In the wake of the release of Gabriel Iglesias‘ brand-new Netflix standup special, some fans are wondering why the comedian was disqualified from the 2000s reality show Last Comic Standing.
Having been in the comedy game for over 20 years, Iglesias has worked his way up from sleeping in his car when he quit his job to do comedy full-time, to being one of the most adored comics in the world.
With a brand new Netflix show having recently been released, as well as the comedian earning a spot in Forbes’ 2018 Highest Paid Comedians list, it’s fair to say things are going pretty well for Iglesias.
Things weren’t always so simple for the San Diego stand up though.
Why did Gabriel Iglesias get disqualified from Last Comic Standing?
Last Comic Standing was a reality show that ran on NBC from 2003 right through to 2010, while making a brief comeback in 2014 and 2015.
Aiming to seek out the next big thing in comedy, TV execs opted for a talent show format that made contestants battle it out among a wide group of candidates in the hope of winning a lump sum of cash, as well as a contract with NBC and the development of half-hour script with Universal.
During the 2006 season, Iglesias was said to be the favorite due to his vast comedy experience and made it down to the final eight comics.
He was eliminated from Last Comic Standing mid-series though after he was found to have used his Blackberry to email his girlfriend, having also left the residence the comedians were required to live in at 3am to phone his girlfriend on a pay-phone.
All contestants were required to sign a form stating they would not contact the outside world whilst competing and as such, he was immediately disqualified.
Iglesias doesn’t regret his eviction
While being eliminated from the latter stages of an opportunity as big as Last Comic Standing on national TV would surely be enough to haunt anyone, Iglesias appears to be very much over it.
When asked if he regretted his actions, Igleasis told Las Vegas Weekly: “No, because people still talk about the fact that I got kicked off the show versus being a winner and you kind of get lost in the shuffle.
“You always remember the guy who got the boot. And I tell people I made history: I was the first Mexican to be deported off television. The cool part is I’m still with the same girl who I was texting. I got lucky.”
Iglesias’ series of Last Comic Standing was eventually won by Josh Blue, a standup whose self-deprecating brand of humor often entails him making jokes about his cerebral palsy. Blue went on to finish third in the 2021 series of America’s Got Talent.
Gabriel Iglesias’ comedy special hits Netflix
Iglesias has been in the news recently thanks to his new Netflix special – Stadium Fluffy.
Stadium Fluffy was filmed in front of a sold-out crowd of 50,000 at the Dodger Stadium, LA, and sees Iglesias tell various ridiculous tales, from being blackmailed, to a fateful run-in with an angry boxer.
Iglesias is also heading out on tour in the remaining months of the year. You can find the full details about dates, venues and availability here.
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