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00:00:03,921 --> 00:00:06,256
If you don't know who I am,
then you don't know my show,
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00:00:06,256 --> 00:00:09,259
then that means you've
been under a ----in' rock.
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00:00:09,259 --> 00:00:12,387
In the 90s, when Carlos
Mencia was blowin' up...
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00:00:12,387 --> 00:00:13,972
Mencia!
5
00:00:13,972 --> 00:00:16,058
...he was up in
people's faces.
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00:00:16,058 --> 00:00:19,061
You have no ----in' idea
how it is if...
7
00:00:19,061 --> 00:00:23,023
He destroys a room.
Carlos was driven,
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00:00:23,023 --> 00:00:26,318
and he would've done
anything to get to the top.
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00:00:26,318 --> 00:00:28,904
White people don't know
shit about geography, huh?
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00:00:28,904 --> 00:00:31,698
"Hey man,
where are you from"?
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00:00:31,698 --> 00:00:33,617
I can say anything.
Paraguay, Uruguay,
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00:00:33,617 --> 00:00:35,702
Ecuador,
Bolivia, Argentina...
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00:00:35,702 --> 00:00:36,912
what do they say?
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00:00:36,912 --> 00:00:40,457
"Oh, you're
Mexican, huh."
15
00:00:40,457 --> 00:00:43,669
He lived and ate
and slept comedy...
16
00:00:43,669 --> 00:00:45,295
and he's a
brilliant performer.
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I go to Miami, I'm not
Mexican anymore,
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00:00:47,297 --> 00:00:49,341
no, I'm Cuban.
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00:00:49,341 --> 00:00:52,553
He had several
HBO specials
20
00:00:52,553 --> 00:00:55,138
sell out all
over the country.
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00:00:55,138 --> 00:00:56,807
Please welcome
Carlos Mencia.
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00:00:56,807 --> 00:01:00,018
Overnight he was
this huge sensation.
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00:01:00,018 --> 00:01:01,853
♪
24
00:01:01,853 --> 00:01:04,356
Then one night
it all changes.
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00:01:04,356 --> 00:01:06,984
[Carlos] Why would it
matter to you?
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00:01:06,984 --> 00:01:10,112
Why would it matter to you?
Why would it matter to you?
27
00:01:10,112 --> 00:01:12,322
This was one of the
biggest scandals in comedy.
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A video goes viral and turns
Carlos Mencia into one of
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00:01:15,075 --> 00:01:17,286
the most hated
comedians in America.
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It's easy to say,
"You steal shit."
31
00:01:18,787 --> 00:01:21,248
I could say
you steal shit.
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00:01:21,248 --> 00:01:23,834
Carlos Mencia just became
the poster child
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00:01:23,834 --> 00:01:25,586
for joke stealing.
34
00:01:25,586 --> 00:01:27,713
Carlos Mencia is taking
credit for our joke.
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00:01:27,713 --> 00:01:29,506
[Radio] Just call him the
phoney Mexican
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or Carlos "Men-steal-ia".
37
00:01:31,425 --> 00:01:35,887
Carlos had become this
ugly evil spirit in comedy.
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00:01:35,887 --> 00:01:39,308
I just kinda remember him
disappearing from the scene.
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00:01:39,308 --> 00:01:43,478
If Carlos had just a
little bit of humility,
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00:01:43,478 --> 00:01:45,188
things would've been
a lot different.
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00:01:45,188 --> 00:01:46,982
♪
42
00:01:46,982 --> 00:01:48,025
[Overlapping voices]
Ladies and gentlemen!
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You're about to
be entertained!
44
00:01:49,401 --> 00:01:51,361
Getting the laugh is
the greatest addiction.
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They want more of it,
they want more of it.
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00:01:52,654 --> 00:01:54,948
He was getting death threats.
It [beep] with your head!
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00:01:54,948 --> 00:01:56,617
...he's out of his skull!
That's what took her down.
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This is a crazy story.
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00:01:58,243 --> 00:02:00,579
♪
50
00:02:01,538 --> 00:02:02,789
I grew up in East LA.
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I feel Mexican 'cause I
grew up there and shit
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in the Maravilla Projects.
That's where I grew up.
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00:02:06,627 --> 00:02:07,878
[Applauding]
54
00:02:07,878 --> 00:02:10,172
Carlos Mencia is raised
in East Los Angeles,
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which boasts one the biggest
Mexican populations
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00:02:12,716 --> 00:02:15,344
in the United States.
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So The Projects are
basically low income housing.
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00:02:18,722 --> 00:02:20,891
It was really family
oriented, like,
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00:02:20,891 --> 00:02:22,476
everybody that we
grew up around,
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I'm still friends with them.
Even now.
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The Maravilla Projects
are infamous for
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00:02:27,564 --> 00:02:29,232
their gang culture.
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And at 9 o'clock, sure
enough all the parents,
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00:02:31,276 --> 00:02:32,527
all the moms, all the dads,
would be like,
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00:02:32,527 --> 00:02:34,029
"Hey, get inside."
You know.
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Mencia is determined not
to fall prey to that life.
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He could've been
a criminal man.
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You know, he could've said,
"---- it." You know.
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00:02:41,161 --> 00:02:43,580
"I'm gonna join a
gang and sell dope."
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♪
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From a young age, Mencia is
told that he holds a ticket
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00:02:47,793 --> 00:02:52,923
out of poverty, both for
himself and his family.
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00:02:52,923 --> 00:02:57,177
I'm Carlos Mencia,
born Ned Arnel Mencia.
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You gotta understand who
I've been to my family
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since I can remember.
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I was the special one,
the chosen one.
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My mom had 18 kids.
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00:03:06,603 --> 00:03:08,522
I said, "Mom, why'd you
have so many kids"?
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00:03:08,522 --> 00:03:10,691
"Look at 'em,
they're not all winners."
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00:03:10,691 --> 00:03:12,317
[Laughing]
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00:03:12,317 --> 00:03:15,570
From the time I can recall,
my parents let me know
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00:03:15,570 --> 00:03:17,781
I was smart,
I was different.
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00:03:17,781 --> 00:03:19,074
When I was 8 years old,
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00:03:19,074 --> 00:03:21,076
she put all of us
against the wall.
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She said, "Carlos..."
[Speaking Spanish]
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00:03:22,994 --> 00:03:25,872
"Move to the side.
You 3 are very different.
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00:03:25,872 --> 00:03:28,250
You're very special
because you're smart.
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If you apply yourself,
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00:03:29,668 --> 00:03:31,962
take advantage
of this country,
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00:03:31,962 --> 00:03:34,005
you can make a
lot of money."
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00:03:34,005 --> 00:03:35,340
Then she looked
at the other 15 and went,
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00:03:35,340 --> 00:03:36,800
"Your job, ----ers,
is to pray that
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00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:38,635
one of them makes
a lot of money."
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00:03:38,635 --> 00:03:40,679
[Laughing]
95
00:03:40,679 --> 00:03:44,224
He developed the
expectation of
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00:03:44,224 --> 00:03:47,519
being successful because
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00:03:47,519 --> 00:03:51,398
he was so bright and
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00:03:51,398 --> 00:03:55,026
an anomaly in his family
or his community,
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00:03:55,026 --> 00:03:57,529
and I think
he had an expectation
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00:03:57,529 --> 00:04:01,533
of himself to do
something great.
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00:04:01,533 --> 00:04:05,495
The young Mencia more than
lives up to his potential.
102
00:04:05,495 --> 00:04:07,873
I never went to the seventh,
eighth, or ninth grades.
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00:04:07,873 --> 00:04:11,585
I was skipped from the 6th
grade to the 10th grade,
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00:04:11,585 --> 00:04:13,503
and by the time
I was like 19,
105
00:04:13,503 --> 00:04:16,298
I pretty much had everything
I needed to graduate
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00:04:16,298 --> 00:04:18,216
as an engineer.
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00:04:18,216 --> 00:04:20,260
So one day my girlfriend
at the time
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took me to The Improv.
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I watched a few comedians,
Paula Poundstone,
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00:04:24,347 --> 00:04:25,766
Rick Ducommun...
111
00:04:25,766 --> 00:04:29,144
and Rick Ducommun I connected
with, because he was angry.
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00:04:29,144 --> 00:04:31,438
I got shit to do, okay?
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00:04:31,438 --> 00:04:33,857
And he told this joke
about the old lady
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00:04:33,857 --> 00:04:35,525
who's in front
of the line.
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00:04:35,525 --> 00:04:37,694
Oh, oh, and you've
got coupons too.
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00:04:37,694 --> 00:04:39,821
Oh, good, good...
117
00:04:39,821 --> 00:04:43,074
because I want to live
in this ----ing store.
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00:04:43,074 --> 00:04:45,285
I just couldn't
stop laughing.
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00:04:45,285 --> 00:04:48,413
Show's over, I am walking
out of the hallway.
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I stop right above
one of the lights.
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00:04:51,666 --> 00:04:55,420
I look back that stage,
and I remember feeling,
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00:04:55,420 --> 00:04:58,089
I didn't think it,
I felt it...
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00:04:58,089 --> 00:05:01,259
I could do that.
I want to do that.
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00:05:01,259 --> 00:05:04,095
Carlos Mencia decides that
he too will get on stage and
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00:05:04,095 --> 00:05:05,931
do stand-up.
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00:05:05,931 --> 00:05:08,600
I had no idea what
to talk about.
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00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:10,727
So I literally go,
"What are these...
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00:05:10,727 --> 00:05:11,978
what are these jokes"?
129
00:05:11,978 --> 00:05:16,483
And I got a joke book, and
I did like, two of the jokes,
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00:05:16,483 --> 00:05:19,778
kind of versioning of
what I thought was funny.
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00:05:19,778 --> 00:05:21,238
I know what you people
are thinking,
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00:05:21,238 --> 00:05:23,532
"Damn,
finally the Mexican."
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00:05:23,532 --> 00:05:24,533
[Clapping]
134
00:05:24,533 --> 00:05:25,700
I know, you know
how it is...
135
00:05:25,700 --> 00:05:27,285
they had me in the kitchen,
you know how that goes.
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00:05:27,285 --> 00:05:28,787
[Laughing]
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00:05:28,787 --> 00:05:31,039
When I got off stage,
the owner,
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00:05:31,039 --> 00:05:32,874
Jamie Masada goes,
"Buddy...
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00:05:32,874 --> 00:05:37,587
I like this, that you
pretend it's your first time.
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00:05:37,587 --> 00:05:41,007
Good." I was like, "What
do you mean pretend"?
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00:05:41,007 --> 00:05:43,301
"Buddy,
it's your first time"?
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00:05:43,301 --> 00:05:45,470
That's the first time I had
ever been on stage, ever.
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00:05:45,470 --> 00:05:49,015
He's like, "Buddy,
never stop. Never stop."
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00:05:49,015 --> 00:05:52,060
And that was it.
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00:05:52,060 --> 00:05:55,021
He started to get a taste.
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00:05:55,021 --> 00:05:56,273
Thank you!
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00:05:56,273 --> 00:05:59,317
And an idea of what
he was capable of.
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00:05:59,317 --> 00:06:02,153
There was no turning back.
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00:06:02,153 --> 00:06:05,031
Less than a month after that
I quit my job at Farmer's
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00:06:05,031 --> 00:06:08,869
Insurance and dedicated
myself to doing stand-up.
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00:06:08,869 --> 00:06:10,453
Yeah, I know what
you're thinking.
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00:06:10,453 --> 00:06:12,539
I know what you're thinking.
Well, you know what?
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00:06:12,539 --> 00:06:14,374
You thought wrong.
I ain't doing that.
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00:06:14,374 --> 00:06:15,834
I'm a comic and I'm funny.
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00:06:15,834 --> 00:06:17,794
Mencia's family
is devastated.
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00:06:17,794 --> 00:06:20,088
This calls for action.
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00:06:20,088 --> 00:06:21,840
♪
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00:06:21,840 --> 00:06:23,425
We usually had
Sunday dinners,
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00:06:23,425 --> 00:06:25,552
and I come to my
mom's house,
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00:06:25,552 --> 00:06:29,973
and I notice a lot of cars
that I recognize.
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00:06:29,973 --> 00:06:33,602
I'm starting to go, "This is
way more than normal."
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00:06:33,602 --> 00:06:38,940
I walk in and cousins,
aunts, uncles,
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00:06:38,940 --> 00:06:43,361
brothers, sisters
all staring at me.
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00:06:43,361 --> 00:06:46,823
Now I realize
this is about me.
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They start telling me
how I'm ruining my life,
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00:06:50,827 --> 00:06:55,790
how stupid I am. This gift
of a child is rotting away.
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00:06:55,790 --> 00:06:58,251
Well, I think Carlos
Mencia's immigrant family
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00:06:58,251 --> 00:07:01,755
just was like,
"Que, que? What?
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00:07:01,755 --> 00:07:03,715
What do you mean you're
gonna be a comedian"?
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00:07:03,715 --> 00:07:05,675
It feels like a slap in the
face of them 'cause
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00:07:05,675 --> 00:07:08,678
they don't really
understand it.
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00:07:08,678 --> 00:07:10,305
When it got to my dad,
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00:07:10,305 --> 00:07:11,848
he's the driving force
of my family.
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00:07:11,848 --> 00:07:13,350
He's the dreamer.
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00:07:13,350 --> 00:07:15,560
So I said to my dad,
"Remember when I was
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00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:18,480
10 years old, you said that
you came to this country
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00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:23,485
so that I could be anything
I wanted to be."
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00:07:23,485 --> 00:07:26,988
And I said, "Dad,
whatever you say
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00:07:26,988 --> 00:07:29,032
is what matters to me."
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00:07:29,032 --> 00:07:32,661
And that's when my dad
looked at everybody
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00:07:32,661 --> 00:07:34,913
and said-
[Laughing]
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00:07:34,913 --> 00:07:37,749
"If he wants to be
a clown...
183
00:07:37,749 --> 00:07:40,961
---- it.
Let him juggle!"
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00:07:40,961 --> 00:07:42,629
With his father's
newfound support,
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00:07:42,629 --> 00:07:44,631
Mencia goes all in. ..
186
00:07:44,631 --> 00:07:46,257
Developing his
own comedic voice
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00:07:46,257 --> 00:07:48,718
that draws on
Mexican life in America.
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00:07:48,718 --> 00:07:52,097
Because in the Latino family,
if my brother has money,
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00:07:52,097 --> 00:07:53,473
hey, we're all rich.
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00:07:53,473 --> 00:07:55,266
That's the way
we look at it.
191
00:07:55,266 --> 00:07:57,769
In the 90s when
Carlos was blowing up,
192
00:07:57,769 --> 00:08:01,106
he wanted people to
know who Latinos were.
193
00:08:01,106 --> 00:08:03,984
He wanted people to know
what his experience was,
194
00:08:03,984 --> 00:08:06,403
and he was up in
people's faces.
195
00:08:06,403 --> 00:08:09,280
'Cause you have no
----ing idea how it is.
196
00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:11,282
If you're Black or Mexican,
you turn on the ----ing
197
00:08:11,282 --> 00:08:12,742
television and
there's the news,
198
00:08:12,742 --> 00:08:16,287
it's always Paco and Tyrone
doing all the ----ed up shit.
199
00:08:16,287 --> 00:08:17,747
[Laughing]
200
00:08:17,747 --> 00:08:20,291
He's soon noticed by
LA legend Mitzi Shore,
201
00:08:20,291 --> 00:08:23,837
who offers Mencia a
job at her iconic club,
202
00:08:23,837 --> 00:08:25,255
The Comedy Store.
203
00:08:25,255 --> 00:08:29,009
In the 80s The Comedy
Store was at its height,
204
00:08:29,009 --> 00:08:32,637
and anyone who was everyone
that came out of there,
205
00:08:32,637 --> 00:08:34,973
became a celebrity.
206
00:08:34,973 --> 00:08:36,808
You know who is to
blame for looting...
207
00:08:36,808 --> 00:08:38,935
Mitzi Shore recognizes
Mencia's talent and
208
00:08:38,935 --> 00:08:42,355
gives him a regular spot
doing stand-up.
209
00:08:42,355 --> 00:08:44,941
You know, in the beginning
I was always on at midnight.
210
00:08:44,941 --> 00:08:47,027
Midnight at The
Comedy Store meant
211
00:08:47,027 --> 00:08:48,820
two o'clock
in the morning.
212
00:08:48,820 --> 00:08:53,283
'Cause nobody
did their time.
213
00:08:53,283 --> 00:08:55,410
She wanted to do
that on purpose,
214
00:08:55,410 --> 00:08:58,163
but it only reinforced
the fact that
215
00:08:58,163 --> 00:09:00,957
she was trying
to be a mentor.
216
00:09:00,957 --> 00:09:03,418
It's not long before Mencia
goes from club regular to
217
00:09:03,418 --> 00:09:06,838
rising star, and in 1994
he lands a half hour
218
00:09:06,838 --> 00:09:09,424
comedy special on HBO.
219
00:09:09,424 --> 00:09:13,219
And it just seemed kind of
like overnight he was this
220
00:09:13,219 --> 00:09:17,182
huge sensation, and he
was selling out rooms.
221
00:09:17,182 --> 00:09:18,641
How many Mexicans,
Latinos...
222
00:09:18,641 --> 00:09:20,810
hear some ----ing noise.
223
00:09:20,810 --> 00:09:25,231
We went from living in this
kind of rundown condo
224
00:09:25,231 --> 00:09:28,359
to a new house
in Encino, like,
225
00:09:28,359 --> 00:09:32,238
beyond what I thought
we would ever get.
226
00:09:32,238 --> 00:09:34,532
When he started making a
lot of money, you know,
227
00:09:34,532 --> 00:09:35,825
he started spreading
the wealth.
228
00:09:35,825 --> 00:09:37,577
When family members
asked for money,
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00:09:37,577 --> 00:09:39,329
he was like, "Hey,
you know what? Sure."
230
00:09:39,329 --> 00:09:41,831
But for all his
success and generosity,
231
00:09:41,831 --> 00:09:45,001
Mencia is also gaining an
entirely different reputation
232
00:09:45,001 --> 00:09:48,129
as a bully and
a joke stealer.
233
00:09:48,129 --> 00:09:50,090
As comedians, you know,
you're traveling around the
234
00:09:50,090 --> 00:09:54,177
country, and the same
openers are in those cities,
235
00:09:54,177 --> 00:09:56,930
and they come up to you
and they're like, "Hey man.
236
00:09:56,930 --> 00:09:58,973
Carlos Mencia was
here two months ago.
237
00:09:58,973 --> 00:10:01,976
You know, I do this joke,
Willie, man, he does it now."
238
00:10:01,976 --> 00:10:04,729
It actually happened to me.
239
00:10:04,729 --> 00:10:09,359
I vividly remember writing
a joke and it took me five,
240
00:10:09,359 --> 00:10:11,736
six years to develop it,
and then I see
241
00:10:11,736 --> 00:10:15,156
Carlos doing a
very similar bit.
242
00:10:15,156 --> 00:10:17,283
And I'm like,
wait a second, dude.
243
00:10:17,283 --> 00:10:20,286
I've been working that
joke for six years.
244
00:10:20,286 --> 00:10:22,789
I finally figured out
what made it that funny,
245
00:10:22,789 --> 00:10:24,874
and now this
dude's doing it.
246
00:10:24,874 --> 00:10:27,293
There's an
ethic to comedy.
247
00:10:27,293 --> 00:10:29,796
There are rules to
stand-up comedy,
248
00:10:29,796 --> 00:10:31,923
and Carlos was
breaking the rules,
249
00:10:31,923 --> 00:10:35,510
and that just opened up
this whole Pandora's box.
250
00:10:42,225 --> 00:10:44,018
And that was ----ed up,
'cause during the riots
251
00:10:44,018 --> 00:10:46,062
Black people were all mad
at Mexicans and shit.
252
00:10:46,062 --> 00:10:47,355
There were a lot
of Black people...
253
00:10:47,355 --> 00:10:48,439
why were you
all mad at us?
254
00:10:48,439 --> 00:10:49,816
That's ----ed up.
255
00:10:49,816 --> 00:10:51,484
Just 'cause we looted
better than you.
256
00:10:51,484 --> 00:10:53,111
What the ---- was
that all about?
257
00:10:53,111 --> 00:10:55,697
-[Laughing]
-----!
258
00:10:55,697 --> 00:10:58,408
While Carlos Mencia's
popularity skyrockets,
259
00:10:58,408 --> 00:11:01,119
the release of his HBO
special has some people
260
00:11:01,119 --> 00:11:02,912
questioning his integrity.
261
00:11:02,912 --> 00:11:05,331
Alright, welcome to-
[speaking Spanish]
262
00:11:05,331 --> 00:11:09,085
George Lopez accused me back
in the day of stealing six or
263
00:11:09,085 --> 00:11:12,213
seven minutes of his act
when I did my first special.
264
00:11:12,213 --> 00:11:14,048
My grandmother
gave me a putaso-
265
00:11:14,048 --> 00:11:16,134
[Laughing]
266
00:11:16,134 --> 00:11:18,469
I know that George Lopez was
really upset, 'cause Carlos,
267
00:11:18,469 --> 00:11:20,221
he didn't do anything
to disguise it...
268
00:11:20,221 --> 00:11:23,516
and that just made him,
you know, lose it.
269
00:11:23,516 --> 00:11:27,270
Stand-ups shouldn't be
taking each other's jokes.
270
00:11:27,270 --> 00:11:29,939
When you see a comedian who
flat out has taken
271
00:11:29,939 --> 00:11:32,984
someone else's joke,
they're in trouble.
272
00:11:32,984 --> 00:11:35,945
♪
273
00:11:35,945 --> 00:11:37,530
There used to be a place
called the Gaucho Grill
274
00:11:37,530 --> 00:11:39,741
across the street from
The Laugh Factory.
275
00:11:39,741 --> 00:11:41,451
I was with my
girlfriend at the time,
276
00:11:41,451 --> 00:11:42,744
and I look up and I go,
277
00:11:42,744 --> 00:11:46,497
"Oh, George is
performing tonight."
278
00:11:46,497 --> 00:11:49,542
Mencia decides to try and
patch things up with Lopez.
279
00:11:49,542 --> 00:11:52,003
I went upstairs,
280
00:11:52,003 --> 00:11:55,506
and he grabbed me
by the shirt and
281
00:11:55,506 --> 00:11:59,969
pulled me in, and he
ripped my chain that
282
00:11:59,969 --> 00:12:03,306
my girlfriend
had given me.
283
00:12:03,306 --> 00:12:06,684
And I said, "George,
I don't watch you perform.
284
00:12:06,684 --> 00:12:08,728
I'm not doing your stuff."
285
00:12:08,728 --> 00:12:11,898
I walked away,
and that was it.
286
00:12:11,898 --> 00:12:13,733
It won't be the last time
Mencia clashes with
287
00:12:13,733 --> 00:12:16,569
another comedian over
stolen material,
288
00:12:16,569 --> 00:12:19,864
but the incident doesn't
slow down his meteoric rise,
289
00:12:19,864 --> 00:12:23,576
which reaches new heights in
2001 when he headlines
290
00:12:23,576 --> 00:12:25,912
the Three Amigos
Comedy Tour.
291
00:12:25,912 --> 00:12:26,996
♪
292
00:12:26,996 --> 00:12:28,873
Yes, I remember
The Three Amigos!
293
00:12:28,873 --> 00:12:31,376
It was one of the
funniest tours,
294
00:12:31,376 --> 00:12:33,294
I thought, ever
put together.
295
00:12:33,294 --> 00:12:35,129
My name is Erik Rivera.
296
00:12:35,129 --> 00:12:36,339
I am a stand-up comedian,
297
00:12:36,339 --> 00:12:38,424
been doing it for about
19 years now.
298
00:12:38,424 --> 00:12:41,219
These three guys were
just monsters on stage.
299
00:12:41,219 --> 00:12:43,680
The Three Amigos
was a great idea.
300
00:12:43,680 --> 00:12:44,973
It was Mencia.
301
00:12:44,973 --> 00:12:47,600
Stop mother----er,
stop.
302
00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:48,601
Freddy Soto.
303
00:12:48,601 --> 00:12:50,353
"Man, I'm not gonna
pee on my feet."
304
00:12:50,353 --> 00:12:51,854
"Oh, you want me to?"
305
00:12:51,854 --> 00:12:53,439
[Laughing]
306
00:12:53,439 --> 00:12:54,482
And Pablo Francisco.
307
00:12:54,482 --> 00:12:56,317
Talk to me.
[Quacking]
308
00:12:56,317 --> 00:12:58,152
Tell me your name.
[Quacking]
309
00:12:58,152 --> 00:13:01,572
At the time I had been
grooming Freddy Soto and
310
00:13:01,572 --> 00:13:03,700
been working with
Pablo Francisco,
311
00:13:03,700 --> 00:13:05,868
and those guys
were amazing.
312
00:13:05,868 --> 00:13:07,870
They weren't
"known" quantities,
313
00:13:07,870 --> 00:13:10,748
but they were
great quantities.
314
00:13:10,748 --> 00:13:12,458
-Like numb, dude.
-Right on, man.
315
00:13:12,458 --> 00:13:14,419
The tour sells out
and Mencia isn't
316
00:13:14,419 --> 00:13:16,754
the only one who benefits.
317
00:13:16,754 --> 00:13:18,089
The Three Amigos...
318
00:13:18,089 --> 00:13:21,342
let me uplift these guys to
a different stratosphere and
319
00:13:21,342 --> 00:13:25,263
that was pretty awesome
that I got to do that.
320
00:13:25,263 --> 00:13:28,975
Carlos blazed the
path for all of us.
321
00:13:28,975 --> 00:13:31,311
Give a big round of
applause for Ernie G!
322
00:13:31,311 --> 00:13:34,355
He was the first Latino
comedian I ever knew of
323
00:13:34,355 --> 00:13:37,483
who was a multimillionaire
before having
324
00:13:37,483 --> 00:13:40,611
a TV show or any
kind of movie.
325
00:13:40,611 --> 00:13:43,614
He made us go, "Dude,
if that dude can do it,
326
00:13:43,614 --> 00:13:45,533
I can do it too."
327
00:13:45,533 --> 00:13:48,953
A lot of comics went on
the road with Carlos.
328
00:13:48,953 --> 00:13:51,205
The likes of Bobby Lee,
Steve Treviño,
329
00:13:51,205 --> 00:13:55,710
and Joe Koy all make it
big touring with Mencia.
330
00:13:55,710 --> 00:13:57,378
-He discovered me.
-Really?
331
00:13:57,378 --> 00:13:59,589
Yeah.
Mencia was...
332
00:13:59,589 --> 00:14:02,091
Without Mencia I wouldn't
have an agent or anything.
333
00:14:02,091 --> 00:14:04,886
But then the allegations
of stealing resurface.
334
00:14:04,886 --> 00:14:07,972
This time among comics
Mencia has helped out.
335
00:14:07,972 --> 00:14:09,599
[Comic] Lopez basically told me.
He goes, "Look, uh,
336
00:14:09,599 --> 00:14:11,684
Mencia is a horrible
human being,
337
00:14:11,684 --> 00:14:13,394
and you shouldn't
go with him."
338
00:14:13,394 --> 00:14:16,814
And Freddy Soto would go,
"Bro, don't trust this guy."
339
00:14:16,814 --> 00:14:18,024
[Host] Yeah.
340
00:14:18,024 --> 00:14:20,109
"Bro, watch what
you tell him."
341
00:14:20,109 --> 00:14:22,445
He was feeling,
"I'm up, you're down.
342
00:14:22,445 --> 00:14:24,530
I can shit on you,
343
00:14:24,530 --> 00:14:27,617
and it's too bad if you
don't like it."
344
00:14:27,617 --> 00:14:28,701
Despite the rumours,
345
00:14:28,701 --> 00:14:30,661
Mencia gets a
multimillion dollar deal
346
00:14:30,661 --> 00:14:33,331
with Comedy Central to
create his own sketch show,
347
00:14:33,331 --> 00:14:35,375
'Mind of Mencia'.
348
00:14:35,375 --> 00:14:37,335
[Cheering]
349
00:14:37,335 --> 00:14:41,172
And I was like, "Finally, I get
to, like, show the world."
350
00:14:41,172 --> 00:14:43,549
The beaner got a show!
351
00:14:43,549 --> 00:14:44,926
[Cheering]
352
00:14:44,926 --> 00:14:46,135
But there's better.
353
00:14:46,135 --> 00:14:49,597
You get to go on after
Dave Chappelle's show,
354
00:14:49,597 --> 00:14:52,809
which was the most successful
show on cable at the time,
355
00:14:52,809 --> 00:14:56,312
and we want you and
him to be back to back.
356
00:14:56,312 --> 00:15:00,024
I was just elated.
357
00:15:00,024 --> 00:15:03,152
Elated!
358
00:15:03,152 --> 00:15:04,904
I think The Mind
of Mencia was huge.
359
00:15:04,904 --> 00:15:07,281
Because here comes
this hot new kid.
360
00:15:07,281 --> 00:15:09,409
I mean there was
some great bits, man,
361
00:15:09,409 --> 00:15:11,077
I'm gonna make
fun of everybody.
362
00:15:11,077 --> 00:15:12,745
[Laughing]
363
00:15:12,745 --> 00:15:15,873
The series showcases Mencia's
brand of no holds barred,
364
00:15:15,873 --> 00:15:18,418
politically
incorrect comedy.
365
00:15:18,418 --> 00:15:20,128
America's a giant
game of tag.
366
00:15:20,128 --> 00:15:21,712
Somebody's always it.
367
00:15:21,712 --> 00:15:24,132
September 11th, bad day
in American history,
368
00:15:24,132 --> 00:15:26,968
great day for Blacks
and Hispanics.
369
00:15:26,968 --> 00:15:29,053
'Cause on that day white
people accepted us as
370
00:15:29,053 --> 00:15:31,931
Americans, before that,
we weren't Americans.
371
00:15:31,931 --> 00:15:34,434
Then on the 11th,
the buildings collapsed,
372
00:15:34,434 --> 00:15:36,352
they showed the pictures
of the hijackers.
373
00:15:36,352 --> 00:15:38,354
Maria, Laquisha,
Carlos, and Tyrone
374
00:15:38,354 --> 00:15:40,898
walked up to Ahmed
and went, "Tag...
375
00:15:40,898 --> 00:15:42,525
Your turn!"
376
00:15:42,525 --> 00:15:44,527
The stuff that we were
doing was always hitting.
377
00:15:44,527 --> 00:15:47,655
You cannot be afraid of
378
00:15:47,655 --> 00:15:49,323
doing what you
think is funny because
379
00:15:49,323 --> 00:15:51,951
you think it might
ruffle some feathers.
380
00:15:51,951 --> 00:15:54,620
As Carlos' success
continues to grow,
381
00:15:54,620 --> 00:15:56,372
so do his troubles.
382
00:15:56,372 --> 00:15:58,249
Whispers of his joke
stealing in the community
383
00:15:58,249 --> 00:15:59,834
suddenly go public.
384
00:15:59,834 --> 00:16:02,712
Then, a new
allegation surfaces.
385
00:16:02,712 --> 00:16:04,338
Just call him the
phoney Mexican or
386
00:16:04,338 --> 00:16:06,799
Carlos "Men-steal-ia",
that's what we call him.
387
00:16:06,799 --> 00:16:08,843
I knew that Carlos would
say that he was Mexican.
388
00:16:08,843 --> 00:16:10,845
And I want to thank the
band for not playing
389
00:16:10,845 --> 00:16:12,054
La Bamba for
the Mexican.
390
00:16:12,054 --> 00:16:13,848
Appreciate that very much.
391
00:16:13,848 --> 00:16:17,059
People questioned
Carlos' authenticity
392
00:16:17,059 --> 00:16:19,061
because he's not Mexican.
393
00:16:19,061 --> 00:16:20,521
Are you kidding me?
394
00:16:20,521 --> 00:16:22,482
I mean this guy's got
a fake ----ing name,
395
00:16:22,482 --> 00:16:23,900
a fake ethnicity.
396
00:16:23,900 --> 00:16:26,235
There's nothing
genuine about him.
397
00:16:26,235 --> 00:16:28,863
All right, my next guest is a
comedian and the star of the
398
00:16:28,863 --> 00:16:30,698
Comedy Central Series,
'Mind of Mencia'.
399
00:16:30,698 --> 00:16:33,034
Please welcome
Carlos Mencia.
400
00:16:33,034 --> 00:16:35,328
While questions about his
authenticity swirl
401
00:16:35,328 --> 00:16:37,121
within the
comedy community,
402
00:16:37,121 --> 00:16:39,248
Mencia reaches the
height of his fame.
403
00:16:39,248 --> 00:16:40,541
Congratulations
first of all.
404
00:16:40,541 --> 00:16:41,751
Your show has been
very successful,
405
00:16:41,751 --> 00:16:43,127
just got picked up
for a third season.
406
00:16:43,127 --> 00:16:44,921
Third season, yeah,
third season.
407
00:16:44,921 --> 00:16:46,088
[Cheering]
408
00:16:46,088 --> 00:16:48,299
But when those questions
suddenly go mainstream,
409
00:16:48,299 --> 00:16:50,301
things start to change.
410
00:16:50,301 --> 00:16:52,637
I didn't realize this.
Carlos is not your real name.
411
00:16:52,637 --> 00:16:55,431
-Is that right?
-My birth name is Ned.
412
00:16:55,431 --> 00:16:59,644
[Laughing]
413
00:16:59,644 --> 00:17:01,103
You're being serious.
414
00:17:01,103 --> 00:17:03,731
No, seriously, my birth
name is Ned Arnel Mencia.
415
00:17:03,731 --> 00:17:05,358
But I grew up in
East LA where, like,
416
00:17:05,358 --> 00:17:07,109
everybody's Mexican.
417
00:17:07,109 --> 00:17:09,487
He probably always
had this, kind of, like,
418
00:17:09,487 --> 00:17:12,198
crisis of identity,
like who the heck am I?
419
00:17:12,198 --> 00:17:14,033
-I was born in Honduras.
-Right.
420
00:17:14,033 --> 00:17:16,452
So they'd be like, "Ned,
you're the wetter wetback."
421
00:17:16,452 --> 00:17:17,995
And I was like,
"How could I be wetter?"
422
00:17:17,995 --> 00:17:19,872
"'Cause you're
from farther"?
423
00:17:19,872 --> 00:17:21,749
[Laughing]
424
00:17:21,749 --> 00:17:24,794
When I was born,
my birth mother
425
00:17:24,794 --> 00:17:27,296
had a brother who
immigrated to America.
426
00:17:27,296 --> 00:17:29,799
She had a bunch of kids,
he couldn't have kids,
427
00:17:29,799 --> 00:17:31,092
she found out
about that.
428
00:17:31,092 --> 00:17:33,386
So, when she was pregnant
with me, he said,
429
00:17:33,386 --> 00:17:36,055
"I'm gonna take you to
America." And she said,
430
00:17:36,055 --> 00:17:38,432
"Well, I'm gonna give you a
gift of a child because
431
00:17:38,432 --> 00:17:40,351
you can't have
any children."
432
00:17:40,351 --> 00:17:41,894
It was pretty
unbelievable that
433
00:17:41,894 --> 00:17:45,231
I got to be that gift.
434
00:17:45,231 --> 00:17:48,526
And my life from
the moment I was born
435
00:17:48,526 --> 00:17:52,363
was to make
other people happy.
436
00:17:52,363 --> 00:17:53,823
Through his adoption,
437
00:17:53,823 --> 00:17:56,284
Mencia gets a
multicultural upbringing.
438
00:17:56,284 --> 00:17:58,327
My mother who
adopted me is from
439
00:17:58,327 --> 00:18:00,162
Jerez, Zacatecas,
Mexico,
440
00:18:00,162 --> 00:18:03,124
and so,
the Mexican culture
441
00:18:03,124 --> 00:18:06,836
was a huge part of
my life growing up.
442
00:18:06,836 --> 00:18:08,838
It's not until Mencia
starts doing comedy that
443
00:18:08,838 --> 00:18:12,717
his cultural identity
becomes an issue.
444
00:18:12,717 --> 00:18:15,803
When I started doing
stand-up, 1988,
445
00:18:15,803 --> 00:18:20,641
a few months in, I got
off stage and Mitzi Shore,
446
00:18:20,641 --> 00:18:22,977
the famed owner of
The Comedy Store said,
447
00:18:22,977 --> 00:18:27,273
"You can't be an angry
Mexican named Ned."
448
00:18:27,273 --> 00:18:28,899
I said to her, "Well,
first of all,
449
00:18:28,899 --> 00:18:30,526
I was born
in Honduras."
450
00:18:30,526 --> 00:18:35,698
"Okay, well, you can't be an
angry Mexican named Ned."
451
00:18:35,698 --> 00:18:37,867
That must be weird knowing
that you were born in a
452
00:18:37,867 --> 00:18:40,745
different country, and the
neighbourhood doesn't really
453
00:18:40,745 --> 00:18:42,955
accept you, and how the heck
are you going to get a bunch
454
00:18:42,955 --> 00:18:45,958
of strangers in a comedy
club to accept you?
455
00:18:45,958 --> 00:18:48,294
So I said, "Well, my
last name is Mencia,
456
00:18:48,294 --> 00:18:50,546
and I have an uncle named
Carlos." And she said,
457
00:18:50,546 --> 00:18:54,550
"Carlos Mencia,
that's melodious."
458
00:18:54,550 --> 00:18:57,261
And I changed my name
to Carlos Mencia.
459
00:18:57,261 --> 00:19:00,139
It is this double dutch that
people of colour have to play
460
00:19:00,139 --> 00:19:03,476
in this country so
that they can survive.
461
00:19:03,476 --> 00:19:06,145
When Mencia's name change
becomes public knowledge,
462
00:19:06,145 --> 00:19:08,481
it turns into fodder
for his detractors...
463
00:19:08,481 --> 00:19:10,566
like Joe Rogan.
464
00:19:10,566 --> 00:19:12,818
[Joe] It's open season
on phoney Mexicans,
465
00:19:12,818 --> 00:19:15,363
you ----ing
piece of shit!
466
00:19:15,363 --> 00:19:18,407
Mencia's relentless focus
on success blinds him to
467
00:19:18,407 --> 00:19:21,869
the storm that's brewing
in the background.
468
00:19:21,869 --> 00:19:25,206
Carlos had this inflated
sense of who he was,
469
00:19:25,206 --> 00:19:28,626
and I can't imagine how
difficult it is to stay humble
470
00:19:28,626 --> 00:19:30,753
when you're selling out
everywhere you go.
471
00:19:30,753 --> 00:19:32,755
I don't know how not to
be committed to
472
00:19:32,755 --> 00:19:34,048
every little moment.
473
00:19:34,048 --> 00:19:35,716
Thank you very much.
474
00:19:35,716 --> 00:19:38,219
I got to buy my mom
and dad a house.
475
00:19:38,219 --> 00:19:40,596
I got to help most of
my family in some way,
476
00:19:40,596 --> 00:19:43,015
shape or form,
and all because people
477
00:19:43,015 --> 00:19:44,934
pay to see me perform.
478
00:19:44,934 --> 00:19:46,894
How do I not give
them everything?
479
00:19:46,894 --> 00:19:48,938
[Laughing]
480
00:19:48,938 --> 00:19:50,898
For me it's just a
part of my being,
481
00:19:50,898 --> 00:19:54,610
but it's not always
a positive thing.
482
00:19:54,610 --> 00:19:57,988
There was a set lineup at
The Comedy Store every night,
483
00:19:57,988 --> 00:20:02,618
but there were comedians
who would show up and
484
00:20:02,618 --> 00:20:04,328
bump other comics,
485
00:20:04,328 --> 00:20:06,872
which would set the
whole schedule off.
486
00:20:06,872 --> 00:20:10,042
Bumping is when there's
a lineup for a show,
487
00:20:10,042 --> 00:20:12,002
and everyone's got
their time slots,
488
00:20:12,002 --> 00:20:14,380
and a more famous comedian
comes in and he goes,
489
00:20:14,380 --> 00:20:16,757
"I'm gonna go do
20 minutes right now."
490
00:20:16,757 --> 00:20:17,883
So you get bumped and
491
00:20:17,883 --> 00:20:19,510
you just have to
sit there and wait.
492
00:20:19,510 --> 00:20:23,931
Carlos Mencia was king
of bumping comics.
493
00:20:23,931 --> 00:20:25,599
His set was 20 minutes,
494
00:20:25,599 --> 00:20:27,768
and he would literally
do 90 minutes...
495
00:20:27,768 --> 00:20:31,647
and so that blatant
disrespect for your fellow
496
00:20:31,647 --> 00:20:35,985
comics of course turned him
into this crazy villain.
497
00:20:35,985 --> 00:20:38,195
Six months after his
appearance on Conan,
498
00:20:38,195 --> 00:20:40,489
the years of resentment
towards Mencia
499
00:20:40,489 --> 00:20:43,242
come to a head at
The Comedy Store.
500
00:20:43,242 --> 00:20:45,703
[Indistinct shouting]
501
00:20:45,703 --> 00:20:48,330
This was one of the
biggest scandals in comedy.
502
00:20:48,330 --> 00:20:50,958
I always just thought
it was a matter of time.
503
00:20:50,958 --> 00:20:52,877
-That's bullshit, bullshit.
-[Booing]
504
00:20:52,877 --> 00:20:54,837
'Cause he was always
kind of a dick.
505
00:20:54,837 --> 00:20:57,590
♪
506
00:21:01,927 --> 00:21:05,389
I will never forget being at
The Comedy Store
507
00:21:05,389 --> 00:21:09,268
the night of
February 10th, 2007.
508
00:21:09,268 --> 00:21:12,104
That night, Mitzi Shore
does something unexpected.
509
00:21:12,104 --> 00:21:15,399
She puts Mencia in the
same lineup as Joe Rogan.
510
00:21:15,399 --> 00:21:17,276
[Laughing] There's a
reason why guys
511
00:21:17,276 --> 00:21:19,236
climb Mount Everest too...
512
00:21:19,236 --> 00:21:21,363
little dicks,
that's it.
513
00:21:21,363 --> 00:21:25,284
Joe and Carlos were both
beast comedians all up
514
00:21:25,284 --> 00:21:27,953
in your face telling you
how to live your life.
515
00:21:27,953 --> 00:21:31,540
But Joe and Carlos had
a lot of animosity,
516
00:21:31,540 --> 00:21:33,834
and a lot of vitriol
towards each other.
517
00:21:33,834 --> 00:21:35,711
Have you ever met somebody
that stupid that you wish
518
00:21:35,711 --> 00:21:37,588
you had 1-800 number-
come meet this
519
00:21:37,588 --> 00:21:40,132
culero right now
type of shit, you know?
520
00:21:40,132 --> 00:21:43,052
At the time, Carlos was
way bigger than Joe.
521
00:21:43,052 --> 00:21:44,553
---- that asshole.
522
00:21:44,553 --> 00:21:48,182
And Joe's a
competitive dude, too.
523
00:21:48,182 --> 00:21:50,434
I'm in the original room
watching him perform,
524
00:21:50,434 --> 00:21:52,645
'cause I'm supposed
to go on after.
525
00:21:52,645 --> 00:21:54,939
Between Rogan and
Mencia's sets,
526
00:21:54,939 --> 00:21:57,691
another comedian,
Kirk Fox, is on.
527
00:21:57,691 --> 00:22:00,528
Rogan introduces Fox
as a writer for
528
00:22:00,528 --> 00:22:03,656
"Carlos Men-steal-ia's show".
529
00:22:03,656 --> 00:22:06,909
Fox is already on stage,
and I went up on stage and
530
00:22:06,909 --> 00:22:10,663
grabbed the mic from
him and said, "Hey Joe,
531
00:22:10,663 --> 00:22:13,123
what joke did I ever
steal from you"?
532
00:22:13,123 --> 00:22:15,501
He invited him on stage
because
533
00:22:15,501 --> 00:22:17,503
he thought he
was untouchable.
534
00:22:17,503 --> 00:22:19,588
Like, there's,
"I'm so successful,
535
00:22:19,588 --> 00:22:22,383
there's nothing
you can do to me.
536
00:22:22,383 --> 00:22:24,260
Look at who I am."
537
00:22:24,260 --> 00:22:25,678
[Audience] Who are you?!
538
00:22:25,678 --> 00:22:27,555
I'm somebody important
enough that he had to
539
00:22:27,555 --> 00:22:30,140
end the show by saying,
Carlos Men-steal-ia.
540
00:22:30,140 --> 00:22:31,767
I was talking
with my friends,
541
00:22:31,767 --> 00:22:33,060
and then we looked
at each other,
542
00:22:33,060 --> 00:22:34,144
and we were like,
543
00:22:34,144 --> 00:22:38,274
"Oh my gosh, is that
Joe Rogan and
544
00:22:38,274 --> 00:22:41,402
Carlos Mencia in the
same room together"?
545
00:22:41,402 --> 00:22:44,280
Mother----er steals shit
and make it on HBO!
546
00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:46,615
Carlos had this muscle of
547
00:22:46,615 --> 00:22:48,742
being able to
handle any crowd.
548
00:22:48,742 --> 00:22:51,996
So Joe Rogan is attacking
him verbally, and Carlos
549
00:22:51,996 --> 00:22:54,623
is like, "Dude, I'm gonna
embarrass this fool."
550
00:22:54,623 --> 00:22:56,584
I think that every time
you open your mouth,
551
00:22:56,584 --> 00:22:57,626
you talk about me.
552
00:22:57,626 --> 00:22:59,086
I think that you're
secretly in love with me
553
00:22:59,086 --> 00:23:00,087
'cause you can't...
554
00:23:00,087 --> 00:23:02,381
I remember my heart
beating 'cause I was like,
555
00:23:02,381 --> 00:23:04,925
these two guys are
now on this really
556
00:23:04,925 --> 00:23:08,429
small stage together,
there's no security.
557
00:23:08,429 --> 00:23:10,514
What are you saying?
558
00:23:10,514 --> 00:23:11,849
Listen, I know
you guys...
559
00:23:11,849 --> 00:23:13,809
She's saying that you're
acting like a little bitch.
560
00:23:13,809 --> 00:23:15,060
-No, she's not saying that.
-Yes.
561
00:23:15,060 --> 00:23:16,228
They're agreeing
with me mother----er.
562
00:23:16,228 --> 00:23:17,479
They're not
agreeing with you!
563
00:23:17,479 --> 00:23:18,522
They don't even know...
564
00:23:18,522 --> 00:23:20,858
And then you got this
battle of the wits,
565
00:23:20,858 --> 00:23:24,236
and testosterone, and it's
a recipe for a disaster.
566
00:23:24,236 --> 00:23:26,947
-They're jealous because-
-No one's jealous of you!
567
00:23:26,947 --> 00:23:28,866
You can see Carlos
getting frustrated and
568
00:23:28,866 --> 00:23:31,619
you can see Joe having
that command.
569
00:23:31,619 --> 00:23:33,954
[Applauding]
570
00:23:33,954 --> 00:23:38,083
And then to prove his point,
he called up Ari Shaffir.
571
00:23:38,083 --> 00:23:41,629
Now there's three guys on
this tiny little OR stage,
572
00:23:41,629 --> 00:23:44,882
trying to explain
how Carlos
573
00:23:44,882 --> 00:23:47,551
is stealing other
comedian's jokes.
574
00:23:47,551 --> 00:23:49,178
I opened for you
and did that joke,
575
00:23:49,178 --> 00:23:51,055
in the rooms you
performed in.
576
00:23:51,055 --> 00:23:52,514
[Audience] Oh!
577
00:23:52,514 --> 00:23:53,891
I was doing that
joke before.
578
00:23:53,891 --> 00:23:55,934
-No, you weren't.
-Yes, bro.
579
00:23:55,934 --> 00:23:58,687
The joke that spawned
this whole thing was
580
00:23:58,687 --> 00:24:00,731
an Ari Shaffir joke,
which he did on
581
00:24:00,731 --> 00:24:02,191
the Latino
Laugh Festival,
582
00:24:02,191 --> 00:24:04,151
which I was the
audience warmup for.
583
00:24:04,151 --> 00:24:05,152
Here's this new thing,
I don't know if
584
00:24:05,152 --> 00:24:06,153
you guys heard this...
585
00:24:06,153 --> 00:24:07,529
he wants to build a
new wall all down
586
00:24:07,529 --> 00:24:09,156
the California
Mexico border.
587
00:24:09,156 --> 00:24:10,991
Like a 12 foot
high brick wall,
588
00:24:10,991 --> 00:24:13,994
it's like three feet deep,
so no Mexicans get in.
589
00:24:13,994 --> 00:24:16,205
But I'm like,
dude, Arnold, um...
590
00:24:16,205 --> 00:24:17,956
who do you think is
gonna build that wall?
591
00:24:17,956 --> 00:24:20,084
I propose that we kick
all the illegal aliens
592
00:24:20,084 --> 00:24:21,877
out of this country.
593
00:24:21,877 --> 00:24:25,798
Then we build a super fence
so they can't get back in.
594
00:24:25,798 --> 00:24:29,218
And I went, um...
who's gonna build it?
595
00:24:29,218 --> 00:24:30,803
[Laughing]
596
00:24:30,803 --> 00:24:33,472
That joke is such low
hanging fruit that
597
00:24:33,472 --> 00:24:36,684
literally, I did it,
Lopez did it,
598
00:24:36,684 --> 00:24:39,144
Rodriguez did it,
Miller did it.
599
00:24:39,144 --> 00:24:42,147
I believe eight other
people had that joke.
600
00:24:42,147 --> 00:24:44,233
That's one of those jokes
I don't think anyone stole,
601
00:24:44,233 --> 00:24:45,401
I think it's
parallel thinking,
602
00:24:45,401 --> 00:24:48,987
especially here in LA where
it's very Mexican heavy.
603
00:24:48,987 --> 00:24:50,155
I don't believe that.
604
00:24:50,155 --> 00:24:52,491
Just looking at
the two jokes,
605
00:24:52,491 --> 00:24:55,285
my gut says he
stole that joke.
606
00:24:55,285 --> 00:24:56,537
Do you really think
that a Jewish guy
607
00:24:56,537 --> 00:24:57,705
came up with
that joke-
608
00:24:57,705 --> 00:24:59,498
[Indistinct speaking &
audience shouting]
609
00:24:59,498 --> 00:25:02,376
There were people in the
room cheering and
610
00:25:02,376 --> 00:25:06,005
we were happy that someone
actually stood up for us.
611
00:25:06,005 --> 00:25:08,507
-Why would it matter to you?
-Why the ---- would it matter?
612
00:25:08,507 --> 00:25:10,092
You're stealing
other people's shit.
613
00:25:10,092 --> 00:25:13,095
Why would it matter to you?
614
00:25:13,095 --> 00:25:15,389
At the end of the night
everyone goes home.
615
00:25:15,389 --> 00:25:17,850
For Mencia that seems
to be the end of it.
616
00:25:17,850 --> 00:25:19,768
I was under the assumption
that we're addressing stuff
617
00:25:19,768 --> 00:25:21,687
the way we address stuff
as comedians...
618
00:25:21,687 --> 00:25:23,230
Right? Between us.
619
00:25:23,230 --> 00:25:26,483
What I remember is
him saying,
620
00:25:26,483 --> 00:25:30,070
"Wake up,
something happened.
621
00:25:30,070 --> 00:25:32,031
I don't think it's good."
622
00:25:32,031 --> 00:25:37,036
I don't think Carlos Mencia
appreciated or understood
623
00:25:37,036 --> 00:25:40,998
the power of celebrity
that Joe Rogan had.
624
00:25:40,998 --> 00:25:43,667
The next day, a video of the
confrontation is posted on
625
00:25:43,667 --> 00:25:46,712
Rogan's YouTube channel
and quickly goes viral.
626
00:25:46,712 --> 00:25:49,590
Everything is
about to change.
627
00:25:49,590 --> 00:25:51,425
That was the birth
of that whole thing,
628
00:25:51,425 --> 00:25:55,679
where you could become
popular through social media.
629
00:25:55,679 --> 00:25:58,307
And it worked
beautiful for Joe,
630
00:25:58,307 --> 00:26:01,935
and obviously horrible
against Carlos.
631
00:26:01,935 --> 00:26:03,520
What Joe Rogan
did that night
632
00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:06,982
was what a lot of
comedians wanted to do
633
00:26:06,982 --> 00:26:10,360
but didn't have the cachet
to be able to do it.
634
00:26:10,360 --> 00:26:13,113
Joe wanted to
educate people on
635
00:26:13,113 --> 00:26:16,200
who Carlos Mencia
really is.
636
00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:20,079
I don't think that Joe's
intentions were 100%
637
00:26:20,079 --> 00:26:24,082
altruistic, but Carlos
was taking jokes.
638
00:26:24,082 --> 00:26:28,170
And unfortunately, I don't
think any of us knew that
639
00:26:28,170 --> 00:26:32,174
it would become the
demise of Carlos Mencia.
640
00:26:32,174 --> 00:26:35,094
♪
641
00:26:39,223 --> 00:26:40,974
And now in
honour of Carlos,
642
00:26:40,974 --> 00:26:43,685
we're stealing a
joke from Joe Rogan.
643
00:26:43,685 --> 00:26:48,607
Carlos Mencia? More like
Carlos Men-steal-ia.
644
00:26:48,607 --> 00:26:50,484
Boom!
645
00:26:50,484 --> 00:26:53,028
Virtually overnight,
Mencia goes from being
646
00:26:53,028 --> 00:26:55,697
one of the country's most
celebrated comedians...
647
00:26:55,697 --> 00:26:58,867
What's up, everybody?
648
00:26:58,867 --> 00:27:01,245
To one of its
most despised.
649
00:27:01,245 --> 00:27:03,413
Carlos Mencia
became the
650
00:27:03,413 --> 00:27:05,624
poster child for
joke stealing.
651
00:27:05,624 --> 00:27:09,962
Carlos had become this
ugly evil spirit in comedy.
652
00:27:09,962 --> 00:27:12,798
His oxymoronical show,
'The Mind of Mencia',
653
00:27:12,798 --> 00:27:15,759
is a veritable bomb factory
where Ned's unfunny jokes
654
00:27:15,759 --> 00:27:17,678
detonated America's face.
655
00:27:17,678 --> 00:27:19,513
I just kind of
remember him
656
00:27:19,513 --> 00:27:22,015
just disappearing
from the scene.
657
00:27:22,015 --> 00:27:24,601
It's kind of
surprising because
658
00:27:24,601 --> 00:27:26,728
people can come back.
659
00:27:26,728 --> 00:27:28,939
As we've seen
time after time,
660
00:27:28,939 --> 00:27:33,026
there are many male
comedians coming back from
661
00:27:33,026 --> 00:27:35,904
assaults or allegations,
662
00:27:35,904 --> 00:27:38,282
and someone like Carlos,
663
00:27:38,282 --> 00:27:42,286
especially appealing to
the Latino community,
664
00:27:42,286 --> 00:27:46,540
that there would still
be that, that loyalty.
665
00:27:46,540 --> 00:27:49,126
In the two years following
Rogan's viral video,
666
00:27:49,126 --> 00:27:51,461
Mind of Mencia
is canceled.
667
00:27:51,461 --> 00:27:54,339
And Carlos Mencia
gets blacklisted.
668
00:27:54,339 --> 00:27:56,466
I have no idea
why it was me.
669
00:27:56,466 --> 00:28:00,179
I've been asking that
question a million times.
670
00:28:00,179 --> 00:28:02,431
What I heard
in my head was,
671
00:28:02,431 --> 00:28:05,475
"If one person thinks
you're a dick, whatever.
672
00:28:05,475 --> 00:28:09,188
If everybody thinks
you're a dick, dude,
673
00:28:09,188 --> 00:28:11,440
you need to have some
self-reflection."
674
00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:13,483
And that's
where I started.
675
00:28:13,483 --> 00:28:15,569
♪
676
00:28:15,569 --> 00:28:17,029
I talked to somebody
recently and I said to him,
677
00:28:17,029 --> 00:28:20,032
"Hey man, did I ever do
anything to really hurt you"?
678
00:28:20,032 --> 00:28:22,409
And he said, "Do you
remember that night
679
00:28:22,409 --> 00:28:23,785
that I got a standing
ovation"?
680
00:28:23,785 --> 00:28:24,912
I go, "I was there, man.
681
00:28:24,912 --> 00:28:26,788
That was your first
standing ovation ever."
682
00:28:26,788 --> 00:28:28,874
He goes, "Do you remember
what you said to me
683
00:28:28,874 --> 00:28:31,543
when I got off stage"?
Yeah. I said,
684
00:28:31,543 --> 00:28:34,046
"Man, one day you're
gonna be really funny."
685
00:28:34,046 --> 00:28:36,089
And I laughed.
686
00:28:36,089 --> 00:28:37,758
And I looked at his
face and...
687
00:28:37,758 --> 00:28:40,761
there's nothing
funny about it.
688
00:28:40,761 --> 00:28:43,639
He said,
"You're my mentor.
689
00:28:43,639 --> 00:28:45,390
You were the guy
I looked up to.
690
00:28:45,390 --> 00:28:47,768
You were the guy I
wanted to be like.
691
00:28:47,768 --> 00:28:51,063
And you just took a big shit
on that moment."
692
00:28:51,063 --> 00:28:55,359
And I went,
"Oh Jesus. Oh my God."
693
00:28:55,359 --> 00:28:58,695
In talking to other comics
I did similar things,
694
00:28:58,695 --> 00:29:00,489
like going on long.
695
00:29:00,489 --> 00:29:03,617
On the comedy club circuit,
there's a lineup.
696
00:29:03,617 --> 00:29:05,702
And if a celebrity
walks in and
697
00:29:05,702 --> 00:29:09,039
decides to go on,
they bump.
698
00:29:09,039 --> 00:29:10,832
If they do five minutes,
they don't care.
699
00:29:10,832 --> 00:29:13,001
But some of these guys
will do two hours.
700
00:29:13,001 --> 00:29:14,419
That means they
have bumped the
701
00:29:14,419 --> 00:29:17,589
next 12 comics, and
they are angry.
702
00:29:17,589 --> 00:29:19,841
As a comedian at
The Comedy Store,
703
00:29:19,841 --> 00:29:21,843
whenever a celebrity
showed up,
704
00:29:21,843 --> 00:29:23,720
they got to go on.
705
00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:26,306
Well, by the time Mind
of Mencia came around,
706
00:29:26,306 --> 00:29:29,059
and then I got to
be that guy,
707
00:29:29,059 --> 00:29:30,769
the rules have changed.
708
00:29:30,769 --> 00:29:33,230
You gotta call in
and get a spot.
709
00:29:33,230 --> 00:29:35,023
You can't just
run the light.
710
00:29:35,023 --> 00:29:36,984
And for me it
was like, what?
711
00:29:36,984 --> 00:29:38,026
No, no, no, no, no, no.
712
00:29:38,026 --> 00:29:41,446
You cannot do that to me,
and then I have to...
713
00:29:41,446 --> 00:29:44,992
No way. Nm-mm!
I'm doing it.
714
00:29:44,992 --> 00:29:47,119
I paid my dues.
715
00:29:47,119 --> 00:29:50,205
But you know when John
Caparulo's mom flew in,
716
00:29:50,205 --> 00:29:53,625
and I went on long, and half
the audience left after me,
717
00:29:53,625 --> 00:29:56,295
and first time she ever saw
him perform live was
718
00:29:56,295 --> 00:29:58,005
in front of a
half audience.
719
00:29:58,005 --> 00:29:59,881
I could see why
that guy's mad.
720
00:29:59,881 --> 00:30:01,466
I get it.
721
00:30:01,466 --> 00:30:02,718
Some people
point out that
722
00:30:02,718 --> 00:30:05,095
Mencia's behaviour
wasn't unique.
723
00:30:05,095 --> 00:30:06,680
When I started back
in New York, you know,
724
00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:09,224
how many times did Chris
Rock come in and bump us?
725
00:30:09,224 --> 00:30:10,767
Dave Chappelle would
come in and the
726
00:30:10,767 --> 00:30:12,311
club would be like,
"You want to go home?
727
00:30:12,311 --> 00:30:13,729
'Cause he's gonna be up
there for like two hours."
728
00:30:13,729 --> 00:30:15,397
And you'd be like, "Sure,
I'll take my pay and
729
00:30:15,397 --> 00:30:16,440
I'm out of here."
730
00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:21,069
Every comedian that's
on top bumps comics.
731
00:30:21,069 --> 00:30:22,529
I don't care who it is.
732
00:30:22,529 --> 00:30:25,240
There isn't a comic out
there that didn't want to
733
00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:27,993
run the light and do as
much time as they could.
734
00:30:27,993 --> 00:30:30,662
But Carlos Mencia's
reputation was
735
00:30:30,662 --> 00:30:32,664
he only cared
about himself.
736
00:30:32,664 --> 00:30:35,334
And the truth is, he
helped a lot of comics,
737
00:30:35,334 --> 00:30:37,169
but people don't talk
about that because
738
00:30:37,169 --> 00:30:39,504
all they remember was
that he ran the light.
739
00:30:39,504 --> 00:30:42,007
By 2010, Mencia's
reputation as a bully and
740
00:30:42,007 --> 00:30:44,176
a thief has
gone mainstream,
741
00:30:44,176 --> 00:30:46,803
even making an appearance
on South Park.
742
00:30:46,803 --> 00:30:49,473
Recently, we've all come to
know the fish sticks joke is
743
00:30:49,473 --> 00:30:51,892
probably the funniest
most awesome joke ever.
744
00:30:51,892 --> 00:30:53,477
So in the
South Park episode,
745
00:30:53,477 --> 00:30:56,730
Kanye West says
he loves fish sticks,
746
00:30:56,730 --> 00:30:59,399
and then they
call him a gay fish.
747
00:30:59,399 --> 00:31:01,401
[Laughing]
748
00:31:01,401 --> 00:31:02,944
No, I'm not!
Agh!
749
00:31:02,944 --> 00:31:04,738
He doesn't understand the
joke and the more he says it,
750
00:31:04,738 --> 00:31:06,698
it just sounds like
he's saying fish dicks.
751
00:31:06,698 --> 00:31:09,117
And then they tried to find
who originated this joke.
752
00:31:09,117 --> 00:31:10,869
Joining us tonight,
the brains behind
753
00:31:10,869 --> 00:31:12,412
the incredible
fish sticks joke,
754
00:31:12,412 --> 00:31:14,623
the one and only
Carlos Mencia.
755
00:31:14,623 --> 00:31:16,208
[Cheering]
756
00:31:16,208 --> 00:31:18,376
Yeah! Viva la Mexico!
757
00:31:18,376 --> 00:31:21,588
When Kanye confronts
Carlos, he finally admits.
758
00:31:21,588 --> 00:31:23,048
Hey, look,
it wasn't me.
759
00:31:23,048 --> 00:31:25,550
I didn't really start the
fish stick thing, alright?
760
00:31:25,550 --> 00:31:28,095
You just saying that
now 'cause you're scared.
761
00:31:28,095 --> 00:31:30,931
No, man, it's true.
I stole it, man.
762
00:31:30,931 --> 00:31:33,892
I took credit for it 'cause
I'm not actually funny.
763
00:31:33,892 --> 00:31:35,894
I just take jokes and
repackage them
764
00:31:35,894 --> 00:31:38,647
with a Mexican
accent, man!
765
00:31:38,647 --> 00:31:41,024
Mencia takes the
parody in stride,
766
00:31:41,024 --> 00:31:43,402
posting his compliments
on Twitter.
767
00:31:43,402 --> 00:31:45,737
But he can't run from
the public reputation
768
00:31:45,737 --> 00:31:47,906
cemented in
this episode.
769
00:31:47,906 --> 00:31:50,826
Carlos Mencia was stealing
770
00:31:50,826 --> 00:31:54,830
a lot of material and
he finally got caught,
771
00:31:54,830 --> 00:31:57,416
and now he's suffering
the consequences.
772
00:31:57,416 --> 00:32:00,210
I couldn't get on ABC.
I couldn't get on NBC.
773
00:32:00,210 --> 00:32:02,295
I couldn't get on HBO.
774
00:32:02,295 --> 00:32:06,633
I have lost millions of
dollars because of this.
775
00:32:06,633 --> 00:32:09,344
I've had producers come
up to me and tell me,
776
00:32:09,344 --> 00:32:12,806
"I didn't put you on a
project and I just want to be
777
00:32:12,806 --> 00:32:15,100
upfront with you and tell
you I'm so sorry."
778
00:32:15,100 --> 00:32:17,144
I know that it
cost me that.
779
00:32:17,144 --> 00:32:20,856
I saw what he
went through.
780
00:32:20,856 --> 00:32:23,859
Those were really
dark times for him.
781
00:32:23,859 --> 00:32:26,403
♪
782
00:32:32,367 --> 00:32:34,202
♪
783
00:32:34,202 --> 00:32:36,455
When his comedy career
all but flames out,
784
00:32:36,455 --> 00:32:39,374
Carlos Mencia
hits rock bottom.
785
00:32:39,374 --> 00:32:43,712
To be reduced
and diminished
786
00:32:43,712 --> 00:32:45,755
by one sentence.
787
00:32:45,755 --> 00:32:49,843
Whose jokes did he steal?
Whose jokes did he tell?
788
00:32:49,843 --> 00:32:53,054
It was devastating.
789
00:32:53,054 --> 00:32:55,015
Sometimes when
bad stuff happened,
790
00:32:55,015 --> 00:32:56,308
he'd be like,
"It is what it is.
791
00:32:56,308 --> 00:32:58,226
It happens, it's cool.
We'll get over it."
792
00:32:58,226 --> 00:33:00,145
But this was
something different.
793
00:33:00,145 --> 00:33:05,108
You know he was really
down, really depressed.
794
00:33:05,108 --> 00:33:08,945
I started to drink,
I did drugs,
795
00:33:08,945 --> 00:33:11,490
and at my darkest hours,
796
00:33:11,490 --> 00:33:14,409
there were moments of,
797
00:33:14,409 --> 00:33:16,620
you know, ending it.
798
00:33:16,620 --> 00:33:20,290
Just... be gone.
799
00:33:20,290 --> 00:33:22,459
You know, if the comedy
world doesn't
800
00:33:22,459 --> 00:33:25,545
appreciate me, then why
should I love it?
801
00:33:25,545 --> 00:33:26,713
Let me just quit.
802
00:33:26,713 --> 00:33:29,132
---- it, let me
just kill myself.
803
00:33:29,132 --> 00:33:34,262
I absolutely
was concerned.
804
00:33:34,262 --> 00:33:36,431
Concerned with his
805
00:33:36,431 --> 00:33:41,353
mental health and
his wellbeing.
806
00:33:41,353 --> 00:33:43,396
She married a man that
was sober, completely,
807
00:33:43,396 --> 00:33:47,192
100%, and she
ended up with a,
808
00:33:47,192 --> 00:33:51,738
with a man that was broken,
that was fragile.
809
00:33:51,738 --> 00:33:53,782
It's only with his wife
Amy's support that
810
00:33:53,782 --> 00:33:56,868
Mencia avoids
spiralling out of control.
811
00:33:56,868 --> 00:34:00,789
She never allowed me
to go to that place.
812
00:34:00,789 --> 00:34:02,707
After a lot of
self-reflection,
813
00:34:02,707 --> 00:34:04,834
Mencia tries to
redeem himself and
814
00:34:04,834 --> 00:34:06,836
attempts a comeback.
815
00:34:06,836 --> 00:34:09,381
Listen to me, and look at
me when I tell you this.
816
00:34:09,381 --> 00:34:13,426
With all honesty, if you
think that I steal jokes,
817
00:34:13,426 --> 00:34:14,803
---- yeah,
you're right.
818
00:34:14,803 --> 00:34:16,221
Of course I ----ing
steal jokes.
819
00:34:16,221 --> 00:34:18,056
Are you out of
your ----ing mind?
820
00:34:18,056 --> 00:34:20,725
In the 2010 documentary,
'I Am Comic',
821
00:34:20,725 --> 00:34:24,312
Carlos Mencia satirizes
his notoriety.
822
00:34:24,312 --> 00:34:25,939
When I come to
a comedy club,
823
00:34:25,939 --> 00:34:27,315
you better run,
bitch.
824
00:34:27,315 --> 00:34:29,067
You better get the
---- off stage.
825
00:34:29,067 --> 00:34:31,820
'Cause if anything you say
is even remotely funny,
826
00:34:31,820 --> 00:34:33,488
I'm gonna
make it mine.
827
00:34:33,488 --> 00:34:36,241
And all I'm gonna do is
say Mexican in the front.
828
00:34:36,241 --> 00:34:38,702
Despite trying to put his
reputation of stealing
829
00:34:38,702 --> 00:34:41,246
behind him, videos of
Mencia doing
830
00:34:41,246 --> 00:34:43,456
other comedian's jokes
keep popping up.
831
00:34:43,456 --> 00:34:45,458
Hey, put on
channel five.
832
00:34:45,458 --> 00:34:46,876
[Laughing]
833
00:34:46,876 --> 00:34:48,503
"What do you want?"
"Change the channel."
834
00:34:48,503 --> 00:34:50,213
"Ah!"
835
00:34:50,213 --> 00:34:53,133
But as with the wall joke,
not everyone believes the
836
00:34:53,133 --> 00:34:56,886
issue is as clear cut as
YouTube edits make it seem.
837
00:34:56,886 --> 00:34:58,888
That's another thing about
these jokes that people
838
00:34:58,888 --> 00:35:02,058
claim to be their own, or
that they have ownership,
839
00:35:02,058 --> 00:35:04,019
it's a lot of stock jokes.
840
00:35:05,645 --> 00:35:08,523
So, I mean, a stock joke
is a joke that is-
841
00:35:08,523 --> 00:35:11,776
Can be, can be
delivered by anybody,
842
00:35:11,776 --> 00:35:15,572
and it is a very generic
concept that
843
00:35:15,572 --> 00:35:17,782
everybody has a
take on, right?
844
00:35:17,782 --> 00:35:19,576
You listen to all
these great comics,
845
00:35:19,576 --> 00:35:21,244
and we all agree.
846
00:35:21,244 --> 00:35:23,913
We've all been inspired
by comics, and we think,
847
00:35:23,913 --> 00:35:25,415
"Why isn't he
saying it like this?
848
00:35:25,415 --> 00:35:26,458
He shouldn't say
it like that,
849
00:35:26,458 --> 00:35:27,625
he should say it
like this."
850
00:35:27,625 --> 00:35:28,918
And then you say
it the way he thinks,
851
00:35:28,918 --> 00:35:30,128
you think
he should do it,
852
00:35:30,128 --> 00:35:31,880
and now it kills, and
now you feel like,
853
00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:34,215
"Dude, I did that and
now this is mine."
854
00:35:34,215 --> 00:35:37,427
So the tables are
always kind of grey.
855
00:35:37,427 --> 00:35:39,346
It's like, you know,
am I stealing this bit
856
00:35:39,346 --> 00:35:41,389
or am I inspired
by this bit?
857
00:35:41,389 --> 00:35:43,475
But there's one joke that
Carlos used to tell that is
858
00:35:43,475 --> 00:35:47,604
almost identical to a
classic Bill Cosby bit.
859
00:35:47,604 --> 00:35:49,272
Two years old, you say,
"Get down,
860
00:35:49,272 --> 00:35:51,024
Dad'll show you
how to do it.
861
00:35:51,024 --> 00:35:52,942
Now you come at me,
run through me...
862
00:35:52,942 --> 00:35:54,903
there, see? Get back up,
get back up."
863
00:35:54,903 --> 00:35:56,446
He shows this little kid
everything that he needs
864
00:35:56,446 --> 00:35:58,031
to know about how to be
a great quarterback.
865
00:35:58,031 --> 00:35:59,824
He even moves from one city
to the other so that kid
866
00:35:59,824 --> 00:36:01,034
could be in a
better high school.
867
00:36:01,034 --> 00:36:02,410
High school touchdown!
868
00:36:02,410 --> 00:36:04,079
800 touchdowns per game.
869
00:36:04,079 --> 00:36:07,123
"Yes, that's my son," and he
goes to the big college!
870
00:36:07,123 --> 00:36:08,375
And he's in college
getting better.
871
00:36:08,375 --> 00:36:09,584
He wins a
Heisman trophy.
872
00:36:09,584 --> 00:36:11,419
He ends up in the NFL.
873
00:36:11,419 --> 00:36:13,463
Five years later, he ends
up in the Super Bowl.
874
00:36:13,463 --> 00:36:16,049
For a TV and turnaround and
the camera's on him and
875
00:36:16,049 --> 00:36:18,134
you are looking,
and he says, "Hi, Mom."
876
00:36:18,134 --> 00:36:21,388
"I love you, Mom."
[Screaming] Ah!
877
00:36:21,388 --> 00:36:24,349
Carlos claims he never saw
the Bill Cosby routine,
878
00:36:24,349 --> 00:36:27,435
and there's no way Carlos
could not have seen it.
879
00:36:27,435 --> 00:36:30,230
It was almost exact.
880
00:36:30,230 --> 00:36:32,899
Bill Cosby doesn't take
action against Mencia,
881
00:36:32,899 --> 00:36:34,818
but he does join the
conversation about
882
00:36:34,818 --> 00:36:38,988
joke stealing that started
with Rogan's video.
883
00:36:38,988 --> 00:36:41,324
They all steal.
884
00:36:41,324 --> 00:36:44,160
And they're a liar if they
tell you any different.
885
00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:45,537
If you care about
stealing jokes,
886
00:36:45,537 --> 00:36:46,871
you're not a
good comedian.
887
00:36:46,871 --> 00:36:49,749
'Cause every comedian
has stole a joke.
888
00:36:49,749 --> 00:36:52,085
Robin Williams, he was
notorious for stealing jokes.
889
00:36:52,085 --> 00:36:54,295
He was never outcasted,
he was never
890
00:36:54,295 --> 00:36:56,005
scrutinized by the
comedy community.
891
00:36:56,005 --> 00:37:00,135
So I do believe Carlos did
get the raw end of the deal.
892
00:37:00,135 --> 00:37:02,137
Some of Mencia's
contemporaries wonder
893
00:37:02,137 --> 00:37:03,972
if he would've been
treated the same way
894
00:37:03,972 --> 00:37:06,307
had he been a
white comic.
895
00:37:06,307 --> 00:37:09,686
I believe it was easier to
pick on Carlos because,
896
00:37:09,686 --> 00:37:11,271
what, the number of
Latino comedians...
897
00:37:11,271 --> 00:37:13,440
there's only like,
what? Four?
898
00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:14,816
At the time.
899
00:37:14,816 --> 00:37:16,276
I mean, there was a
lot of Black comedians,
900
00:37:16,276 --> 00:37:17,819
a lot of white
comedians that steal.
901
00:37:17,819 --> 00:37:19,988
Of course there was a
racial component to it.
902
00:37:19,988 --> 00:37:22,699
It doesn't matter if his
name is Ned Silverman,
903
00:37:22,699 --> 00:37:24,701
he still looks brown,
904
00:37:24,701 --> 00:37:26,828
and if ICE comes
through here,
905
00:37:26,828 --> 00:37:29,080
they're probably going to
ask him for his papers.
906
00:37:29,080 --> 00:37:32,125
Mencia admits to bumping,
but he's adamant
907
00:37:32,125 --> 00:37:33,835
he never stole jokes.
908
00:37:33,835 --> 00:37:39,132
Carlos Mencia's biggest
'F' up is that his ego
909
00:37:39,132 --> 00:37:41,676
won't let him own
910
00:37:41,676 --> 00:37:44,554
what he actually,
really did.
911
00:37:44,554 --> 00:37:46,264
And to me it's sad because
912
00:37:46,264 --> 00:37:49,058
I know he's gotten
the opportunity.
913
00:37:49,058 --> 00:37:53,480
Ned, why not do
in the beginning
914
00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:55,440
just a blanket apology?
915
00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:57,525
If I apologize, then
I'm saying,
916
00:37:57,525 --> 00:37:59,944
"Yeah, I sat around the
back of comedy clubs
917
00:37:59,944 --> 00:38:01,863
taking their stuff."
Never happened.
918
00:38:01,863 --> 00:38:03,698
Never happened.
919
00:38:03,698 --> 00:38:06,034
♪
920
00:38:09,704 --> 00:38:12,499
So how are you feeling now
with the controversy
921
00:38:12,499 --> 00:38:15,335
that had happened
a decade ago?
922
00:38:15,335 --> 00:38:19,839
I realized, like, my absence
from the internet in
923
00:38:19,839 --> 00:38:22,342
all those years allowed a
narrative to be created
924
00:38:22,342 --> 00:38:24,010
that will never change.
925
00:38:24,010 --> 00:38:27,514
In 2021, Bobby Lee hosts
Mencia on his podcast,
926
00:38:27,514 --> 00:38:30,767
'Tiger Belly', to give his
long-time friend and mentor
927
00:38:30,767 --> 00:38:34,229
a chance to make amends
with the comedy world.
928
00:38:34,229 --> 00:38:36,606
Bobby Lee had left the door
open for him to say,
929
00:38:36,606 --> 00:38:38,775
"Okay, I did it. I did it."
And I was watching that.
930
00:38:38,775 --> 00:38:40,985
I was like, "Come on,
Carlos, say it, bro.
931
00:38:40,985 --> 00:38:42,570
Say it"!
932
00:38:42,570 --> 00:38:44,948
I've seen some of your act,
you know, I mean,
933
00:38:44,948 --> 00:38:47,659
a little too close to
things that have
934
00:38:47,659 --> 00:38:49,577
already been established.
935
00:38:49,577 --> 00:38:53,623
Why not just outwardly say,
"I apologize."
936
00:38:53,623 --> 00:38:55,500
And then we could
just move on from it
937
00:38:55,500 --> 00:38:58,002
rather than you
constantly defending.
938
00:38:58,002 --> 00:38:59,254
But it's not that
I'm defending.
939
00:38:59,254 --> 00:39:01,422
See, again...
it's not that I'm defending,
940
00:39:01,422 --> 00:39:03,633
I just, who do
I apologize to?
941
00:39:03,633 --> 00:39:06,135
It's hard to be accountable,
but to say,
942
00:39:06,135 --> 00:39:08,471
"Hey, I'm sorry.
I ----ed up."
943
00:39:08,471 --> 00:39:10,390
Everybody would just say,
"We move on."
944
00:39:10,390 --> 00:39:12,058
Dude, you didn't
commit murder.
945
00:39:12,058 --> 00:39:15,395
You just ----ing
stole some jokes.
946
00:39:15,395 --> 00:39:18,356
What would make
somebody not admit
947
00:39:18,356 --> 00:39:21,526
to taking the joke is
very interesting.
948
00:39:21,526 --> 00:39:24,779
I think it's preservation
and a fear because
949
00:39:24,779 --> 00:39:26,906
you don't want
to be taken down.
950
00:39:26,906 --> 00:39:28,700
After the heights
of fame he reached,
951
00:39:28,700 --> 00:39:31,327
it's easy to forget how
unlikely Carlos Mencia's
952
00:39:31,327 --> 00:39:36,332
success as a comic
was to begin with.
953
00:39:36,332 --> 00:39:39,210
When you're young
and you are told,
954
00:39:39,210 --> 00:39:42,422
"You're not gonna make it,
what are you doing"?
955
00:39:42,422 --> 00:39:45,049
You begin to get a
chip on your shoulder,
956
00:39:45,049 --> 00:39:47,552
and you have to,
I had to.
957
00:39:47,552 --> 00:39:50,179
Because there's no way that
I could go on stage with
958
00:39:50,179 --> 00:39:54,142
all that weight of,
"You're not gonna make it."
959
00:39:54,142 --> 00:39:57,770
I think what made Carlos
have that negative energy
960
00:39:57,770 --> 00:40:00,023
is coming from poverty.
961
00:40:00,023 --> 00:40:01,774
When you're a kid
and you're hungry,
962
00:40:01,774 --> 00:40:04,277
that's what
makes you fight.
963
00:40:04,277 --> 00:40:06,988
He's developed that mean
ass character 'cause
964
00:40:06,988 --> 00:40:09,741
he's fighting for little
Carlos, little hungry Carlos.
965
00:40:09,741 --> 00:40:12,493
♪
966
00:40:12,493 --> 00:40:14,412
I grew up in the projects.
967
00:40:14,412 --> 00:40:16,623
If somebody there said
to me, "Hey homes,
968
00:40:16,623 --> 00:40:19,500
where you from"?
969
00:40:19,500 --> 00:40:22,670
The answer might
get us into a fight,
970
00:40:22,670 --> 00:40:25,965
might get us shot,
might get us stabbed.
971
00:40:25,965 --> 00:40:29,594
And so, I...
972
00:40:29,594 --> 00:40:32,639
put on this demeanour of,
973
00:40:32,639 --> 00:40:35,892
"Don't talk to me,
and if we do,
974
00:40:35,892 --> 00:40:38,853
let's kill each other."
That kind of an attitude.
975
00:40:38,853 --> 00:40:43,191
I think on some level,
if he apologizes, it's like,
976
00:40:43,191 --> 00:40:46,486
"I should have never
stayed with my family.
977
00:40:46,486 --> 00:40:49,072
It's justified that they
gave me away, it's justified.
978
00:40:49,072 --> 00:40:50,948
I don't belong to
anyone." You know,
979
00:40:50,948 --> 00:40:53,993
"There's something
wrong with me, ultimately."
980
00:40:53,993 --> 00:40:56,829
And he doesn't
get that if he apologizes
981
00:40:56,829 --> 00:40:59,415
the world now
opens up for him.
982
00:40:59,415 --> 00:41:01,960
He's a human being,
983
00:41:01,960 --> 00:41:05,463
and human beings
make mistakes.
984
00:41:05,463 --> 00:41:08,841
We just want you
to own up to them.
985
00:41:08,841 --> 00:41:11,552
I was driven by my
competitive nature as
986
00:41:11,552 --> 00:41:15,431
a human being, but it
was never personal.
987
00:41:15,431 --> 00:41:16,974
And yet I look
back and go,
988
00:41:16,974 --> 00:41:19,978
"I wish I was different.
989
00:41:19,978 --> 00:41:21,896
I wish I could have seen it.
990
00:41:21,896 --> 00:41:23,731
I wish I could have
understood it."
991
00:41:23,731 --> 00:41:25,233
But I didn't.
992
00:41:25,233 --> 00:41:27,694
But in the years
since Mencia's peak,
993
00:41:27,694 --> 00:41:30,738
his legacy of stealing jokes
has largely eclipsed
994
00:41:30,738 --> 00:41:33,616
the main reasons
for his success.
995
00:41:33,616 --> 00:41:36,077
Stealing people's jokes
doesn't necessarily
996
00:41:36,077 --> 00:41:39,497
negate that he's an
amazing comedian.
997
00:41:39,497 --> 00:41:42,667
You cannot destroy
the room with a
998
00:41:42,667 --> 00:41:44,627
bunch of other
people's material.
999
00:41:44,627 --> 00:41:47,213
He got to that level in
spite of the fact that
1000
00:41:47,213 --> 00:41:49,632
he may have taken
people's stuff.
1001
00:41:49,632 --> 00:41:52,260
One thing about the
narrative of today
1002
00:41:52,260 --> 00:41:56,514
that really bothers me
is the assumption
1003
00:41:56,514 --> 00:41:59,142
that I take so much
from comedy.
1004
00:41:59,142 --> 00:42:03,104
He's a guy who
in LA, you know,
1005
00:42:03,104 --> 00:42:05,398
broke into The Comedy Store
and opened the doors for
1006
00:42:05,398 --> 00:42:07,692
other comics to be able
to come in and
1007
00:42:07,692 --> 00:42:09,944
be seen as mainstream.
1008
00:42:09,944 --> 00:42:13,406
You know, guys that do
real crimes, you know,
1009
00:42:13,406 --> 00:42:15,575
don't get put away
for 15 years.
1010
00:42:15,575 --> 00:42:18,661
So to me, the punishment
had to fit the crime.
1011
00:42:18,661 --> 00:42:21,664
You don't see him in the
major cities like
1012
00:42:21,664 --> 00:42:22,999
LA and New York
comedy clubs.
1013
00:42:22,999 --> 00:42:25,126
He's,
he's banned.
1014
00:42:25,126 --> 00:42:29,130
He's fallen from grace of
doing theatres and arenas
1015
00:42:29,130 --> 00:42:32,675
to being down to, you know,
B, C level clubs
1016
00:42:32,675 --> 00:42:35,678
trying to make a living.
1017
00:42:35,678 --> 00:42:39,682
Sometimes,
in a dream world,
1018
00:42:39,682 --> 00:42:45,146
I wish I could fake
my own death.
1019
00:42:45,146 --> 00:42:47,982
I wish that I was
at The Comedy Store,
1020
00:42:47,982 --> 00:42:51,861
watching people talk about
the effect that I had on them
1021
00:42:51,861 --> 00:42:54,947
the day that I pass away,
because on that day,
1022
00:42:54,947 --> 00:42:59,285
they'll tell some truths that
they have never told before.
1023
00:42:59,285 --> 00:43:01,704
It's taken me
10 years to deal
1024
00:43:01,704 --> 00:43:04,665
with the negativity
and have it not affect me
1025
00:43:04,665 --> 00:43:09,545
in a way that it did
on that night.
1026
00:43:09,545 --> 00:43:12,089
It took me...
1027
00:43:12,089 --> 00:43:17,470
not selling out shows
to go, "Wait a minute,
1028
00:43:17,470 --> 00:43:20,681
am I gonna give importance
to the empty seats?
1029
00:43:20,681 --> 00:43:22,141
Or am I gonna give
importance to those
1030
00:43:22,141 --> 00:43:24,727
that took the time
to be here?"
1031
00:43:24,727 --> 00:43:27,647
And that's when everything
began to change
1032
00:43:27,647 --> 00:43:29,816
comedically on
stage for me.
1033
00:43:29,816 --> 00:43:32,985
That's when I
began to form
1034
00:43:32,985 --> 00:43:35,571
this new person that
1035
00:43:35,571 --> 00:43:38,491
sees the beauty in it,
that sees the joy in it,
1036
00:43:38,491 --> 00:43:41,035
that not selling out a
show doesn't mean
1037
00:43:41,035 --> 00:43:44,247
I'm not successful
or anything.
1038
00:43:44,247 --> 00:43:47,625
When he had success
it came too fast,
1039
00:43:47,625 --> 00:43:51,587
and I think he's paying
for his behaviour now,
1040
00:43:51,587 --> 00:43:54,465
but he's staying
in the game.
1041
00:43:54,465 --> 00:43:57,885
You're never out 'til
you decide you're out.
1042
00:43:57,885 --> 00:44:00,054
That's my feeling
about Carlos.
1043
00:44:00,054 --> 00:44:02,348
He's still in
the game, man.