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LONGBEACHMAGAZINE.COM Caring For Your Pets Like Family Greg Perrault, DVM 627 Redondo Ave, Long Beach 562.439.4228 catsanddogsah.com *mention this ad for a complimentary exam (new clients only) ANIMAL HOSPITAL TM inspiration for a lot of the material he uses today. He stuck out among his peers as the "chubby, acne-faced kid" who was really quiet and really shy but also had the talent to make people chuckle. Comedy, he said, offered him the "feeling of acceptance" and the opportunity to branch out of Long Beach into the spotlight to accomplish one of his biggest dreams. His break came when he joined the cast of "Que Locos" which aired on Galavision. Alongside George Lopez and other up and coming Latino comedians, Iglesias made his mark by making jokes about everything from growing up Latino to fast food. Iglesias said that since his break on the show, he has continued to attract crowds because of his ability to connect with his audience and their everyday lives. He estimates his fan base to be about 60 percent Latino. His material is always fresh and always relevant to what is happening in his day-to- day life. "Right now I am talking about my blood sugar, my family, all that," said Iglesias. Recently diagnosed with diabetes, Iglesias has taken the grim news and incorporated it into his act, although it is in direct conflict with dialogue about his love of food. "Do I sound hypocritical sometimes? Absolutely. I think most comics do," he said. "But I put it all out there. I check myself." Iglesias said he acknowledges he has led a life of "excess" when it comes to food and may well in fact have gone overboard. Today, his diabetes has helped to suppress his sweet tooth a bit, but he said he still enjoys eating at his local favorites – Hooters at the Pike, Famous Dave's and Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles. And yes, even Rossmoor's for cake. "I love that place," he noted. Iglesias said he plans to continue to do stand-up comedy. He said he is not interested in pursuing his own show or going into other aspects of entertainment like other comedians have done before him. When he is at his home in Signal Hill, the comedian instead focuses his attention on running another side venture that has taken off — his Fluffy Guy clothing company, which produces T-shirts that are made up size 6X. The clothing line reflects his sense of humor with printed sayings such as "Real Men Have Stretch Marks" to "I drink Diet Coke so I can eat regular cake." Iglesias said he is thinking of one day opening a store in Long Beach as well as El Paso, Texas, to sell his merchandise. The goal is to build on his "fluffy guy" persona. About 15 years ago, when he was trying to find his way into comedy, Iglesias recalls asking fellow comedian Carlos Mencia advice about being a comic and Mencia explained to him in very simple terms. "He told me, 'You just go out there and you just gotta do it,' " Iglesias said. Now when people come up to him and ask him for advice, Iglesias has his own answer. "People ask me, 'How do you make it?' I tell them, 'You got to make yourself memorable,'" he said. For him, taking the top spot of a Google search for the word "fluffy" has definitely been a good start. n For more on Gabriel Iglesias, visit fluffyguy.com 65