by Mike Henneberger
If you're a fan of Gabriel Iglesias, then you've most likely heard him tell crazy stories about his friend Martin Moreno. The two comedians have a long history together, and with 27 new dates added to the Stand-Up Revolution Tour, Fluffy and Moreno also have the future planned out. The tour that hits the Midwest this weekend also features Trevor Noah and three comedians from last season of Gabriel Iglesias Presents: Stand Up Revolution—Rick Gutierrez, Shaun Latham, and Alfred Robles.
"It really has to be somebody that you trust, somebody that's going to be part of a family," says Moreno about the group that has already been sharing one tour bus for the better part of a year. "It's just like a family, and you've got the crazy uncle that shows up smelling like weed all the time."
Here's where you scratch your computer screen and sniff. Didn't work? Well, let Fluffy tell you about Martin.
Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand-Up Revolution
The real story of Fluffy and Moreno goes back over a decade when the two met at a comedy show at a VFW in a part of Los Angeles called Wilmington. But that story isn't as funny as one that Iglesias told on his Hot & Fluffy DVD about the time he drove to Moreno's house in the hood.
"I did grow up in the hood," says Moreno. "People throw 'hood' out there. They're very liberal when they say, "I'm from the hood." The town I grew up in, it's 2012 and there is no Starbucks there. When Starbucks says, 'Screw your town," it's pretty hood."
Here's the story:
Is it tough to live up to the legend that one of the biggest comedians in the country makes him out to be? "You know," Moreno explains as I interview him after a Texas tour stop in the lobby of that night's sold out arena. "What's funny is that, deep down, I'm a nice guy but I'm also a crazy dude. But in those doses, like if I just come out and tell you what I'm all about, it kinda scares people. The way that Gabriel puts it out there, it's a lot more toned down." And, right on cue, the interview is interrupted so Moreno can take a picture with a fan who's so young his dad has to ask permission. There's the nice guy. And when he returns to the interview the first thing he says is, "I love excess." And we're back.
"So, is it hard for me to live up to what he puts out there? Actually, no. It's like a breeze. I have the freedom to be me and nobody gets shocked. I've been that guy for a long time. I hate censoring myself. I hate being fake and putting up a front. It's just so free to be yourself. It's one of the most amazing things in life—self-actualization. Very few people ever achieve it, and I really feel that I'm pretty close to being there."
Check out this clip of Moreno and some of the other Stand-Up Revolution comics:
Comedy Central Stand-Up
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You can hear some more great stories live as the Stand-Up Revolution tour rolls across the country throughout the end of the year. You can keep up with every move of the tour by going to Twitter and following @Martincomic, @Shaunlatham, @Comicrick, @Alfredrobles, @Trevornoah and, of course, @Fluffyguy.
