If racially-charged humor makes you uncomfortable, don’t see or listen to comedian Carlos Mencia.
Mencia is unquestionably one of today’s lauded, in-your-face comedians, who describes himself as “the first Richard Pryor of Hispanic culture.” Mencia jokes about anything and anybody, and will belittle you if you don’t get his humor. He also and strongly believes in “freedom of speech,” and does not discriminate; he is an equal opportunity offender. So if he slams your race, religion or culture, don’t feel bad, he brutally mocks his own Mexican race and the Latino heritage too. When joking about his specialty, which is social, political and racial issues, he will sting you with the truth. This type of truthfulness can be considered politically incorrect, offensive, but admittedly true. Frustrated with humanity, and known as “The Punisher of Comedy,” Mencia also performs on stage wearing stylish hip-hop fashion to accompany his street smarts, or wears a baseball jersey with the word “Punisher” written across his shirt, basically insinuating what he is about.
Mencia, the 17th of 18 children was born in Honduras to a Mexican mother, and Honduran father. Mencia was sent to the United States to live with his aunt and uncle when he was less than a year old. Growing up in the rough, gang-cultured streets of Los Angeles as a teenager, he was sent back to Honduras. Although, he was a good kid, his family feared and did not want trouble around him. A few years after, he returned to the United States, who then excelled in High School, went on to college majoring in electrical engineer and held a job. Friends of Mencia would mention to him how naturally funny he was, and that he should do stand-up. One day, after attending and viewing a stand-up show he says, “I can do that!” After eventually performing live at an open mic night in a comedy club in Los Angeles, and making people laugh hysterically, Mencia literally found his calling. Not ever dreaming about being a comedian, or thought about it as a kid, he realized that this is what he was meant to do.
With a dozen television credits and appearances, HBO Specials, garnering his own show, “Mind of Mencia” on Comedy Central, earning Cable Ace Award nominations and entertaining troops overseas, and starred opposite Ben Stiller in the Farrelly Brothers’ hit feature film, “The Heartbreak Kid,” this harsh and brassy comedian’s calling was certainly no joke. Popular for his confrontational humor, this Latino comic has accomplished a lot with his unexpected career.
You can catch Mencia’s new film, “Our Family Wedding,” alongside Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker and actress, America Ferrera in theaters. Carlos Mencia is currently on his 80-city “Punisher” tour.
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