Comedian Alfred Robles is giving audiences a chance to see another side of his comedy with his first stand up special, For the Culture.
Robles joined us to discuss the Hulu special, executive produced by Kevin Hart, and how it represents a new chapter in a career that has taken him from East Los Angeles to stages across the country.
Although comedy has become his career, Robles said it was not always the path he expected to follow. He began writing jokes while still in high school but initially envisioned a very different future for himself.
“You know what man, I've been writing jokes since high school. I just didn't know I'm gonna be a comedian man,” Robles said. “I thought I was gonna become a cop.”
Robles eventually pursued comedy and has built a following that includes a significant audience for his crowd work clips online. That popularity also played a role in his decision to release a special focused on his prepared material.
“The thing was is that I felt like a lot of people just knew me by my crowd work,” Robles said. “So I said, I gotta do something, I gotta put material out there.”
Robles said he connected with Kevin Hart’s LOL Network, which led to the opportunity for the special. He hopes For the Culture introduces his comedy to new audiences and shows there is more to his performances than the viral interactions viewers may encounter on social media.
During his live shows, Robles said he typically performs 45 to 50 minutes of jokes and stories before transitioning into crowd work and bringing audience members onstage.
At the center of his approach is relatability. Rather than completely changing his comedy depending on where he performs, Robles said talking about real experiences allows him to connect with audiences across the country.
That idea also extends to the title For the Culture. Robles said the special is rooted in his Mexican American and Latino background while reaching beyond any single community.
Robles also has a history with Atlanta, including one memorable Center Stage performance that he joked became increasingly unpredictable as audience members repeatedly brought him shots.
He plans to return to Center Stage in February and said Atlanta’s support has left enough of an impression that he is already thinking further ahead.
“Atlanta always supports, man,” Robles said. “And I promise them, I go, OK, I'm filming this special, but my next special, I want to film it in Atlanta.”
For the Culture is now streaming on Hulu.
The East Los Angeles comedian talks about his first comedy special, staying relatable and why Atlanta could play a role in his next one.
The East Los Angeles comedian talks about his first comedy special, staying relatable and why Atlanta could play a role in his next one.
