Boxingtalk from time to time throws a little something different at our readers. Nationally known comedian  Alex Reymundo had a great 2007, his smash Showtime hit “Hick-Spanic” played throughout the month of March, and he is currently working on his next one hour special.  Reymundo also announces here on Boxingtalk that negotiations are taking place between Golden Boy Promotions and Payaso Comedy Slam to merge boxing and comedy, and if all goes well, the fans will get the best of both worlds on a major network. 


BT -  Alex welcome to Boxingtalk.com

AR – How are you my brother, nice to talk to you.  The last time I saw you we were in the ring together (laughs).

BT -  Yeah we almost had to go a few rounds at Freddie Roach's gym in Hollywood.

AR – Yes indeed, absolutely.

BT -  The last time I saw you, you were about to launch your Showtime hit “Hick-Spanic”, how has that gone for you?

AR – It kicked ass, a lot of my friends and family were calling me and saying that they should call it the Alex Reymundo channel, that's how many times they played it.  The show premiered in March, and it really did well.  It was part of the Laugh Out Loud series, it kicked ass.  To bring you up to speed, comedy central is running it right now, and Showtime just premiered the Latin Divas which I host, and produced. 

BT – Showtime and yourself worked together right before the first Israel Vasquez vs Marquez fight.

AR – They bookended me around the Showtime boxing event with Marquez vs Vasquez 1.  They showed my show before and after the fight, so boxing fans got to see some comedy both before and after the fight.  Comedy fans got to see some great boxing, and some great comedy.  Showtime put together a nice one two punch.

BT – I am guessing that your show being a smash hit on Showtime elevated you across the country.

AR – It really has, it's made me visible across the country.  Now usually when I am in an airport or a grocery store, I get recognized.  I'm not like Ron Jeremy yet (laughs), but I turn some heads now (laughs).

BT – When you put the hard work in, it must feel good when that happens.

AR – It really does, the likeness of boxing and comedy is  that you hear the crowd, and you know when you're doing well, and when you're not doing well.  When I am walking the streets and someone comes up to me and compliments me on my comedy, it really reassures me that I am going a good job.

BT - “Hick-Spanic” comes out on DVD on November 13th, talk about that.

AR – It will hit stores all across America, anywhere you can get a video, you can get it.  It's exciting, there's so many ins and outs about making something like this, it's nice.

BT – What's next for you?

AR – I am working on a new one hour comedy special .  Showtime likes me, and I got their ear right now, so I am working hard on that.  I am also working on something very interesting that will interest the boxing fans.  We are working on something that involves Golden Boy Promotions, and our comedy.  I can't get into specifics right now, but just know we have some things in the works.  Hopefully we can make this all happen, both sides are real happy.

BT – What makes you laugh?  Where do you get your material from?

AR – Well that's a two part question, what makes me laugh and where do I get my material.  I get my material just by looking around and from things that make me giggle, and gets my interest.  Who makes me laugh?  I am such a big fan of comedy, I am a fan of anybody that can make me laugh, and think a little bit.


BT – Who influenced you, and got you interested in being a comedian?

AR – Well how I got interested in becoming an entertainer?  My dad was my hero until I saw that Elvis got more chicks.  That's when I realized that I have to do something on that stage, I have to say something, shake something, because chicks dig it, and I dig chicks.  That was my inspiration, but when I got older I realized that I couldn't sing, and I can't play like Eddie Van Halen, or Jimmy Hendrix.  I discovered comedy, guys like Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Cheech, Paul Rodriguez, and different guys that I saw doing it.  I thought, I want to give that a  shot.

BT – Ron White, and Lewis Black to me are two of the best comedians out there, what are your thoughts on those two?

AR – Let me tell you a great story.  I am on tour all this year and next year with Ron White for the Blue Collar Tour.  We are just out there beating up crowds all across America.  We have done 230 shows, and we are not stopping.  The club that I started comedy in 20 years ago was the same club that Ron White walked into for his first comedy show.  The bartender at that club was me, Alex Reymundo.

BT – Wow.

AR – Yep, he walked up to the bar and ordered a shot of tequila and I was the bartender.  Ever since then we have been friends.  We drove in my truck or his truck together for the first 3 or 4 years of our careers.  We were making like $150.00 bucks a week back then, we drove to them together. I am thankful for the success of both of our careers for the past few years,  Ron is one of the top touring comics in the country.  Alex Reymundo is successful now, and I thank all of my fans for that. 

BT – What's it like to bomb on stage? And tell me about a time when you knocked a show out of the park.

AR – Well as an entertainer, everybody has had a time where they bombed, and guess what?  there is more coming.  I remember back when I first started comedy, I would be in a small club, and the show would go so horribly that I would literally hide in the janitors closet.  I didn't want to see anybody from the audience and have them do that look away move.   It hasn't happened too often, I have been fortunate to have had hundreds and thousands of great shows.  I have had moments where I said, “thank God that I do this, that moment was fantastic.'

BT – Can you tell early on in a show when you have a good crowd that you are performing in front of?

AR – Absolutely I can, I can tell within the first 30 seconds of how things are basically going to go.  Boxers and Comics are paid to make decisions within an instant.  If I land a good punch,  hopefully I will follow it up with a  left.  If I don't I better have something planned quick to recover from it.  The more good decisions that I make, the better my show will be.  Everyone that comes to my show comes with the intentions to laugh, so it is really difficult for me to screw it up.

BT – Would you rather deal with a heckler, or not?

AR – You know, I like them.  I like that screwed up variable in a show.  But that's just the freak in me.  Some comics don't like to deal with them, but truthfully known, it's a better show not to deal with them because people come and pay for a good show.  I happen to like crazy people, but with that said, I am not encouraging the hecklers to come out to my shows, but I'll street fight with you, (laughs).

BT – Why do you think it is that jokes about ethnicity work?

AR – Because they are truth.  Comedy is the truth plus exaggeration.  Anytime that you hit on something that is remotely true, it's up to the comic to see how far he or she can take it.  It's funny stuff.  I would be foolish not to play on some of the stereotypes of Latino people.  The fact that a lot of Latino people pile into cars is funny, it's the truth.  If you're not offending somebody, you're not doing something right.

BT -  Alex it was a pleasure talking to you.  Your DVD “Hick-Spanic” comes out at all video stores on November 13th.  Do you have any closing thoughts for your fans out there?

AR – I want to say thank you for the consumption of my dysfunction. You guys and girls have always been great to me, and there is more coming.  Visit me at www.hick-spanic.com www.alexreymundo.com and www.myspace.com/alexreymundo Look for the Latin Divas, Hick-Spanic comes out November 13th!

M

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