New show, new vibe for Pablo Francisco

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Pablo Francisco

Updated: January 24, 2012 9:08PM

Though he’s a natural born sunbird from Tucson, Ariz., Pablo Francisco, loves coming to the Chicago area, even in winter.

“Last time I was there it was freezing and we sold out all the shows, so lots of love to the Chicago people,” he said Francisco, who is now based in Southern California.

Francisco, a former “MadTV” cast member, describes his approach to comedy as sound effects, reality and sarcasm, supported by a phone book full of celebrity impressions and adult situations.

“It is going to be “Robot Chicken”/ “In Living Color” divided by the square root of gentleman’s club madness,” said Francisco.

“It’s all about making fun of people, if they’re going to put things out there. Of course, we are going to go back into the archives just a little bit.”

“They Put It Out There” is the title of Francisco’s 2011 Comedy Central special, which is now out on DVD. He acknowledges it is a challenge coming up with new material and meeting expectations when he revisits his fans’ favorite routines.

“Of course I am going to talking about the same topics but the vibe is going to be different.”

New targets

His current targets will include Judge Judy, Chef Ramsay of “Hell’s Kitchen,” the ShamWow and Dog The Bounty Hunter.

“It is okay to make fun of Dog the Bounty Hunter because he’s a convicted felon. He doesn’t have the right to vote but he has every right to come to your house and spray mace in your face,” Francisco pointed out.

The comedian said he prefers not to try out brand new material for paying audiences. “I like to try out new material in the living room and the shower with my friends.”

Francisco got his start in stand-up at the age of seventeen.

“I got my brother’s fake I.D. and there was a Black Angus Fun Bar comedy club. Van Halen’s new album just came out and I would go up and make fun of Sammy Hagar. I won tickets to a gym that I was already a member of,” he recalled.

By age 20, Francisco was living in Southern California and attracting the encouraging attention of headliners like Paul Rodriguez.

Now 38, Francisco notes that impressions and sound effects were part of his routines from the get-go. He considers himself a sponge for media influences. However he’s not taking on President Obama. It’s not a political thing though. “I can’t do him,” admits Francisco.

Help from Arnold

One politician/action star that does play an important role in Francisco’s Movie Guy material is Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“Arnold has been very good to me. It’s a stock premise that’s not played out. Just when you think we can do no more on Arnold, all of a sudden he’s cheating on his wife and had a little baby with a Latina woman,” he said.

Francisco has yet to meet Schwarzenegger, but he imagines the Governator’s first words to him will be “Let me check your papers, Pablo.”

Francisco increased his national exposure when he was invited by Carlos Mencia, along with Freddy Soto, to be part of “The Three Amigos” comedy tour which was captured in a 2003 Miramax film release.

“People would confuse us with the Steve Martin-Martin Short movie, but the tour went on for two years and it was just money in our pockets.”

However, it was more like one amigo and two friends. “Carlos was the only one who really speaks Spanish. I’m the white Latino, so I hang out at Lowe’s, not Home Depot,” Francisco said.

So, how fluent is he in Spanish? “I’m about one percent fluent. Depends on how drunk I get.”

Some of Francisco’s early material refers to the fact his Chilean-born father raised him in a “speak English only” household.

“He’s all about the American dream. I make more money speaking English but, of course, I’m going to jump on the Latino bandwagon,” he said.

He’s taking good advice. “Jay Leno said to me if there are more Latinos in the crowd, then you’re Latino.”