Club Shay Shay – Gabriel Iglesias Part 2

Podcast: Club Shay Shay
Host: Shannon Sharpe
Guest: Gabriel Iglesias ("Fluffy")
Date: March 11, 2026

Episode Overview

In part two of their conversation, Shannon Sharpe sits down with renowned comedian Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias for a candid, humorous, and insightful discussion covering Gabriel’s love of comfort foods, struggles and triumphs with weight, perspectives on relationships and marriage, life on the road, cultural identity, comedy origins, and the debut of his very personal tequila brand. Expect the signature camaraderie, playful banter, and touching moments between two men who know what it takes to keep striving no matter the odds.

Food, Comfort, and Mayonnaise: Fluffy’s Simple Pleasures

[01:40 – 09:11]

• Not a Sweets Guy:

  • Gabriel clarifies he’s not a "sweets" guy, preferring salty foods:

    "I love more salty sweet. Whether it's chips, steak, or a hot dog. My favorite food is a hot dog." (02:08)

• The Hot Dog Debate:

  • Shannon and Gabriel joyfully debate the merits of the famous Dodger Dog, the perfect bun length, and favorite toppings.
    • Gabriel’s go-to toppings: "ketchup, mayo, mustard."
    • Shannon is shocked by the mayo:

      "I've never heard of anybody putting mayo on a hot dog." (03:08)

    • Gabriel defends his hot-dog-as-sandwich stance:

      "For me, a hot dog is just… it's the same [as a sandwich]. The meat is shaped different." (03:19)

• Spam & Childhood Nostalgia:

  • Fluffy fondly recalls growing up eating Spam, often fried, with mayo:

    "For example, one of my favorite salty things to eat is spam. Cause I grew up on it… It's nostalgic. It ties into my childhood." (05:06)

  • His ultimate comfort food? Grilled cheese with Spam:

    "If that's my last meal… grilled cheese sandwich with fried Spam in the middle." (06:44)

• Rider Requests:

  • Gabriel’s backstage wants are basic: tortillas, cheese, a George Foreman Grill, and mayo:

    "So basic. I just need a George Foreman Grill or a microwave." (07:57)

Weight Journey: Health, Struggles, and Ozempic

[10:06 – 19:39]

• Hitting a Wall:

  • Gabriel details his highest weight (~440 lbs), initial sense of invincibility due to youth, and the onset of panic attacks:

    "Everything's functional…Then I just got to a point where it became uncomfortable… I'd have to go outside and just let the cold air hit me." (10:51)

• DDP’s Influence:

  • Inspired by Diamond Dallas Page (DDP) and his program—credited for helping him lose nearly 100 lbs:

    "He helped me to lose almost £100. So I credit him for that." (12:45)

• Ozempic, Quick Fixes, and Aftermath:

  • Gabriel tried Ozempic:

    "Ozempic works…It does curb your appetite. You just look at food, I’m like, I’m good." (13:53)

  • Downsides: lost muscle ("My shoulders… I lost my shoulders") and rapid weight regain after stopping—plus a million-dollar offer from Ozempic:

    "I got off the Ozempic and immediately I gained back 20 pounds like that. And…Ozempic reached out to me many years ago… incredible deal to be the face….but I was going to do better on the road." (16:09)

• Would Losing Weight Change Fluffy?

  • Shannon raises the issue of Gabriel’s brand being tied to his size. Gabriel’s response:

    "If I lose 100 or whatever the amount of weight is. Yeah, I might not be fluffy. But man, I'm gonna be alive. And I think that's the most important thing." (18:01)

• On-Stage Life Challenges:

  • Documentary look at life on the go: unhealthy schedules, eating late, limited workout options:

    "You travel…your schedule is reversed of what a normal person would do." (18:33)

Sleep Apnea, Veganism & True Health

[19:39 – 22:02]

• Sleep Apnea:

  • Both discuss struggles with sleep and CPAP machines:

    "Pretty sure I have…that condition. I haven’t done the sleep study, but I know that I snore." (19:45)

• Trying Vegan:

  • Gabriel spent six months as a vegan, didn’t lose weight, and found it socially isolating and physically odd:

    "My pee smelled funny. It was bad….I know a lot of fat vegans, which... if you’re gonna be giving up meat and you’re still fat, you might as well eat the steak." (21:29)

Marriage, Relationships, and Priorities

[22:04 – 26:48]

• Not Married, By Choice:

  • Common misconception: Gabriel has never been married.

    "I've never been married. Never said, 'I do.' Never went down the aisle…From day one, I made a choice that my career was going to be number one." (22:10)

• Marriage as Business:

  • Views marriage as a business transaction, not a romantic ideal:

    "I see marriage as a business transaction, that's all I see it as." (23:09)

• Sacrifice for Career:

  • Acknowledges sacrifices made for his comedy career, and skeptical due to observing many failed relationships among peers.

• Longest Relationship:

  • 14 years; took on a role of stepfather, and maintains a close relationship with his ex’s son even after the breakup:

    "We broke up in 2017, okay. And I still have a great relationship with my son. I didn’t need a piece of paper to tell me he’s mine." (26:18)

Launching Pocho Fino Tequila: Identity and Legacy

[27:25 – 34:18]

• A Brand with Purpose:

  • After years of patron loyalty, Gabriel co-created Pocho Fino Tequila—blending Mexican roots and American upbringing:

    "There's never been a story told about someone who has a brand that's Mexican and American, the two worlds coming together." (28:51)

  • Reclaims "pocho" (term for Mexican-Americans, sometimes negative):

    "Normally that's considered a negative word. So I said, let's flip that word and make it a word that's like...I'm going to make it awesome." (29:34)

• Honoring His Dogs:

  • The bottle features his late chihuahuas, who traveled with him throughout his career.

    "If we're gonna do something, I want to find a way to honor my dogs, honor the brand, honor who I am." (30:52)

• Cultural Experience of Being “Pocho”:

  • Discusses not being fully accepted as “Mexican enough” in Mexico, and how that echoes for other children of immigrants:

    "Even though I'm brown, I'm still considered an outsider. And…anytime you are a certain cult, you know, like...Chinese born in America versus Right. In China…you're not one of us, you're one of them." (33:49)

Life with Dogs & Balancing Fame

[34:36 – 41:47]

• New Chihuahua:

  • Gabriel shares stories of his new puppy and what he learned from his older dogs. Comedic take on losing track of the energetic young pup:

    "If I leave the door open, Shannon, I no longer have a dog. And my friends go, well, would you chase her? And what risk cardiac arrest? I'm not that attached." (35:16)

• Relationships & Fame:

  • Navigating public attention as an entertainer:

    "Anybody who wants to be with...someone who is famous; it's not an easy situation…you got to either be cool with it or just say, this is not for me." (38:46)

• Sense of Humor as an Attractive Quality:

  • A running joke about his "body count" and the power of humor:

    "My body count's bigger than yours…a sense of humor [is most attractive]." (39:46)

Comedy Origins and Influences

[43:26 – 54:24]

• First Laughs & Hooked on Performing:

  • Recalls his first stage moment at age 10, doing impressions at a school talent show:

    "The crowd knew what I was doing before I knew what I was doing." (45:44)

• Lack of Latino Representation:

  • Early comedy inspirations were Black comedians, due to the absence of Latino representation in media:

    "A lot of Latinos...gravitated towards Martin Lawrence…There wasn’t really any form of real representation for Latinos." (47:15)

• Def Comedy Jam & Comic View:

  • Emphasizes importance of Comic View, meeting Martin Lawrence, and performing at the Apollo.

• Comedy Over Money:

  • Advice to comics about not chasing money at the expense of the craft:

    "Don't worry about the money. Work on your craft. The money will come." (50:00)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "You do realize a hot dog is not a sandwich, right?" – Shannon [03:30]
• "We can agree to disagree, Shannon. We can agree to disagree." – Gabriel [03:36]
• "I didn’t work this hard to put myself in a position to lose. I sacrificed everything, Shannon." – Gabriel [23:09]
• "If I lose...yeah, I might not be fluffy. But man, I’m gonna be alive. And I think that’s the most important thing." – Gabriel [18:01]
• "You want to know what’s the most attractive quality in a man? A sense of humor." – Gabriel [39:59]
• "The crowd knew what they were watching before I knew what I was doing." – Gabriel [45:44]
• "Work on your craft. The money will come.” – Gabriel (passing on advice) [50:00]

Key Timestamps

• 01:40 – Hot dog & mayo debate
• 05:06 – Food nostalgia & comfort eating
• 10:06 – Weight struggles, panic attacks
• 12:13 – Diamond Dallas Page’s influence
• 13:53 – Ozempic experiences
• 18:01 – Being “Fluffy” vs. being alive
• 22:10 – Relationship priorities and never marrying
• 27:25 – Tequila brand origins & cultural meaning
• 35:16 – Stories about Fluffy's dogs and life with pets
• 38:46 – Relationships & challenges of dating in the public eye
• 43:32 – First laughs on stage & comedy influence
• 50:00 – Comedy advice: focus on the craft, not cash

Themes & Tone

• Honest, warm, and hilarious exchanges, staying in character both as comedians and regular guys facing real issues.
• Gabriel is unfiltered about his struggles with food and self-image, while always maintaining charm and humility.
• Shannon is a skilled, empathetic interviewer, often gently teasing but always supportive.

Anyone who missed this episode will walk away with a new appreciation for Gabriel Iglesias’ humor, depth, and resilience—plus a hunger for grilled cheese with Spam (and maybe even a splash of Pocho Fino tequila).