Gabriel Iglesias

With his signature Hawaiian t-shirts and self-deprecating fat jokes, Gabriel Iglesias was a prominent stand-up comedian best known for his shows "I'm Not Fat ... I'm Fluffy" (Comedy Central 2009) and "Hot and Fluffy" (Comedy Central 2007). Born Gabriel J. Iglecias in San Diego, California, the portly funny man moved around Southern California before settling down in Long Beach. Few comedians can claim a riskier and rougher beginning than Iglesias. Despite having financial security working for a cell phone company and against his mother's wishes, Iglesias risked everything to pursue a full-time career in comedy, which resulted in his eviction from his home and the loss of his car. Nevertheless, Iglesias persisted and in 2000 he eventually booked a gig as a regular in the sketch comedy show, "All That" (Nickelodeon 1994-2005). His engaging storytelling, frequent use of funny voices and sound effects drew attention to his brand of humor. Comedy Central picked him up as one of the featured stand-up comedians on an episode of "Comedy Central Presents" (1998-2011). The opportunity allowed Iglesias a national audience and a comfortable relationship with Comedy Central through the ensuing years. He was one of the final eight contestants on the fourth season of "Last Comic Standing" (NBC 2003-2010) and filmed two specials, "Hot and Fluffy" and "I'm Not Fat ... I'm Fluffy." Beginning in 2011, Comedy Central picked up a stand-up television series called "Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand Up Revolution" (2011-). With a voice that was naturally hilarious and capable of making a variety of sound effects, Iglesias was cast in a several animated feature films, such as Disney's "Planes" (2013) and "The Nut Job" (2014).