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 stand-up comedy and for hosting the Comedy Central show Mind of Mencia. His comedy often talks about everyday life, different cultures, and how people behave.
Contents
Early Life and Comedy Start
Ned Arnel Mencía was born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on October 22, 1967. He moved to the U.S. when he was a child. He grew up in East Los Angeles with his aunt and uncle. His family helped him do well in school.
He went to Garfield High School. Later, he studied electrical engineering at California State University, Los Angeles. However, he decided to become a comedian after a great performance at an open mic night. In 1988, he started using the name "Carlos" to connect more with Mexican audiences.
Carlos Mencia's Comedy Career
Carlos Mencia started performing at famous comedy clubs in Los Angeles. His funny acts led him to appear on TV shows like The Arsenio Hall Show. In 1994, he became the host of HBO's comedy show Loco Slam.
After Loco Slam, Mencia hosted Funny is Funny! on Galavision in 1998. He continued to do stand-up comedy tours. One popular tour in 2001 was called "The Three Amigos." He also had two special comedy shows on HBO. One of these won him an award for Best Stand-Up Comedy Special.
Mind of Mencia TV Show
In 2002, Carlos Mencia performed on Comedy Central Presents. This led to his own show on Comedy Central called Mind of Mencia. The show started in March 2005. It combined Mencia's stand-up comedy with funny sketch comedy skits.
Mind of Mencia became very popular. It was the second most-watched show on Comedy Central, right after South Park. The show ran for four seasons and ended in 2008. Mencia decided not to make a fifth season because he felt it would be too similar to the previous ones. He wanted to try new things.
Other Projects and Appearances
While his comedy career grew, Mencia also worked as an actor. He made guest appearances on TV shows like Moesha and The Shield. He also voiced characters in animated shows like The Proud Family.
In 2007, he was the main host of the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards. He also appeared in commercials, including one for Bud Light during the Super Bowl XLI. In 2011, Mencia went on another stand-up comedy tour across the country.
Personal Life
Carlos Mencia married his wife, Amy, in 2003. They live in Los Angeles and have one son.
Film and Television Roles
Carlos Mencia has appeared in several movies and TV shows. He often plays funny characters or uses his voice for animated roles.
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–present | The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder | Felix Boulevardez (voice) | Recurring cast |
Comedy Albums and DVDs
Carlos Mencia has released several comedy albums and DVDs. These include recordings of his stand-up shows and seasons of Mind of Mencia.
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
