George Lopez on Comedy, Culture, and Representation

Today we’re speaking with comedian George Lopez about the ins and outs of fame, the current sociopolitical climate, and how these things inform his life and his comedy.

You may know Lopez from his standup specials like 2025’s “Muy Catolico,” “We’ll Do it For Half,” and “The Wall: Live from DC.” Maybe from his 2002 sitcom “The George Lopez Show” or the more recent “Lopez vs. Lopez” in which he starred with his daughter Mayan. Perhaps his talk show “Lopez Tonight,” which made him the first Mexican-American to host a late-night talk show on English-language television, or one of his many feature film appearances.

Heck, maybe you know him as an author. He has had his hand in so many different artistic avenues that it is hard not to be impressed. As a Chicano performer in an industry that still underutilizes Latino talent, he has become somewhat of an icon, with a career to aspire to.

Stay tuned to get to know a side of George Lopez you may not have seen yet. Then make sure to grab your tickets for his appearance at NJPAC this February!

Thanks for listening!

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Transcript

Setting The Stage: George Lopez

Gina Marie Rodriguez 0:02

This is Gina Marie Rodriguez, and you're listening to the Jersey Arts podcast. Today I'm speaking with comedian George Lopez about the ins and outs of fame, the current socio-political climate, and how these things inform his life and his comedy. You may know Lopez from his stand-up specials like 2025's Muy Católico, We'll Do It for Half, The Wall live from DC. Maybe from his 2002 sitcom, The George Lopez Show. Or the more recent Lopez vs. Lopez, in which he starred with his daughter Mayan. Perhaps his talk show Lopez Tonight, which made him the first Mexican-American to host a late-night talk show on English language television. Or from one of his many feature film appearances. Heck, maybe you know him as an author. He's had his hand in so many different artistic avenues that it's hard not to be impressed. As a Chicano performer in an industry that still underutilizes Latino talent, he has become somewhat of an icon with a career to aspire to. And since we're here chatting Latina telatino, I couldn't help it. Before we got to the nitty-gritty of life as a famous comedian, I had to ask his thoughts on Bad Bunny's upcoming Super Bowl performance. Which, if you don't know, is affectionately being called Vinnytable by his fans. Stay tuned to get to know a side of George Lopez you may not have seen yet. And then make sure to grab your tickets for his appearance at NJPack this February. I'm looking forward to seeing you at NJPack. Are you uh prepared for the cold that's gonna hit you when you get here?

Speaker 1:32

Um, no.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 1:36

Yeah, that's not for me. I'm already trying to figure out how to move to a warmer climate. So I don't I don't want to be late.

Speaker 1:42

Where would you go?

Gina Marie Rodriguez 1:43

You know, I was thinking about Puerto Rico, actually. Speaking of Puerto Rico, I have to ask you, are you excited for Benito Bowl?

When Entertainment Turns Political

Speaker 1:50

I really am. You know, I I went and saw Michael Jackson in 1993 in the roll at the Rose Bowl. I saw, I think I saw him snip them sneak him in under, you know, and I mean that was a pretty famous uh Super Bowl show. I was at the one last it at the stadium that they're having it in with uh uh Beyoncé and Bruno, and then I think uh uh Chris Martin jumped in the middle level and they were like, what that what's that dude doing here? Um but I you know the thing that's just so painful is that I think you know, everything would just be dealt with with, you know, uh anticipation and and people would look forward to it, you know, to look forward to the Super Bowl show. That it was never a divisive issue, it was never a political issue, it was never about anyone's music, you know. If you could sit and watch Bruce Springsteen and you could watch Prince and you could watch Coldplay or you could watch, you know, whoever Lady Gaga or whatever, it's more of the event of the Super Bowl, Kendrick Lamar I thought was amazing. And then it's just that we just can't wait to destroy something that we used to h hold in such high regard. And I I I it's just, you know, to think I live this long to where I would have some of the same issues I had racially growing up is just it's just not, it doesn't seem right.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 3:17

No, it's really regressive.

Speaker 3:19

I am I am I I am uh excited about him. I, you know, I was always a big, you know, fan of of people doing big shows. You know, I would do my HBO specials live because, you know, it's like boxes. No, you can't take it back, you can't edit it. It's it's in the moment. And those things in the moment are really amazing because it it as a performer it puts you on another level. And this is a this is a global thing. And and I and he's a he's a decent man, you know, he's very successful and he he's very, you know, he helps he helped Puerto Rico out. He he's very philanthropic, you know, he's trying to act a little bit. I mean, it's just all the things that would that would be revered and and not an not anything negative towards any of it. But the idea that you know somebody would call ice on an American citizen is uh was far-fetched uh a couple months ago, but now not so far-fetched.

Threats, Safety, And The Line Of Comedy

Gina Marie Rodriguez 4:09

No, unfortunately, it is not that far-fetched. But I I actually want to talk to you about that for a little bit because you are, you know, a Latino comedian who is performing now in really traumatic times. Uh ice and immigration has always plagued the community to some degree, but not to the degree that we're seeing it now. And I wonder if that affects the way you write your comedy, the way you perform your comedy. How how has that changed you as a performer?

Speaker 4:38

I think it affects the attendance of the show. Um, I think when people know who they're coming to see, I think a line has kind of been drawn there. So uh I think people will not would not, I mean, I get a lot of I mean, I got death threats and and things, you know, comedian getting death threats.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 4:59

Recently you're getting death threats?

Legacy, Reach, And Refusing Silence

Speaker 5:00

Well, all the time, yeah. But also, but also, you know, they're anonymous. Like, you know, you get a letter, you get uh a few years ago the guy, Caesar, the guy in Florida that had a list of a hundred people that he wanted to blow up. He was living in his van. He was like a workout guy, Caesar Sayak. Um, and he was living in his van and he had a list of 100 people. I was on the list, and and uh the uh I love it it's almost like a movie. You know, the the powers, the the the sheriff's department, the LAPD, the fire department, the sheriff, the sheriff's patrol, hire patrol, uh uh uh uh Park Rangers all get on the phone and they say, Mr. Lopez, we're from all these departments, yes. You understand that there's been a threat against your life? Yes. We're here to tell you not to open any suspicious packages or to uh or to leave any suspicious or anything suspicious and and some other things, you know, not to look or not to open the thing. And then you understand, I said yes. Then they all disappear. And they've all now they've all told you what not to do. And now they're like, Whew, all right, who's next? You know, you now now that they've told you not to pick up anything or or open anything that looks unfamiliar to you, and you understand, now they move on to the to someone else, but they've told you now. So if you end up getting blown up because you open something, it it's on you. That's really where the where the their job ends at that point when they tell you. But but uh, you know, and the idea that for comedy, you know, or or that people would think it's it's real, or people would think that the comedy is real, that what you say is real and that it's uh hurtful to them, but it's made up. It's not none of it's real. You know, like people have such people, you know, they they have such hate for me, but it's not it's like what I'm saying, it's not real. Like if you follow have you followed any comedy, followed any movies, you follow uh wrestling, these things are entertainment. It's entertainment. The idea that somebody would have crossed the line to think that what a stand-up comedian is saying is is real is I mean, maybe some people would have it affect the way they um I mean I've made some adjustments, but not not too much, not too many. I mean, you know, I I I know I know what I'm dealing with, I've been doing it a long time, but also I made it through. You know, I I I'm not unknown. You know, when you talk about television, you talk about movies, and you talk about, you know, even though there's a bunch of other people that get a lot of respect, I I hosted, I've been to the I've met presidents, I've had a talk show, I've been on a uh New York Times bestseller list, I have a show that's been on TV for the last 23 years every day. I'm in movies, I've written kids' books, I'm in animation, I'm in every part of a person's life from the time they're two years old to the time they're 82 years old. So to discount me or make me feel like I I have to, you know, go away is that it doesn't work. You know, it's not it's not gonna work. I mean, and and and it's not like I ever really push the envelope way past it, anyways. I just, you know, I I I still have regard and respect for the art and and don't do it to upset people, but uh I never did it to make everybody happy either.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 8:32

You can't please everyone.

Speaker 8:34

You can't please everybody.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 8:35

That's an unfortunate side effect of fame, I think, is that you're gonna have a lot of different people who are looking at you maybe with jealousy, maybe I don't know where that kind of hatred comes from. I honestly don't. I'm sorry that you had to go through that and that you were obviously still dealing with that. But I don't know, you've accomplished so much in your life, and I hope that you can still be proud of that. And again, thank you.

Building Inclusive TV And Its Impact

Speaker 8:57

No, I'm very proud of it. Yes, yes, I'm very proud of it. But but uh um, you know, I I always, and if you look back, I always did things that, especially in my first show, that included everybody. You know, I thought some of these shows were of even have people of color, were only of one color. And I and I wanted to do that, especially they were, it's not that they were forcing it on me, they didn't force it on me, but there was almost like an expectation of what the a part would be and who would play that part. And I went there and I said, I think we're gonna just have a a different looking factory, like it's gonna look like everybody. Or if you look at the sh the our show, the it's a very multicultural Asian African-American. It's I don't say I did it, but I had the eye to not fall in the same trap that other people had have fallen into. And I think that that has to be one of the reasons why the show resonates so much with even younger kids now. You know, Low Rider is, I mean, is a is clearly the best song ever for somebody. I mean, it was Bob Hope had Thanks for the memories. And you know, people have their people have their songs that hail to the chief, but Lowrider is gotta be the Chicano Hail to the Chief because it it it's one of the most amazing openings of any of any theme show of any television show in the history of television, I think.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 10:14

I agree. I love Lowrider. I'm not a Chicano, but I I love Lowrider.

Speaker 10:18

Yeah, so you know, so so and I know and I know that people, you know, I think maybe 10 years ago it was more uh direct, you know, maybe uh in 2018 that the DC special in DC was a little bit more political. It's not as political anymore, but it is with some of I mean it is ice stuff in there.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 10:38

And yeah, I think what you were saying about diversity is really important because that's reflective of the world that we live in, right? So to have a show that is not just, oh, this is a quote unquote Latino show, so we're only gonna have a certain type of Latino, because I think that Hollywood falls into that trap of, oh, well, we have the the J-Lo Latinos, and you know, then we have the Pedro Pascal Latinos, and then we have the the Chicanos, and they they don't know how to differentiate between anything else. It's like yeah, we're all just kind of Mexican to them.

Hollywood’s Blind Spots And Cancellations

Speaker 11:09

Before there was not as many, and there is, but also also I think that uh in casting uh it's a little safer right now, especially I think they said it's like six percent Latinos, and even if that but uh it's back to where it was where there aren't any. I mean, when my show was on NBC, I thought NBC did a good job of of, you know they own they own Univision. I mean, they they never really kind of tried to match anything to anything, and I don't think they I mean that's a multi-billion dollar business. I think they I don't think it I don't know. I don't think it ever meant anything to them that they had a show that was a was a show that not many people had the opportunity to put on the air. I don't think it really dawned on them how significant it was to some people. Or maybe it did down on them and nothing, but I think, you know, uh the first show should speak for itself that if you have the same guy and his daughter and they're dealing with real issues that families go through, that that's something to be revered. I never felt like they revered the show. At 45 episodes, you don't get canceled. You're just really starting to to grow. So I was a bit I was a bit shocked. Yeah, a bit shocked by by by especially with some of the people that they have uh in charge over there, women of color, president of and people of color, but it tells you that the decisions come not from them, but from a place higher up.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 12:33

Right. Yeah, I mean I I can't speak to that aside from the fact that we live in a capitalistic world, I guess. So the decisions they're not really concerned with um the emotional effects on on communities. They they just want to know the bottom dollar, which is unfortunate. But I I appreciate your contributions to television and to cinema and and to the community. Um I we were talking about like your experience being known and you use as a comedian, you have to use what is happening in the world to inform your material. But has has it gotten harder to create when you know that there's so much so many eyes on you and so much pressure? Has that affected you in any way, or is it just like it always was when you were writing stand-up?

Craft, Restraint, And Evolving Material

Speaker 13:19

You know, I think I've been doing it for so long that um I can talk about some things that are I mean, I mean, I think the I think the the you know, some people remember Johnny Carson, some people don't. You know, um I had a discussion with a talent booker there. I did Johnny Carson in in '91, and you know, as a comedian to do to do it with him. But also there was a thing where I think at that time, if you're self-deprecating to yourself first, then you you have lice license to make fun of other things. So I've I've played that very well, you know. My hair's longer, really long. I'm not sure what's happening with the hair, but I mean it's really long. So if I walk out there, I do look like Einstein if he invented the chutro, you know. So so to make fun of myself or go ask that old Mexican lady what time the show starts, and and he's things that kind of hit well. I mean, it's it's it's it's a different look for people to see me. I've lost 80 pounds and my hair is halfway down my back.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 14:22

Was that a conscious choice to change your look?

Speaker 14:24

You know, no, I it just happened.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 14:29

That's allowed.

Speaker 14:30

There's so many guys that were bald at in their 50s and said, you know, I'm 60, gonna be 65, and I have this incredible head of hair. I'm like, man, I'm I'm not gonna cut it.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 14:39

No, if you got it, flaunt it.

Speaker 14:41

It's a lot, it's a lot though. Uh it's a lot. It's it's it's and I don't want to cut it now. I think it's you know, but but um, yeah, no, I it I mean, I wanted to feel better as I was getting, you know, I'm you know, I have kidney transplant stuff, so if I weigh less, it's better for me. But the hair is I don't know. It's never been this long in my in my entire life. So uh yeah, I look I said I look like you know, somebody's grandmother that can cure, you know, arthritis.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 15:09

Are you a curandero now?

Speaker 15:10

I'm a curandera.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 15:12

Why not? We're all allowed to have a new look from time to time.

Reinvention, Health, And Humor

Speaker 15:15

But I think I think you know, if you stick to if you stick to the things that are your strengths and not dip into other lanes that maybe politics was never really my thing. So I don't really spend a lot of time on them other than how they reflect on on me or the community. I was telling the guy we were in Boston, I sa I and you know the reception was really well. I think better than it's been received. And I think people have there's an appreciation of somebody who's really trying to be funny. But also I said to him, you know, I have to be me, but then I have to be them too. Like I can't just be me. I have to still remain a part of them. Part of of of a struggle or humility or coming from a place where they come from where you haven't forgotten about anything or how these flights feel or or how you know how people do struggle every day, you know. So uh I'm I'm I've always been very conscious of of of that as well. Like I wasn't really a smart guy in school, you know. You know, I'm not an idiot, but also I'm really I got a great sense of feel for things. And I think that what I didn't learn in books, I learned by watching and understanding people and and hearing people and tying things together that I thought were funny and and now even knowing, especially at you know, with this tenure that I have of almost 50 years, that that uh it's still fun to me, it still should be fun, and to make people a person laugh is is is really one of the greatest sounds anybody could it could make, you know. So I'm not done yet, but I will weather these, you know, these things, and you know, it's still it's still exciting to to travel. And and uh and Jersey man, like it's real people, you know, it's real, you know, you go it's it's just people that have gotten up early and they go to work and they they love to be with each other and they love to make fun of each other and they love to laugh. And I I found the strength and even back in in the 80s when I first started going out there, so it was awesome.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 17:26

Yeah, I think that's one of the positives of the East Coast. We we love sarcasm and we love picking on each other.

Speaker 17:31

So it's amazing.

unknown 17:32

Yeah.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 17:33

This has been a lovely chat. I'm so glad that I got the chance to meet you.

Speaker 17:37

Yeah, thank you. Thank you. Yeah.

Gina Marie Rodriguez 17:38

Of course. Is there anything that you'd like to end on? Say is there anything else?

Speaker 17:43

Yeah, I mean, you know, I think I only come once a year, and I think it'd be great to see everybody there. Last time was a was really amazing. Um, you know, always been a great, you know, city for comedy. Some of the best people in the world come from Jersey, and uh it'd be great to see everybody there.

Staying Grounded With The Audience

Gina Marie Rodriguez 17:59

Well, you heard him. It'll be great to see you there. George Lopez will be performing at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center this February 28th at 8 p.m. For tickets and more information, please visit njpac.org. If you like this episode, be sure to review, subscribe, and tell your friends. A transcript of this podcast, links relevant to the story, and more about the arts in New Jersey can be found at jerseyarts.com. The Jersey Arts Podcast is presented by Art Pride New Jersey, advancing a state of creativity since 1986. The show was co-founded by and currently supported by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. This episode was hosted, edited, and produced by me, Gina Marie Rodriguez. Executive producers are Jim Atkinson and Isaac Serna-Diez. And my thanks, of course, to George Lopez for speaking with me today. I'm Gina Marie Rodriguez for the Jersey Arts Podcast. Thanks for listening.