Carlos Mencia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carlos Mencía |
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Mencia performing in December 2009
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| Birth name | Ned Arnel Mencía |
| Born | October 22, 1967 San Pedro Sula, Honduras |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Genres | Observational comedy, black comedy, insult comedy, physical comedy, satire |
| Subject(s) | Latin American culture, race relations, family, everyday life, pop culture, human behavior |
| Spouse |
Amy Mencia
(m. 2003) |
| Children | 1 |
Ned Arnel "Carlos" Mencía (born October 22, 1967) is a Honduran-American comedian, writer, and actor. He is known for his funny observations and energetic performances. His comedy often talks about things like different cultures and how people get along.
From 2005 to 2008, he hosted a popular TV show called Mind of Mencia on Comedy Central. During that time, some people said he used their jokes without permission.
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Early life of Carlos Mencia
Ned Arnel Mencía was born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on October 22, 1967. His mother was from Mexico, and his father was from Honduras. He grew up with many brothers and sisters.
When he was a child, Carlos moved to the United States. He was raised in East Los Angeles by his aunt and uncle. They helped him do well in school and stay away from trouble.
Carlos went to Garfield High School. He later studied electrical engineering at California State University, Los Angeles. But he decided to stop college to become a comedian. This happened after he had a very good performance at an open mic night. In 1988, he started using the name "Carlos" to connect better with Mexican audiences.
Carlos Mencia's Comedy Career
Carlos Mencia started performing at famous comedy clubs in Los Angeles. His success led him to appear on TV shows like The Arsenio Hall Show. He even won the title "International Comedy Grand Champion."
In 1994, Carlos became the host of Loco Slam on HBO. This show featured many Latino comedians. He also hosted Funny is Funny! on Galavision in 1998.
Carlos continued to do stand-up shows. In 2001, he went on a successful tour called "The Three Amigos." He also had two special shows on HBO. One of them won him an award for Best Stand-Up Comedy Special.
Rise to Fame with Comedy Central
After releasing his first comedy album, Take A Joke America, Carlos had a big performance on Comedy Central Presents in 2002. This helped his career take off.
In the early 2000s, Carlos also started acting. He appeared in TV shows like Moesha and The Shield. He also voiced a character in the animated show The Proud Family.
In March 2005, Comedy Central gave Carlos his own show, Mind of Mencia. The show combined his stand-up comedy with funny skits. It was similar to Chappelle's Show.
Mind of Mencia became very popular. It was Comedy Central's second highest-rated show, right after South Park. The show ran for four seasons. Carlos decided not to film a fifth season. He felt it would be too similar to what he had already done. He wanted to try new things.
Other Projects and Business Ventures
Carlos also appeared in a Super Bowl XLI commercial for Bud Light. In 2009, he started appearing in commercials for a weight-loss product called Belly Burner.
In 2011, Carlos went on another stand-up comedy tour. He performed in many cities across the country.
Carlos was also a co-founder of a restaurant chain called Maggie Rita's. He owned several of these restaurants. However, by 2013, most of his restaurants had closed. This was because they received many poor reviews.
Carlos Mencia's Family Life
Carlos Mencia married his wife, Amy, in 2003. They live in Los Angeles. They have one son together, whose name is Lucas Pablo Mencia.
Carlos Mencia's Filmography
Movies
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Outta Time | Juancho | |
| 29 Palms | The Comedian | ||
| 2005 | The Proud Family Movie | Felix Boulevardez (voice) | TV movie |
| 2007 | Farce of the Penguins | Juan Sanchez (voice) | |
| The Heartbreak Kid | Tito | ||
| 2010 | Our Family Wedding | Miguel Ramirez | |
| 2021 | Pil's Adventures | Graubart (voice) |
Television Shows
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | In Living Color | Valet | Episode: "The Black Man's Guide to Understanding the Black Woman" |
| 1992 | An Evening at the Improv | Himself | Episode: "Rita Coolidge, Kevin James, Frank Miles, and more!" |
| 1994 | Loco Slam | Himself/Host | Episode: "Episode #1.1" |
| 1994–95 | HBO Comedy Half-Hour | Himself | Episode: "Carlos Mencia" & "Carlos Mencia" |
| 1995–97 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Poncho/Xolotl (voice) | Episode: "Sleeping Beauty" & "The Shoemaker and the Elves" |
| 1999 | Moesha | Himself | Episode: "Life Imitating Art" |
| 2001 | The Test | Himself/Panelist | Episode: "The Adventurous Test" |
| The Bernie Mac Show | Chuy | Episode: "Pilot" & "Now You Got It" | |
| 2001–05 | The Proud Family | Felix Boulevardez (voice) | Recurring Cast |
| 2002 | Comedy Central Presents | Himself | Episode: "Carlos Mencia" |
| The Shield | Gabo | Episode: "Two Days of Blood" | |
| 2004 | The Drop | Himself | Episode: "Episode #2.3" |
| 2005 | Weekends at the D.L. | Himself | Episode: "Episode #1.11" & "#1.12" |
| 2005–08 | Mind of Mencia | Himself/Host | Main Cast |
| 2006 | Drawn Together | King of Mexico (voice) | Episode: "Captain Hero and the Cool Kids" |
| 2007 | Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Himself/Host | Main Host |
| MADtv | Himself | Episode: "Episode #13.5" | |
| 2009 | Make 'Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America | Himself | Episode: "When I'm Bad I'm Better: The Groundbreakers" |
| 2012 | Celebrity Ghost Stories | Himself | Episode: "Victoria Rowell/Dot Jones/Carlos Mencia/Linda Blair" |
| 2013–14 | Gotham Comedy Club | Himself/Host | Episode: "Carlos Mencia" & "Carlos Mencia" |
| 2018 | Laugh Factory | Himself | Episode: "Carlos Mencia: La Generación de Milenio" |
| 2021 | Down to Business | Himself | Episode: "Various Artists" |
| 2022 | Dark Side of Comedy | Himself | Episode: "Greg Giraldo" |
| 2022– | The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder | Felix Boulevardez (voice) | Recurring Cast |
Carlos Mencia's Discography
Comedy Albums
- Take a Joke America (2001)
- America Rules (2002)
- Unmerciful (2003)
- Spanglish (2006)
Albums and DVDs
- Not for the Easily Offended (2003)
- Down to the Nitty Gritty (2004)
- No Strings Attached (2006)
- The Best of Funny is Funny (2007)
- Performance Enhanced (2008)
- Mind of Mencia Season 1 (2006)
- Mind of Mencia Season 2 (2007)
- Mind of Mencia Season 3 (2007)
- Mind of Mencia Season 4 (2008)
- Carlos Mencia: New Territory (2011)
See also
In Spanish: Carlos Mencia para niños
