If I were asked to write a list of comics that I find funny, it would hold around 1-2 comedians: Daniel Tosh from Tosh.O, and maybe Jeff Dunham (though he has gotten stale). This isn’t because I hate to laugh – quite the opposite is true – but I rarely spend time watching stand-up routines. Comedy Central is known for their late-night stand-up shows, and sometimes I catch a couple of minutes of those if nothing else is on. The thing is, I rarely take the time to remember the performer’s names. If I came across Gabriel Iglesias on one of these specials, though, I can’t see that being the case, because he is not only very large, but also very personable, and funny enough that I would have to remember him.
Gabriel Iglesias: I’m Not Fat…I’m Funny is the latest Blu-ray release from (Iglesias’ label) Fluffy Inc., and Comedy Central, featuring Gabriel Iglesias’ performance from April of 2009 at the Plaza Theatre in El Paso, Texas. Iglesias covers many different topics, including his stepson Frankie (the inspiration for many of his jokes), and his stint with Nickelodeon when he was a performer on the kid version of Mad TV: All That. He manages to fit about five minutes of President Obama discussion into the show, and then jokes about how he promised not to talk about politics. He touches on his USO tour, his girlfriend, stories about dealing with the police, checking in to a hotel, getting recognized on the streets, and more. The track list as listed on the BD insert is as follows:
“Return to El Paso”
“Nickelodeon”
“Oh Hell No!”
“I Hear the Bell”
“New Daddy”
“I Do Voices Everywhere”
“Obama”
“My Girl”
“Cop Story 1″
“USO”
“Cop Story 2″
“Cakes and More Cakes”
“Dropping Frankie Off”
“DDR”
“Disney”
“Car Was Stolen”
Iglesias does an excellent job of pulling the audience in right from the start. He is always smiling, and seems genuinely excited to be in El Paso, TX, having the opportunity to perform his craft in front of a gracious audience. Through his introduction, and his “I’m approachable” attitude, Iglesias comes off as an extremely personable man. This hook is all that is needed to win the audience over, and once he has the viewer’s attention, he’ll have he or she laughing at a multitude of different topics.
Aside from telling funny jokes, Iglesias has another talent: impersonations, funny voices, and sound effects. He uses these a lot throughout the performance, and they always add to the humor of the moment. His high-pitched female voice is hysterical, as is his voice for his girlfriend and stepson; he even tosses in a Bill Clinton voice that is spot on. Iglesias seems fond of one sound in particular – the sound of a car pulling away – and he uses it quite a bit throughout his show. This sound never gets stale, though, and the same can be said for all of his vocal tricks. The voices and sound effects are not overused, and help Iglesias stand out from other comedians I’ve spent time watching.
Iglesias’ humor stems from his personal experiences, including his girlfriend and stepson, as well as his own size. The best bits in the show – and where Iglesias seems the most excited – are about his stepson Frankie. Because Iglesias uses his family as the basis for a lot of his jokes, the routine should be safe for teenage-to-adult audiences, and will appeal to both equally. This makes I’m Not Fat a potentially family-friendly BD for those with teenaged kids.
I’m Not Fat…I’m Fluffy is a great stand-up routine from an excellent comedian. Gabriel Iglesias comes off as a genuinely nice guy, which is not only endearing, but helps his routine when he talks about his loved ones. He shows an unprecedented respect for his fans, and gives them a show to remember at the Plaza Theatre in El Paso, TX. Whether an established fan, or someone looking for a good laugh, I’m Not Fat…I’m Fluffy is a great way to spend seventy minutes.
This BD will not take any awards for picture quality; there is nothing that stands out as particularly great, or particularly bad. The audience will have no trouble seeing the sweat of Iglesias’ brow, and that’s all that is needed, seeing as this is a stand-up routine as opposed to an action flick. The BD is presented in 1080i high definition, but there is no contrast ratio listed. The sound is fine, with the audience’s laughter and clapping coming in through the back speakers, and Iglesias’ dialogue feeding through the front of a 5.1 surround sound system. There are no audio qualms, allowing the viewer to hear Gabriel with ease. The audio options listed are Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, and PSM 2.0 Stereo options. There are also English SDH subtitles available, but, surprisingly, no Spanish subtitle options.
Deleted Scene: High School Reunion (7:46): A bit from the act that was cut because Gabriel had some “black towel on his face.” This is another funny bit, but it is obvious why it was cut. Glad to see it on the deleted scenes though, and the joke is up to par with the rest of the act.
Fluffy’s Friends Hit the Stage: Martin Moreno (5:00): This is one of the opening acts for Gabriel in El Paso. If this is five minutes of the best part of Moreno’s act, the viewer will not miss much if he or she skips this. The live audience is not nearly as responsive to Moreno as they are to Gabriel, and though there are a few laughs to be found, this is a disappointing and unimpressive act.
Fluffy’s Friends Hit the Stage: Noe Gonzalez (4:10): The second act to open for Gabriel in El Paso. For some reason, one of his opening lines is censored, which is odd on an unrated BD. The audience responds better to Gonzalez than to Moreno, but this is because his act is much funnier than the last. Gonzalez also looks more comfortable on stage than Moreno. This is heavily cut, and there are some weird editing snafus, but this is fine for an added four minutes of comedy.
Onstage Q&A with the Fans (8:09): After the show is over, the audience is able to stay and ask any questions they may have for Iglesias. This is a lot of fun to watch, and cements the fact that Gabriel Iglesias seems about as personable as they come. His infamous stepson, Frankie, is also introduced at the end, and it is startling how similar they look.
The special features are limited, but the question and answer session, as well as the deleted scene are well worth the time. The routine itself is solid, and Gabriel Iglesias is hilarious, and uses (mostly) clean jokes throughout. The video picture is not stunning, but for a stand-up routine, it does the job adequately enough. The audio sounds good on a 5.1 surround sound system, but will be filled with mostly audience laughter and clapping. Because the video isn’t standout, and no special features have been added from the DVD version, released back in 2009, it is difficult to suggest the Blu-ray Disc over the DVD. Anyone who owns the DVD already will want to skip this, and anyone looking to save a few dollars will want to purchase the DVD over the BD. Whether picking up the BD or the DVD, this is a stand-up routine worth owning for anyone with an interest in stand-up, or Gabriel Iglesias.
Comedy Central & Fluffy, Inc. presents Gabriel Iglesias: I’m Not Fat…I’m Fluffy. Directed by: Manny Rodriguez. Starring: Gabriel Iglesias. Written by: Gabriel Iglesias. Running time: 69 minutes. Rating: Not Rated. Released on Blu-ray: January 11, 2011.
