If there are any people that can use an escape from the harsh realities of their world right about now it’s the Latino community, and HBO Latino’s got just the thing. This upcoming Friday (Oct. 13), the network will premiere its second installment of Entre Nos, a 30-minute stand-up comedy special, which will feature notable acts, such as Vladimir Caamaño, Shayla Rivera and Frankie Quiñones—with each comedian giving us a glimpse of their individual realities with a comedic twist. Following the success of Entre Nos: Part 1 this past June, Entre Nos: Part 2 brings together comedians from all walks of life with one thing in common, their Latino experience.
Dominican-American comedian, Vladimir Caamaño, who cut his comedy teeth by doing stand-up in New York City comedy clubs and talent shows at is alma mater, Wesleyan University, has been buzzing as of recent due to his performances at the Democratic National Convention’s Latinos Unidos Leading America event and, most recently, on the popular late-night talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live. When HBO Latino came knocking, Caamaño says that one of the things that convinced him to jump onboard was the title of the comedy special.
“Entre Nos was the perfect title because it’s like, ‘This is between us,’” Caamaño told ‘LLERO. “I think they did a great job with that. It kind of embraces both sides of the conversation—trying to mix into the American context while still honoring our heritage and having that bridge.”
Building a bridge between his Latino experience growing up and his American experience outside of the home has been Caamaño’s goal with his comedy. With his Entre Nos set he hopes to build another bridge by discussing class—more specifically how much his life has changed with the success he has acquired over the years.
“When I did Entre Nos, I had just shot a pilot with NBC. I had just done the late night talk show with Jimmy Kimmel, so, I’m doing some jokes about what it’s like to step into this new life with some success,” he explained. “I do a joke about how when I got some money I ended up buying a Dyson vacuum, because one time while I was growing up, my mom had to borrow money to buy a vacuum cleaner. I remember at that moment I told myself, ‘When I get some mothaf–in’ money, I’m gonna get me a goddamn British vacuum. I’m not going to have a carpet. I’m just going to leave it out so that people can see it when they come in the house.’”
For Puerto Rican comedian, Shayla Rivera, being a part of HBO Latino’s Entre Nos was an exciting moment in her 24 years as a comedian.
“Edwin Licona, who I’ve worked with before, was working with HBO on this program, and he reached out and said, ‘I want you to be one of the comedians.’ And, of course, I was absolutely thrilled,” Rivera said, adding, “It’s a big honor for me. When people call you and say, ‘Hey, I want you to do my show,’ it kind of makes you go, ‘Well, maybe I don’t suck that bad.’”
A former rocket scientist for NASA, Rivera considers herself an observational comedian, and for Entre Nos she’s hitting presenting some of her observations.
“I will be talking a lot about the differences between cultures, like between Caucasians and Latinos—about the differences in the perception and the culture, and how we do things differently,” Rivera explained. “That’s where comedy is for me, so that’s what you’ll see. You will relate to it because you see the insanity every day.”
Frankie Quiñones was brought aboard the Entre Nos tren by the show’s host, Ben Gonzalez. “Ben Gonzalez threw my name into the pool of people that they were looking at, and next thing you know, my manager is calling me up like, ‘They want to do this thing,’ and I was like, ‘It sounds great!’”
Quiñones’ comedy stems from his upbringing with the material mostly inspired by his family and friends he says. The Mexican-American comedian uses his family not only during his stand-up, but they also inspire his sketch characters – like the Cholo fitness instructor, Creeper, and the spicy Juanita Carmelita – which he depicts on his popular “The Funny Drop” videos. Although you won’t be seeing the 11-year comedy vet clad in his Cholo getup during Entre Nos, he will be treating the audience to some true and hilarious stories of his Chicano upbringing.
“I come from a Mexican-American Chicano experience, so I just try to share stories of that,” Quiñones explained. “For instance, how my mom and dad are getting older, and they want grandkids, so they’re getting healthier now. They’re no longer eating manteca or tripas. I always talk about my family. That’s pretty much where I get most of my material.”
While the stories each comedian present may be slightly different, they all have something that is sure to resonate with each and every Latino that tunes in on October 13. It’s your story. It’s my story. It’s our story, and it’s “entre nos.”
