Standup comedians often play casinos as part of their tours, but Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias is taking it to another level. Iglesias’ upcoming performance at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage will mark the 25th time he’s presented his show at the casino’s venue.
“Clearly, I hate change,” Iglesias joked in a phone interview ahead of his three performances at the Rancho Mirage property on Friday, May 3, Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5. “It’s going to be a great time. I bring a great show with really good production. There’s nothing like it but wrestling. My shows like WWE meets the Food Network.”
The 47-year-old Long Beach resident known for his trademark Hawaiian shirts grew up in Southern California, including Riverside, Santa Ana, Baldwin Park and Compton. He says he enjoys playing roulette and checking out the cocktail menus at casinos but for Iglesias, Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage holds a sentimental value.
“For my mom and I, that was our little hangout,” he said. “She would always go with me, and without getting too emotional about it, she passed away about 10 years ago. So it was one of those things where it was a nice place to go and remember her. That particular venue was one of those places where there were always good memories.”
In 2022, he made history as the first comedian to headline Dodger Stadium which was later released as a Netflix special dubbed “Stadium Fluffy.” He’s also taken on more prominent T.V. roles, joining George Lopez’s sitcom “Lopez vs. Lopez” for season 2 and becoming a regular on “The Santa Clauses.”
Before his three shows in Rancho Mirage, Iglesias talked with Southern California News Group about headlining the baseball stadium, sharing the stage with George Lopez, social media’s impact on comedy and more. The following conversation was edited for space and clarity.
Q: You’ve performed some massive sell-out shows, including famously at Dodgers Stadium. How did you feel after doing that performance?
Iglesias: I felt very hungover the next day, and I might’ve celebrated a bit onstage. The next day was very surreal. My head and stomach were hurting but I’ve never been happier. It was the greatest day of my life. The whole next day, I just saying, ‘Wow, I can’t believe that happened.’
Q: You shared the stage with comedian George Lopez for the Golden Globes. Was it the first time you two have done something together like that?
Iglesias: We haven’t worked together since about 2000. We were on a television show called ‘Que Locos’ on Galavisión and he was one of the hosts. I was an up-and-coming comedian and that was the first time we got to work together. We didn’t really run into each other again until the Golden Globes. I thought that was really cool that the two of us could do that together. I love the fact that people could see us working together on such a huge stage. While everybody was focused on Taylor Swift, I’m telling George, ‘Do you realize how big this is?’ The two of us on that stage together?’ We’re living in a time where we’re all watching other comedians tear each other down so I thought it was really awesome that we could do that.
Q: Did you see people react when Lopez jokingly mispronounced Pedro Pascal’s name? How did you feel about it?
Iglesias: Well, that particular night, the Golden Globes crowd was challenging. But I felt like our little bit went over well, considering the short time we were up there. But with the Pedro Pascal joke, you could see some people were like, ‘Wait a minute’ and it was something that George improvised and that wasn’t part of the script.
Q: There is a lot of talk right now about Latino representation in the media and in Hollywood. How do you feel about representation in the current environment?
Iglesias: If I relied strictly on Hollywood to make me, I’d still be at my day job.
All I heard when I was starting out was no. I couldn’t get into comedy clubs. Since I couldn’t get into comedy clubs, I performed wherever they would allow me to perform: at quinceañeras, barbecues and little holes in the wall until I was able to get myself into a position where somebody could help me get into a comedy club. By the time I got there, I was seasoned because I was used to performing in environments that were not conducive to comedy. So of course, I came out killing it out of the gate because I was used to people throwing bottles and calling me fat from the crowd and threatening me in a parking lot.
Sometimes we spend too much time feeling held down, feeling oppressed, feeling pushed back. I think we can grow out of that. It was not Hollywood who put me here. It was me making a decision to take matters into my own hands.
Q: Speaking of taking matters into your own hands: What do you think of comedians who are succeeding because of their social media presence?
Iglesias: Social media is a double-edged sword because it’s one of those things where, yes, you can promote yourself and get your content out there quickly, but there’s something to be said about taking your time to do it right.
There are a lot of people out there who have gotten sparks, and then they go out and do their shows but unfortunately, all they have is their two or three minutes that went viral. They don’t have enough to sustain a full show because they haven’t been around long enough to hone in their craft and really build something to have a strong show. For most comics, it takes anywhere from 10 to 15 years to have a solid act where you can tour, headline and work.
So to pick the fast pass with social media, sometimes it doesn’t work but sometimes it does and they’ll catch on. Most of the time, I think that you’re missing out on the struggle and you’re missing out on the growth.
Q: If you could perform for any person or people living or dead, who would they be and why?
Iglesias: This isn’t a specific person but I would like to perform in the ’70s for an audience just to see what that would feel like. I feel like in the ’70s it was the last time where you could say anything you wanted up there and people knew you were just a comedian. Nobody was going to be pissed off when they got it in the parking lot. There were also no cell phones to record you and no social media. There was none of that and it was just people out having a good time.
Q: What’s one of the funniest situations you’ve been in that at the time was super serious but you had to prevent yourself from laughing?
Iglesias: I got a massage yesterday for my messed-up sciatica. I get massages regularly and usually I’m on my back or on my front. That’s how you lay down on the table. I kept complaining about my side and she goes, ‘Well, why don’t you lay down the side,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh, OK, let’s do that and it was awesome. I go, ‘Man, this is great,’ and she goes, ‘Yeah, I do this all the time for pregnant ladies.’ So, I’m like, Wow, OK, I guess I’m six months.
Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias
When: 8 p.m. Friday, May 3, Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5.
Where: Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, 32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage.
Tickets: $85-$200 at aguacalientecasinos.com.
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