by Steven Sanchez

George Lopez, referred to as America’s Mexican, the comedian/actor/late night host came storming into the Saroyan Theatre for a two-time performance on the night of May 25. The earliest was at eight and the latest was at ten-fifteen. And his fans came out in droves. He came into town to support his recent tour, The Wall, to poke fun at a particular individual who is currently serving in the White House. George didn’t pull any punches, and no one was safe from his comedic radar. Even the president fell victim to his joking rants. I made it to the late-night show, and that one was still just rowdy and packed as it had been earlier that evening.

George Lopez on stage in Fresno

He’s made a great career for himself of taking his complicated life and turning it into hilarious gold. After being discovered by Sandra Bullock, he was given the greenlight to turn his laugh brand into a primetime sitcom on ABC, The George Lopez Show. He came out on the stage to his intro anthem “Low Rider” by War which also served as the main theme to his sitcom. And that got the crowd fired up. George has no filter when it comes to making fun of himself and his family, usually picking apart the Latino experience in America. I won’t go in depth about the specific subjects he went over in his set, but I will say this, being a Hispanic myself, these jokes hit painfully close to home. When he speaks about family get-togethers, meat, our views on healthcare, and the list goes on, you cringe on how relatable they are, but in a good way obviously.

George has had tremendous success branching out into films Valentine’s Day, Swing Vote, and Balls of Fury, and has lent his voice to the features Rio and Rio 2 and with more credits to his resume. Even with all his accomplishments across a spectrum of narrative outlets, the stage is where he is most comfortable. You can tell in his movements and his delivery that this is home for him. No matter what endeavor he does next, when the stage calls, he’ll be there. The same goes for his fans in the Central Valley. Whenever he comes to town, we’ll be there.

Steven Sanchez is a film graduate of UNLV. He’s a filmmaker, writer, photographer, and music manager. Obsessed with movies, comic books, and rock ‘n’ roll. A football fanatic, big fan of the Oakland Raiders. Enjoys reading and collecting vinyl records. If there’s a rock show in town more than likely he’ll be there. Loves his grandma’s home cooked meals. He has a twin sister and most people call him the pretty one. You can learn more about Steven on his YouTube channel and on Instagram @stevensanchez5807 photos and videos.