I'm working with Kevin Nash. Kevin Nash is in the movie. So the day I get there, I'm just geeking out. And so for me, it was so much fun. I could tell you that Matthew McConaughey is more than an incredible actor. He's so. He's very method, by the way. Yeah, he's scary. He's scary because the first time I'm doing a scene with him, you know, we do the scene, and cut. And I'm like, okay, cool. Oh, good scene. Right? And right away he's like, so, Tobias. He called me Tobias because that's the name of the character of the movie. And I'm thinking maybe he just doesn't know. My name's Gabriel. He's just gonna call me Tobias. So, Tobias, how are we looking tonight on the numbers? I don't know. Well, when you find out, you let me know. And I'm like, okay. Does he know that you just said cut?

C (39:23)

And he kept.

B (39:24)

He kept going.

C (39:25)

Right.

B (39:25)

So then we're over. We went to lunch, and we're, you know, catering and stuff like that. And he comes up, he's got the tr. And he's like, what kind of sound system are you working with tonight? I'm like, well, I don't know. It's. You know, it's not really my system. I'm just. I'm messing with a little keyboard yeah, it's not mine, but, you know, I'll let you know. So how long you been dj? I'm not. I'm not. And at one point, I just. It clicked this. He's still in character. He would not break character. He would not break character. And it scared the out of me. It scared the out of me. Because every time I look at me, he's like, tobias, I'm like, I got. I gotta pee. And I just. I'd walk away. And finally, on the last day of the shoot, when they yelled, it's a rap, you know, he. Because everybody was on such a strict diet for the film to stay shredded on the last day, he winds up ordering rallies, which is basically like checkers on the West Coast. Ordered a bunch of burgers and stuff for the guys. And, you know, we're hanging out at the bar, and I'm way at the end, right? And he goes, gabriel. And he called me by my name, and I'm like, what? I go, don't you mean Tobias? He goes, oh, come on, baby. And then he starts telling me. He goes, I just want to. When I get in character, I commit to that character. And I'm like, bro, I thought you were crazy. And so we were cool. And then I ran into him recently at a wrestling event, and he was so sweet.

C (40:48)

That's awesome.

B (40:49)

But he is an amazing actor and very committed, and he deserves all the accolades.

C (40:53)

So I'm assuming that's your favorite part of the set, because you're Talking to Matthew McConaughey, one of the stars. He never breaks character, so every time he sees you, he's asking you questions that a DJ should know, because you're the dj.

B (41:06)

Yeah. And I've never touched a record, so. So, yeah, it freaked me out, you know, But I had so much fun doing that movie. Channing was incredibly nice and patient with me because it was my first movie, so the first scenes were with him, and I was messing up. I was messing up lines. I was just like, ugh, I'm gonna get fired. But he was super patient with me, and I really appreciate. And then again, being able to work with. With Steven Soderbergh. Yeah. And. And then, you know, one of my favorite wrestlers, Kevin Nash, that was really, really cool for me. Did.

C (41:40)

I don't know if this is because. But you've seen this. You see Dream Wilder do it. Comedian. You see Richard Pryor, comedian that do television. You see Kevin Hart, and you've seen Cat Williams, and you've seen Bernie Mac, and you've Seen so many guys that start out on the tour, and then all of a sudden they get. Is that what you, Was that something that you, you, you sought out? Is that what you wanted to do? Did you ever think that being a comedian would lead you, lead you to tv?

B (42:05)

I think early on, as a comic, you're conditioned to think that there's certain things you're supposed to strive for.

C (42:10)

Okay, okay.

B (42:11)

You know what I mean? Where it's like, I love being a comic. That's my favorite thing. I'm not using comedy to become an actor, to become a movie star, to become this or become that. Whereas I feel like a lot of comics get into that as a stepping stone. I don't see comedy as a stepping stone. I see comedy as, as the destination. That's what I wanted to be. But early on, everybody's telling you, you got to have a Tonight Show. You got to have HBO Special. Back then, it was only an HBO special, right? You need a sitcom, and then you need a development deal, and you need movies, and you're conditioned to think that's what you're supposed to do. And it took a while for me to just break that and go, you know what? I've done TV shows. It's cool to say you're on a show when you're doing a movie. It's great to say, look, I'm on the poster. But people don't realize the amount of work that goes into it. It's a lot of work.

C (43:02)

It's a lot of sitting around, Gabe,

B (43:04)

to be honest with you, a lot of waiting. Hurry up and wait. We need you on the set at 6am and then you're on the set at 10, and you're like, I could have been sleeping this whole.

C (43:13)

Yes, yes. I can just imagine a movie that's, that's 90 minutes or 120 minutes, because a commercial that's only 30 seconds might take you two days. So I can imagine a movie that's going 90 minutes to 120 minutes. How much actual downtime sitting around? You're like, bro, we really could have shot this movie in, like, a month if y' all weren't bullied. If y' all were bullshit, we really could have shot this movie to mud. It didn't take six months to shoot this movie.

B (43:38)

There's, there's a lot of that. So I, I, I applaud people like Kevin, who has that work ethic, who actually wants to do.

C (43:45)

Yes.

B (43:45)

Those roles and, and, and still find

C (43:48)

time for his power to you and

B (43:49)

still Makes time for stats and he

C (43:50)

does tv and he's corporate. And he's corporate.

B (43:53)

I firmly believe there's like nine Kevin Harts.

C (43:55)

They gotta be.

B (43:55)

There's gotta be.

C (43:56)

They gotta be.

B (43:57)

There's one at the. One at the movie set right now. There's one promoting films. You know, he's, he's, he's a workaholic, man. And, and I don't have that energy, you know, so I applaud him. Good for him. Very happy for him.

C (44:09)

Has there ever been an audition that you bombed and you're like, yeah, I'm not getting this role?

B (44:15)

There's been a lot. There's been a lot of auditions. Early on, I would go on auditions all the time because my manager said that's what I needed to do, right? You know, so I was always on that freeway. So when I said earlier, man, I took on that 405. Yeah, yeah, it was traffic. And I'm just like, only because it's. Shay. Shay.

C (44:30)

I appreciate that. I appreciate that.

B (44:32)

But yeah, after a while I says, you know what? I'm tired. This is depressing. You go on these auditions, they tell you you're doing great. Oh my God, that's so good. And then they call you, you know, you get the follow up ones now you got to do the second round or the third round and then they start whittling down all the people until they get the one right, and you think you're doing good. And then it's like, all right, you don't hear nothing. And it's just like, I wasted all that time. So eventually I got tired of going on all these auditions and I said, you know what? I'm just going to focus on what I love, right? I love comedy. I'm going to focus on that. I'm going to make that priority, give 110% of my energy. And if something comes from that, in which case that's how I got the part in Magic Mike. I did an audition for it, right? Someone saw me, Channing, and said, dude, this guy's funny. We need him in the movie.

C (45:19)

Perfect for the part.

B (45:20)

And that's, that's how I got that. And that's how I get these voiceover roles. No one says, hey, can you come in and read for this and that. Now everybody's like, no, the very funny Gabriel Iglesias, we need him in the movie. And I'm just like, oh, my God, I should have been doing that from the get.

C (45:34)

Wow.

B (45:35)

You know what I mean? So I focused all my energy into the one thing and made myself really good at that one thing. And because of that, now. Now I. I get. I'm here. You know what I mean? Thank you.

C (45:47)

And we appreciate you being here. Do they ever tell you on set, don't talk to certain actors because you hear certain things, like, you don't talk to this guy. You don't talk to that person. I mean, do you go out of your way or do you just like, okay, I'll speak to if spoken to.

B (46:04)

I don't think I've been on a set where I had to be that way.

C (46:08)

Okay.

B (46:08)

But I've heard many stories where you have to act a certain way. Look at the ground, don't look at that person. Don't ask questions, don't engage.

C (46:15)

You really can't look at a person. You can't look at a person.

B (46:17)

I've heard many stories like that where you're not supposed to look at certain talent. I've not been told, right, don't do that. But I've heard a lot of stories where this, you know. Yeah, I've heard just kind of like, ah, don't. Don't do it. You're going to disappoint yourself. And I'm like, okay, okay.

C (46:34)

You also was on Nickelodeon with Nick Cannon and Amanda Bynes.

B (46:36)

Oh, yeah.

C (46:37)

How'd you get that opportunity? Cause you've had a lot of. You had. You've been in some great situations, gabe.

B (46:44)

So in 2000, I want to say it was 1999, 2000, I was on a show, basically the Saturday Night Live version for kids on Nickelodeon called All that.

C (46:55)

Yes.

B (46:55)

This show featured Amanda Bynes, Nick Cannon, Kenan Thompson, who. Who I think holds a record for most sketches now on snl. You know, it was, I want to say season. Was it Season 6. Basically, Kenan and Kel, they had. They spun off and did their own show called Kenan and Kel on Nickelodeon. So they left all that, and they needed somebody to come in and fill in. And someone had seen me at the Laugh Factory doing standup, and they recommended me to Toland Robbins, who was the. They were the producers of the show. Okay. And so next thing you know, I met Nickelodeon and I' in an office, and it's me and my manager, and I'm sitting there and they're like, okay, so you're Gabriel, you're funny. Someone saw you, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And they're like, they said, you're good at characters. And they said, can you do some characters for us? And then I just Started rattling off, right? Freaking. Basically my set, I was doing, you know, the girl voice. Oh, my God. Like, seriously, like, wow. And as soon as I did the girl voice, so, like, you know, and then I just started doing other voices. I was doing, I think, the president, like, oh, let me tell you something right now. You know, just all those little things I was doing, they just. I remember they all looked at each other, and next thing you know, I was on the set. And I was the oldest cast member because you got to figure I was about 21 already. No, 2000. Shoot. I was 24, 25.

C (48:20)

Yeah.

B (48:21)

And everyone on the show was like, you know, 12 to 17. But at the time, I had, you know, it was clean cut, full head of hair. I had braces. So that really fed into the whole looking youthful. And so next thing you know, I'm on the show, and I went from being a comic on the weekends, making, I don't know, maybe 3, 400 on the weekends if I. If I hit a bunch of clubs and stuff. So all of a sudden, I'm. I'm a, you know, cast member on all that. And I was making about 3, 500 a week weekend. And so my life dramatically changed. And it was just like, you know, I had a TV the next weekend. It was really cool. I didn't have a TV yet.

C (49:02)

When you see you work close, like I said, you work with Nick, and Nick, you see with Nick with Wilding out, and he has other projects. But Amanda Bynes is kind of falling on some hard times. She's kind of going through some tough. Have you. From that point on, did you ever reach out to her? Have you ever been in communication with a man, Amanda?

B (49:20)

So early on with Amanda, she was the golden goose on the show. She was incredibly talented. I. I remember attending a live Nickelodeon event, and she was hosting it, and I felt like she must have been maybe 11 or 12 years old, and the amount of poise and confidence that she had hosting with a microphone, the way that she worked the microphone, the way that she worked the audience, and she was able to read a teleprompter, like, with ease. Like, she's. She's such a pro. So when I actually got to meet her, even though I was older, I was very intimidated by her. I was just like, oh, that's her. And I remember seeing her in makeup, and I was just kind of like real small talk. So unfortunately, I never became really good friends with her. Not that. Not that we couldn't be friends.

C (50:07)

Right.

B (50:07)

I just always felt like, man, She's. She's right here, and I'm right here. I just got this job, you know, try to mess that up. I clicked more with Nick. Nick was super cool. Nick was always inviting me out to eat. We were on Sunset on Nickelodeon at the studio, and he'd always take me and Danny Tamberelli to go eat at Carl's Jr which was on the corner. And he's like, I got it, guys. And I'm like, all right, you got it. I was so excited. I'm like, yay, free food.

C (50:36)

When Ken and the kale left, did that add pressure to you? Because, you know, you were coming in to replace those guys who had been hugely successful on the show. Show. So did that add pressure to you? Like, damn.

B (50:47)

Yeah, that was a lot of pressure because they. They had one person replace two, you know, so it's like. And I kept hearing it. You're like, oh, this is the guy that they brought in to replace the two.

C (50:59)

Yes.

B (51:00)

And then part of me was like, all right, why isn't there another guy here?

C (51:05)

Yeah. Or why did I get. Okay, two guys? Why did I get double salary? Because I,

B (51:12)

you know. But they were incredibly talented. I enjoyed watching Keenan and Kell both.

C (51:17)

They.

B (51:17)

The chemistry was amazing, and that's why they got their show.

C (51:19)

Right.

B (51:20)

So I was. I was you know, I was just, again, happy to be part of the mix. So you want to hear why I didn't get another season?

C (51:26)

Right?

B (51:26)

All right, here we go. This is a good story. I'm about to hit you with a good one.

C (51:31)

That's good.

B (51:32)

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

C (51:34)

I don't want you. I don't want you to drink alone.

B (51:36)

No, no, no. Believe me. I think I got somebody showing up in a few minutes to drive that c. Know. Okay, Shan.

C (51:44)

So I appreciate you, so.

B (51:46)

And by the way, can I just say, as a Raider fan, you made me. My team cry many times.

C (51:50)

So I could. I could. I could see you. Raiders fan.

B (51:53)

Yeah.

C (51:53)

Yeah. You probably wouldn't.

B (51:55)

It's coming out now. I was. I wasn't going to say earlier, but I'm like, you would.

C (51:58)

You at the Coliseum. You at the Coliseum?

B (52:01)

Yeah. In Oakland?

C (52:02)

Yeah. Oh, you used to go up to Oakland.

B (52:04)

I would go to Oakland and then,

C (52:05)

cuz, you know, they. The Colise for a long time.

B (52:07)

Yeah. Good job. Good job.

C (52:12)

Okay, so you got fired.

B (52:14)

So one. On Nickelodeon. On. On. On all that. Because of the fact that I could do the girl voice. They. They loved dressing me up, putting wigs and skirts and stuff. I could hear Cat Already. There's another one. Boo.

C (52:31)

Boo.

B (52:31)

There's another one. Yeah, yeah, they got me in a dress, Cat. Sorry, sorry. So they would always dress me up with the wig and the skirt and stuff. And so on one episode they had me dressed up as a cheerleader and so I had like the pigtails and then the bangs and stuff like that. Pom poms. The socks with the little ball in the back, right?

C (52:50)

Yes.

B (52:51)

So they had me dressed up like that. I'd done a sketch. And then at the end, at the end of the show, they have the musical guest. The musical guest goes out there and then after they're done singing, the whole cast runs out on the set. Hey, that's our show. Have a good night. We'll see you next week. More. All that, that. So there was an order in which everybody runs out on the set. It's always the shortest, all the way to the tallest. So I was always second to last. Cuz Nick was the tallest, right? And so the band finishes and then we all start running out onto the set. Well, I'm running out, right? And because of the fact that I have bangs, I can't see that there's a bean going across the stage. There was these beans. And I ran right into the beam and knocked myself unconscious on the set of all that. And so boom, hit the floor. I wake up and there's a fireman standing over me and he's looking at me and he's like, how many fingers am I holding up? And I'm like, I'm like four. He's like, do you know where you're at? And I'm like, nickelodeon. He's like, do you know why you're wearing a skirt? I'm like, paycheck. And so I'm trying to stand up, but they won't let me stand up, right? I just knock myself unconscious. And then I'm trying to take off my wig and they won't let me take off the wig because they think maybe the wig might be holding something in place, right? So what happens is they got the whole freaking ambulance and everything. They put me on a gurney and they take me to the hospital and.

C (54:22)

And you still got costume on, you still got the wig, you still got the, the cheerleading outfit. Head to pic.

B (54:28)

So all my family and friends that are. Because they had a live studio audience, they all just saw me get knocked unconscious. And now basically it's an ambulance. And I can see out the back of the ambulance because I'm laying there and I see all the cars of My family and friends following, following the ambulance to get to the hospital. And of course, you know, they put me in the donut. They start doing a, you know, scan to make sure I'm okay. And then eventually they're like, okay, okay, he's got a concussion. I had a concussion. They took off the thing. And word gets out that there's an entertainer who suffered a head injury at the Nickelodeon lot with the last name Iglesias. So people think that Enrique Iglesias was hurt. And now there's all these news stations showing up to the hospital to see if Enrique is okay, not realizing that fat dude in a skirt. So unfortunately, which really left a bad taste in my mouth, which is why I never did any of the reunion shows, is that they sent someone there to. With a clipboard to get me to sign a waiver saying that. That. That Nickelodeon's not responsible for the fact that I got injured on the set. And I'm like, you know, so the guy's just there, he's like, you got to sign this. And I'm just like, like, well, what if I don't? And they're like, well, you're probably going to get fired. And so I'm like, they threaten me with that, and then I sign it. And then they. Anyway, so, yeah, Dirty. Dirty.

C (56:01)

That's a dirty.

B (56:03)

So when they say, how come you never did none of the reunions? Because that's what happened. But it's okay because, you know, things turned out all right.

C (56:10)

How did you get a nickname, Fluffy?

B (56:14)

I called myself Fat around my mom, and she. She didn't like that, right? You're not fat. You're Fluffy, like a cat. And I'm like, oh, my God. So I said that on stage one night, got a huge laugh. And then at the end of the night, no one remembered Gabriel Iglesias. They call me Fluffy.

C (56:30)

So they still. So people still, when they see you out in the street, they see you out and about, they don't call you your name, they call you Fluffy.

B (56:35)

No one calls me Gabriel. They call me Fluffy. It's easier, and I'm okay with it, really. Took me a long time. Yeah, took me a long time to accept it. But then I got to a point where I stopped fighting it, and then I flipped the switch, and then I just stepped on the gas. And so I started branding it, right? And once I branded it. Forget it. I mean, I did that early on. I branded it so well that if you were to go online right now and you Google Fluffy, I come up before Cats, quilts, comforters, cotton candy. I am the number one fluffy thing on the Internet, and I challenge you to try it right now. Just type in the word fluffy and watch what comes up.

C (57:10)

First, did you hate, you know, because people started calling you that. Did you hate like, I hate that I told this story. Damn it. I should have just kept this a secret for all these years.

B (57:20)

Early on, yes, but then when you realize the magic of having a, you know, Cher doesn't need a last name.

C (57:28)

Right.

B (57:29)

You know what I mean? There's a lot of people that have. Pitbull doesn't need a last name. There's people that have that one name and it sticks now if you're lucky enough for them to actually know what your full name is.

C (57:38)

Cool. Cool, right.

B (57:39)

But the fact that people know Fluffy, I'm good with that. They know they know my name, so I'm not worried about it. So I'm okay with them calling me that. Yeah.

C (57:48)

You said there are six level of fatness. You said there's big, there's healthy, husky, Fluffy. Damn. Oh, hell no.

B (57:56)

You gotta say it right, though. It's big, healthy, husky, fluffy.

C (57:59)

Damn.

B (58:00)

And then. Oh, hell no.

C (58:04)

So, and I'm reading. Hold on. At one point in time, you weighed 445 pounds.

B (58:11)

Yeah, we weren't going to talk about that, but all right, yes, I maxed out at 440 pounds and I lost 100 plus pounds. So I'm right. Right now I'm about 320. I'm at 320.

C (58:23)

You got a goal of getting under, dipping under three or you good?

B (58:26)

No, absolutely, absolutely. I'm pushing 50, so I think I've put it off long enough. And, you know, recently I was, I was talking about, like, okay, you know, I've managed to accomplish every goal I've set for myself in my career.

C (58:41)

Yes.

B (58:42)

But personally, in my regular personal life, there's so many things that I've, I've not accomplished that I would like to. And one of them is, in fact, getting, you know, to a, to a healthier weight. Right. And so, yeah, I'm, I'm.

C (58:56)

Were you always. Were you always a big kid?

B (58:58)

Always a big kid.

C (58:59)

Kid.

B (58:59)

Always a big kid. And then once comedy started taking off, you got to figure it's like, man, I. I always wanted to go out and eat. I always like, oh, that'd be cool to go out and eat. And then I got myself into a position where I'm like, now I can afford to do it. I didn't cook at all. For like three years, it's just like, let's go.

C (59:18)

Right.

B (59:19)

And unfortunately it caught up to me.

C (59:21)

And then because you got to realize you probably starting your day at nine, ten o' clock at night, you getting done at midnight, one o' clock in the morning, and then you go to eat and then you go sleep till 9, 10 o' clock the next morning.

B (59:33)

I'm very much still a night person. So for example, I went to bed today at maybe what, 8:00am?

C (59:44)

Eight?

B (59:45)

Yeah, I went to bed at eight, I had breakfast at six and then I went to bed at eight.

C (59:51)

So what?

B (59:52)

And then I slept maybe three hours and then I got in the car and came over.

C (59:56)

So what were you doing from say from the hours 11pm to say 6am

B (60:01)

I'm just up, I'm up, I'm watching TV, I'm on my phone. I just, I'm a night person.

C (60:07)

So your roles are reversed. So you sleep when a normal person is out and about doing what they do and when a person is normally asleep, that's when you're getting your stuff done.

B (60:17)

Yes. And also at night is my favorite time to drive because there's no traffic. Traffic.

C (60:21)

Right.

B (60:22)

You know, so I can jump in one of the cars and just, you know, take a nice, I'll take a lap, I'll go to Pasadena or I'll go to Ontario or come up here to la and it's, there's no traffic. So it's just, you know, you just

C (60:32)

get in the car and just drive.

B (60:34)

Yeah, it's the best. I'll set a playlist. You got to remember, during the day or just when I'm out on the weekends, I have so many people around me.

C (60:42)

Yes.

B (60:42)

And the idea of me going anywhere alone freaks everybody out because it's like, but if something happens, I, I'm like, I'm a, I'm a adult. Can I just go? You know what I'm saying? Like, I go to Costco by myself and be like, what are you doing? I'm like, I'm grown. Can I go, can I go buy a $50 hot dog and enjoy that and go, go get some sheets or something? You know what I mean? It's like, is it, is it cool?

C (61:03)

Right?

B (61:05)

It is weird because it's like, you know, people always remind you or they're trying to tell you, hey, don't start getting big headed, don't start acting all this and that, don't start thinking. But then I do normal things and it freaks people out even more.

C (61:17)

Warrant. I just want to Go to Costco.

B (61:18)

You know what I'm saying? So if I walk into a McDonald's and I order some food at the counter, they're like, is that really you? And I'm like, yeah. What are you doing here at McDonald's? I like chicken nuggets. What the. You know what I'm saying?

C (61:27)

So it's like, yeah, that's what I'm doing. Like, most everybody, they order something. A quarter pound of Big Mac nuggets or something. That's why I'm here.

B (61:35)

But I am a night person. I, I function better.

C (61:37)

Have you always been that way?

B (61:38)

Yes, even as a child. So, for example, this past weekend, I did. Yeah, I just, I love staying up late. I love staying up late. I just, I hate mornings, but I love being up late.

C (61:50)

See, I'm, I'm an early riser, but I need to get to bed. I'm, you know, if I, if I could, all things being equal, 10, 10, 30 is. I'm talking about absolute max. I would stay up. If I don't have anything to do,

B (62:04)

I will take a nap. And my naps are like an hour.

C (62:07)

Okay? That's a nap. You know, that's a nap. Otherwise, that's a good nap.

B (62:11)

I'm up late. I, I just like being up late. It's, it's, it's more peaceful for me. I enjoy it.

C (62:17)

If you didn't have to do this interview today, you go to bed.

B (62:20)

I'd be asleep right now. So I get out of bed right around 11 2.

C (62:27)

So you don't sleep that much though.

B (62:29)

But in the mornings.

C (62:30)

Yeah, but I'm saying you sleep to, like, one, that's only like five hours and you take a nap. That's six hours a day. That's all you need.

B (62:37)

That's all I need. Need.

C (62:41)

When you driving, you, you getting your, you getting your, your minivan or you get, or you getting your boats.

B (62:47)

Just so we're clear, I have other cars that I do have. My preferred car that's more practical, that I'm not afraid of because it's always one of those things where when I go places, I'm. I would, I would drive my other cars back in, you know, before I got the minivan. And for some reason I get back and there's a scuff on it, and I'm like, really? We scratch or dink, dent the rims. All met.

C (63:09)

Yeah.

B (63:09)

What? Come on. You know, so that, that really bothered me. But with a minivan, I don't.

C (63:15)

If someone messes it up oh, well.

B (63:17)

Oh, well.

C (63:18)

Yeah, you had to. You had to. You had.

B (63:19)

First of all, it's not even a rim. It's a hubcap. Yeah, it's a hubcap. I got two more at the freaking building. You know what I mean? I'm good.

C (63:27)

You know? Are you. So when you get in there and you take these trips, what are you thinking of? Because John Cena says he does the same thing. John Cena, he's in Florida and he says. You know what he says, Shannon, Sometimes I get in my car and I take a trip. I go, 9, 10, 11 hours, and I'll just drive. I'll just drive a big circle around Florida and come back home. It's just me and my thoughts. When you're in that situation, what are you thinking about? Are you thinking about. Are you thinking about another set that I got? Are you trying to come up with jokes? Are you just clearing your mind? Are you saying, thank you, God? I'm so. You blessed me beyond blessed. Being blessed. What do you. What do you. What is Gabriel Iglesias thinking about?

B (64:04)

When I'm alone in the car, first of all, it's very peaceful because I don't have to worry about entertaining or having a conversation with someone. When you're talking to someone, a lot of times I feel like you're. You're. You're trying to appease them. You're trying to entertain them or keep them busy, and you're not focusing on yourself. So when I'm alone in the car, I could just be me.

C (64:22)

Okay?

B (64:23)

It's just me.

C (64:23)

Okay.

B (64:24)

I'll set a playlist. I'll set a playlist, and I'll just.

C (64:27)

I'll.

B (64:27)

I'll listen to the music and I'll drive, and I'll go over all the things that I'm. You know, that I'm. That I'm working on, because, you know, there's either. There's press going on, there's a show going on. There's. There's different endeavors, if that's the right word for it, of things that are happening. So I'm like, okay, what do I got to do here? What do they expect here? So. And I'm always trying to come up with ideas and. And just the creative. There's stuff that I want to do on social media. There's stuff that I want to do. Maybe there's. There's an idea for a premise.

C (64:55)

Yes.

B (64:56)

So all of that is happening in the car. But I'm so at peace, and I'm just driving, and I'm listening to music and it just. It's such a peaceful place to be because I'm always around a lot of noise and so being alone for me, like when people say, what's your favorite room at the house? My favorite room at the house is the bathroom because no one can get to me.

C (65:17)

Right?

B (65:17)

I got good ac, I got a good ass Japanese toilet. I got wi fi. And it's just like, I'm good. And people know. Don't you dare knock on that door.

C (65:29)

This is my 5, 10, 20 minutes by myself. Sometimes do you just go in there just like, you know, you don't really have to use the bathroom, but they know that's really your opportunity to be at peace.

B (65:39)

I will. And it's gonna sound disturbing, but I'll stay in that bathroom up to two hours just for the sake of peace. You gotta remember, I hope you sitting on the totem. Well, you know, I got an awesome toilet. I got a totem. I got a total. Man, that's one of my investments right there. Throughout the day, you know, I got so many people that want answers. Managers, agents, publicists. And then I have my own employees that are. That are at my building. And so everybody's always just trying to get answers. And of course that's what they're supposed to do, right? But man, when it's just the phone doesn't. I don't. I never have the ring on. But the vibr. It's always just, you know, so when I'm in the bathroom, everyone knows. Just leave them alone.

C (66:27)

That's. That's as quiet.

B (66:29)

Leave them alone. Do not knock on that door.

C (66:31)

This concludes the first half of my conversation. Part two is also posted and you can access it to whichever podcast platform you just listened to part one on. Just simply go back to Club Shay profile and I'll see you there.