STEVE TREVIÑO
“My comedy is, of course, an exaggeration of my life, but yes it is my real life.”
As human beings, we love to laugh. But, what causes each of us to chuckle, guffaw or bust a gut is harder to pinpoint. Stand-up comedian Steve Treviño has become a refreshing source of our amusement. Perhaps it’s his Tex-Mex style, his marital stories or maybe it’s simply because Steve’s just so damn ‘relatable’. This fast rising comedian is currently on tour in the U.S. and he recently released his second comedy special, appropriately titled “Steve Treviño: RELATABLE,” on Netflix. In-between his sold-out sets, Steve found some time for an interview:
Tell fans what they can expect from your latest comedy special “Steve Treviño: RELATABLE.”
STEVE: Its personal stories told candidly from my point of view. People kept coming up to me after shows and telling me how relatable I was and how they identified with the stories I was telling so that’s how the special got its name.
How did you decide on the material for this special?
STEVE: It’s definitely a process and it takes time. As things happen in my life I discuss them. Sometimes I’m on stage and I try a story and it doesn’t work so I let it go and continue to tell stories until I find one that really resonates with people and gets a good laugh. Then I start to tell that story more and more and perfect it so it really grows and develops. I had actually told the possum story years ago and people would yell it and request it from the audience. For some reason, people really loved that one. That was an example of a story I didn’t think would work, but I brought it back and reworked it.
Did you know your Tex-Mex approach would resonate so well with audiences?
STEVE: I do what’s authentic for me and it seems to be working. I judge my act on the audience’s response. And the response is the same whether I’m in Chicago, LA, San Fransico, Las Vegas, Miami, New York or my home state Texas. I knew that it would because people are just people. A lot of comedians talk about how different we are culturally and ethnically. I spend most of my time showing people how much alike we all are.
How long does it take you to create a comedy set like this?
STEVE: About a year. It used to take longer. When I put out my first Showtime special “Grandpa Joe’s Son” it took me about 3 years to craft that set. Now I’m working through it a little faster. Once you put it out there for people to see, you have to start working on the next hour.
Do you have a favorite topic to poke fun at?
STEVE: Not really, but if I were to pick one it would be my wife and my relationship. But only because that’s a big part of my everyday life.
Is your comedy based on your real life? If yes, how does your wife feel about that?
STEVE: My comedy is, of course, an exaggeration of my life, but yes it is my real life. I’m lucky I have a great wife who is also an artist so she understands. It’s not my wife that I worry about, it’s her parents. My in-laws are cool, but I can imagine it being a little uncomfortable when I discuss certain topics about their daughter.
What’s been the most challenging aspect of being a stand-up comic?
STEVE: Being away from home. And by home I mean South Texas. Following my dream has put me in LA., far from my family’s birthdays, weddings and other important events.
Who do you consider your biggest comedy influences?
STEVE: I’ve been such a big fan of comedy since I was a kid that I’ve been influenced by lots of comedians over the years. But my biggest influence is my family. They make me laugh.
As a kid we had lots of family BBQ’s and typically the men would be outside and the women inside. I remember one night when the men and women were both inside watching TV and laughing hysterically. They were all watching Richard Pryor and that’s when it clicked for me that you could make people laugh for a living. So Richard Pryor was a big influence. After that, I was hooked. I would stay up late after everyone went to sleep and watch any stand-up comedy I could find on TV.
Can you share the biggest piece of advice you wish you would have followed?
STEVE: This is a hard one. You know I was told not to go into this business because there’s not a lot of room for people of color. And the statistics are dismal. Latino’s make up 25% of movie ticket buyers, but you only see us speaking on the screen 4.9% of the time. It’s definitely an uphill battle, but one I’m working hard to change. I’m producing my own stuff that I feel speaks honestly and genuinely to being an American and Hispanic American. I’m trying to tell stories the new generation of Latinos can identify with and be proud of. And I’m talking about the lack of diversity in the entertainment industry on my podcast, The Process.
We can’t let you go without asking…what makes you laugh?
STEVE: The last two things that had me laughing out of my chair so hard I couldn’t breathe was the scene in the new “True Grit” where Jeff Bridges character kicks the Indian boy off the front patio. We were watching it in the theater and I couldn’t stop laughing. My wife was embarrassed and I had to walk out of the theater because I couldn’t pull it together and I’m certain I was ruining the movie for everyone.
True Grit Indian Kick: https://youtu.be/lek4etTtZME
And completely opposite of that the scene in the movie “Despicable Me” where the minion gets blamed and replies, “What?”
Minions What?!: https://youtu.be/nRD03XR-5iM
So I guess I find silly and mean things funny.
