Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiki Melendez.
Hi Kiki, give us a little history on your journey thus far?
I always wanted to be an actress, My late mother Matilde Almonte made a deal with me, she said she would give me her blessing if I accomplished at least a 4-year degree! I went to FAU and FIU for a total of 5 years pursuing my BS in Child Psychology with a minor in communications. Then I took off to NYC to study at Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute, I also studied with the Academy Nominated Bill Hickey. At Lee Strasberg, I quickly proved to myself that I had the acting chops, but it was Hickey who inspired me by saying “You need to stop studying and get to work!” He always compared me to the greatest actresses of the time.
I lived around the corner from The Famous Comic Strip in NYC and would hang out with a comic I had met in Florida, Joey Vega in the early 90’s. He introduced me to all his pals like Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Adam Sandler and all the up-and-coming guys on the circuit. He kept telling me to get into comedy as there were so few women in stand-up. I always loved Joan Rivers and I always aspired to make people laugh like she did. While I worked in radio sales and studied at Lee Strasberg, I also took lessons at the “Comic Strip.”
My clients at the station used to love my voice and personality, and they told me they would finance me, if I were to get my own radio show. I found out there was a failing station selling time on Canal Street, I teamed up with two Mexican guys and created “Locos Y Contentos” (Crazy and Happy) with myself, a woman as the lead, something that was unheard of at the time. This is where my childhood nickname “Kiki” was reborn. You see my real name was Christian Melendez but everyone said it would not work on radio as everyone would think they were listening to a religious station every time I would say my name. They asked me if I could think of any other name and “Kiki” quickly came to mind. The team exclaimed, “Kiki Melendez” that’s it!!
The morning radio show proved to be a big hit, with ratings through the roof, which was great for the Asian radio station which quickly got a huge offer from Univision National Spanish Network. Although I was asked to stay I had been dreaming of making my move to West Los Angeles, California. So I took this as a sign it was time to leave NYC.
I landed a sales/air personality job on an AM Station: KRLA “Oldies but Goodies” and they were training me to take over the morning show with Huggy Boy. While I was there I got a call from a new “dance” station Groove 103.1 FM. I love to dance, it was a dream job!!
Within weeks I was very popular and our program director Mohammed Moretta came up with a revolutionary idea, a weekend show called, “Latin Grooves Live” in addition to my morning show. Robert Isaacs would spin the music and I was the voice of the show, without realizing it we started playing Latin Music on a General Market radio! The show was so popular, there were multiple offers from nightclubs to air the show from their locations. The management sold it to The Hollywood Athletic Club. unbeknownst to me, I would become a top-notch female promoter packing the house with thousands of people and a list celebrities. In the late 1990’s. It was the hottest thing to do on Sunday nights in LA!! I was also able to get top acts to perform like Ricky Martin, Proyecto Uno, Alabina, these acts were unknown to General Market radio. I must say it is one of the main reasons you hear these Latin artist today.
Galavision National Network President Javier Saralegui heard about this Latina radio talk show host making noise in LA and he sent out one of his executives Lillian Casares to checkout if I was TV material. Thankfully, Lillian and I became good friends and Javier asked for a phone meeting. He explained he wanted to reach an audience demo of 12-18+ Latinos and wanted to know if I had any ideas. I told him that most young Latinos did not speak Spanish fluently they mostly spoke English but that if we did English only we would lose most of his core Spanish-speaking audience. I suggested he let me try doing the show bi-lingual. He asked for a sample of how I would do that, o starting speaking in Spanish then switched to English seamlessly and quickly he was convinced!
He said I am going to give you a time slot Sunday Aug 28th at 8PM (1998) and you do whatever you want! You have an hour, you have to find your own sponsors and produce and deliver a show. I had great friends that believed in me and they all stepped in to help me. I was working on a Salsa Festival at the radio station so I convinced the owner Howard to let me film it, and I decided to do a show on the Impact that Salsa music had in Hollywood “Salsa Desde Hollywood” a bi-lingual variety show aired bringing the network from .30 to a 2.6 ratings! Needless to say, Javier signed me to a 13-episode deal, less than a year into the newly revamped series he re-named “Kiki Desde Hollywood” , which was executive produced by tonight show veteran Paul Block and writer Rick Najera, I was approached by Peter Engle to create. a talk show for NBC. I was scheduled to. become the LOPRAH (The Latina Oprah) We got stuck in development hell as the network was being sold by the time my deal was announced.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
So close but yet so far, so many times…. a wise man told me “In Hollywood, It takes decades to become an overnight success” but it also takes a lot of LUCK, and I am due for some right about now!
When I moved to LA in 1996, I was very scared I would have no chance. I am a Latina, I am from Dominican Heritage not Mexican, I was a brunette not a blonde (at the time it was the in look to work). I am a woman when most work goes to men.
To my surprise, I found Los Angeles very welcoming and appreciative of my New York edgy fun personality. I felt very lucky and I got so close so many times.
I was getting work, creating my own opportunities and had no time to create a team of representation and that was my biggest mistake. I was doing it all myself and I should have had a team looking out for me. Time went by so fast it did not occur to me until two decades later!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I enjoy being a content creator because it gives me an opportunity to make a little difference in the world, even if it is in little ways like telling our Latino stories, or inspiring women in comedy, hiring people that have above average talent that might not get a chance in Hollywood hell! LOL I always joke around with my friends that I will not get the credit for breaking ground and creating historical content and I always tell them they have to put something in my tombstone that reminds the world about my historical contributions.
I am proud of the first bi-lingual show in America “Kiki Desde Hollywood,” one of the first all female multi-cultural comedy special “Kiki Melendez’ Hot Tamales Live!” which was a hit on Showtime networks and ran from 2007-2009 proving that females are just as funny as men.
My Spanish language SNL “Locos Y Contentos” On Estrella TV which also had impressive ratings. My Oscar qualified Docu- Comedy “Journey of a Female Comic” which had a bi-coastal theatrical release which is rare for a doc. And, is now in the Permanent Core Collection at the Margaret Herrick Library for motion picture study and is now playing on Peacock NBC.
America’s Mobile Talk Show “Kiki Mobile” a limited series on FYI Network part of A&E which is currently enjoying a second run on Glewed TV.
I just completed 2 Comedy specials “Broads Abroad” and “Black Girl Magic” which I filmed In my homeland in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Both of shows are on Sling, Plex, Tubi and Amazon Prime & Peacock, NBC. I also made History with “Reinas De La Risa” the first all-female comedy special in my country which aired on ColorVision our countries number one network on Mother’s Day 2022 and was a big hit!
I am very proud of my work, I have done it all independently with low budgets and no marketing dollars to spend and I have proved ratings success!! I should be the Latina Ava DuVerney, Shonda Rhimes, or Tyler Perry…Even if I do say so myself! LOL
They inspire me and I hope to grow up to be just like them!
Something I am most proud of is being the Co-Founder along with Cindy Cowan of Omni Cultural TV Fest. We built a team of great executive producers from coast to coast. Meiling Macias Toro, Julia Carias Linares run NY and Jenean Atwood Baynes runs LA. We are breaking ground showcasing great indy artists to the legitimate buyers of content.
We are raising funding for our 4th
My company Latin Hollywood Films out of LA is producing a Documentary “Niños De Cristo” about the Homeless Children situation in Latin America and the Carribean. We are hoping to bring awareness to this sad situation.
I have just finished my manuscript Chase Hope and Faith, a faith-based narrative about a dying fan that gives me the courage to live and I give her the courage to die in peace. It is a beautiful story about life after death.
I am also finalizing negotiations for a global project so stay tuned!!!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Success takes tenacity and perseverance and most of all patience. You have to be disciplined and work smart and hard, but most of all you have to believe in yourself and your work!
I always try to do my work with good intentions toward everyone involved.
When I ask for favors I make sure it is a win-win situation!
I want to leave a positive legacy and inspire my audience!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.OmniCulturalTvFest.com
