Few comedians have walked Felipe Esparza’s road to comedy. In a 12-minute video from Comedy Central stand-up series This is Not Happening, the magnetic and maned east-LA comic describes the “violent journey” that sucked him in and then spat him out of gang life, street fights and rehab—and ultimately led to him telling jokes on stage. Sometimes seen shirtless as Hannibal’s co- co-host on The Eric Andre Show, Esparza is hilarious, human and a quickly rising comic. He’s also likely to sell out, so get tickets fast.
Felipe Esparza
Thu-Sun, Various Times, $27+
The Improv, San Jose