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René Vaca opens up on his journey in comedy on LATV’s Checkitow
In the latest episode of LATV’s Checkitow, we were thrilled to host the stand-up comedian genius René Vaca, who opened up about his life journey, from his difficult upbringing and having to work his way up from the bottom, to his current popularity and success.
Who is René Vaca?
Born and raised in the sunny San Fernando Valley of Southern California to a Mexican family, René’s journey to comedy wasn’t exactly a straight line. The hustle started early, with him running his own landscaping gig at just 15 after his dad got sent away to prison. He talks openly about his father’s incarceration for drug trafficking and acknowledges his own rebellious behavior in school.
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But life’s curveballs didn’t stop him. René went on to study at UC Merced, majoring in business and economics before dropping out to chase his comedy dreams full-time.
René’s hard work and dedication paid off, as he ended up snagging the top spot at the 16th annual StandUp NBC competition, sharing the stage with names like Bill Burr and Ken Jeong. On May 4th, he will also be a part of the Netflix Is a Joke stand-up show, with his taking place at The Regent Theater.
René Vaca opens up on his journey in comedy on LATV’s Checkitow Comedy Podcast
Watch the full (uncensored) episode on LATV’s app
What makes René Vaca’s story truly special isn’t just his knack for making people laugh; it’s his unfiltered honesty about the ups and downs of life. In a conversation with Checkitow host Humberto Guida, René revealed what it was like growing up with a dad who ran a successful Mexican restaurant by day while engaging in some questionable business practices by night, and how he managed to stay true to his dreams despite the difficulties and setbacks.
René reflected on the challenges he’s faced, such as watching his dad get taken away and the toll it took on his family. “The cops, the DA, they take everything from you when they take your dad away for drug trafficking,” René reflects. “So my family had to adjust really quickly. My mom took another job, I had to figure something out. I ended up taking up gardening.”
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“I remember him having meetings at home, and guys will come like paisas with cowboy hats, and girls on their laps. He is one of the funniest dudes in the world but he is all over the place. I’ve seen him slap some employees. He would pull up in a house, pick up their garbage, and just throw it there, and I wouldn’t know what was going on. I’ve also seen him driving a car that wasn’t his”, he added.
In the interview, he also revealed how he got his start in comedy: “I remember getting high in my room and watching Kevin Hart,” René shared with a chuckle. “And I kept thinking, ‘I can do that.’ So I woke up one morning and texted my mom, ‘I’m gonna be a comedian.’ And she told me, ‘I’ve been telling you that for your entire life.’ And I took off from there.”
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René opened up about his past romantic relationships and current dating status as well. “I was married, shout out to my ex-wife,” he joked. “I wanna get married so bad, but right now, I would mess up another marriage. My life doesn’t allow me. I’m touring, writing, and acting now, so it’s all new. It would be unfair to her.”
He also touched on why he thinks he gets through people: “Comedy is one of those things that you gotta keep true to yourself. Whoever appreciates it. It’s been cool to just see the fans. You attract who you are, I see myself in many of them. I think I get to people because I have good charisma and I come from my heart, I don’t do anything with a bad intention.”
Be sure to tune in to LATV’s Checkitow comedy podcast to watch the full episode, catch clips on @latvnetwork, and watch the full (uncensored) episode on LATV’s app and YouTube. Plus, look out for the broadcast (censored) airing of the podcast on LATV Network’s television feed throughout March (check your local listings for times).
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