Conversations with Luis Garcia

Today we’d like to introduce you to Luis Garcia.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
When I first started comedy I hated it, because to be honest with you, I wasn’t very good at it. But, after two catastrophic accidents(getting run over and then later rear ended by a semi truck) my dad finally had of be moping around and said “do you still want to do this acting and comedy thing? If you do, go for it because, you can’t continue doing nothing for the rest of your life” I looked at the empty beer bottles scattered around my room and decided “hmmm maybe he’s right.” After that day I packed up my belongings and headed to Los Angeles with no real plan other than, “Let’s see where life takes us…”

Although the beginning was pretty rocky, I fell in love with Performing Arts and even got scholarships to keep me in acting classes for a few years meanwhile doing stand up comedy on the side to help me become a better storyteller and get comfortable being in front of people. After ten years of “trying this acting and comedy thing” I am happy to say that it was probably the thing that saved my life. Since then, I have been able to perform in rooms in different states and bring people together through laughter, been on television a few times and hell I even made one of my hero’s Steve Harvey bust up laughing on his own show. My story has been uniquely complicated but overall an incredible and worthwhile journey.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Pfffffft ! A smooth road, I don’t even know what that is. This journey has been filled with more potholes than these LA streets after a rainstorm. To start, when I packed my bags and moved to LA, I didn’t really have a job or money in my savings account which quite honestly was a recipe for disaster. I was happy to be studying acting, but when I wasn’t in class or on stage I was just finding ways to survive, working odd jobs and sleeping in the car until I could get back on my feet and honestly I could barely walk right because I was still dealing with the ramifications from the accidents I had suffered. But I never really complained, I was ultimately the one who decided to pursue this and despite what it may have looked like to others I was happy and loving life.

The challenges I faced along the way are kind of strange and weird. I guess most people would talk about rejection, auditioning, and bombing on stage, which all of that did happen but that’s also all a part of the process. you fail and you learn that’s just that. My obstacles were more life challenges I had to push through mentally. In 2021, fresh off the pandemic, a friend of mine was shot and killed in south central LA, I actually was the one that held him until his last breath, and this was a devastating blow in my life. It superseded anything I have ever been through in the entirety of my life and honestly as much as I tried to keep it together and continue to be on stage making others laugh, reliving that was killing me mentally. Thankfully a few friends encouraged me to get help and although it is something I think about daily, I have found ways to continue my own life and any other obstacle pails in comparison.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am an actor and comedian originally from Escondido, but currently based out of Los Angeles. I think people who know my work would probably describe me as quirky, high-energy, a little unpredictable-others simplify it and tell me I have ADHD. Comedy comes kind of naturally to me, but I also love telling stories that have a heartbeat in reality and come from my own life experiences. What I am most proud of isn’t one specific event or award but just the simple fact that I’ve continued chasing this dream while staying true to who I am and representing where I come from with pride. I guess I never really fit into any certain box, I just try to bring myself to whatever I am doing.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
The best and most straightforward advice I ever got in comedy came from my late, great mentor, David Arnold: which was simply “stay on stage!” That’s the advice I would give anyone starting out: just stay on stage. You will have good days you will have bad days but the only way to get better is to continue getting up on that stage.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @luisgarciacomedy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luis.garcia.101282
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LuisGarcia-jx2mr

Image Credits
Chelsea Javier
Jessie Bainbridge