Comedian George Lopez returns to the Chavez Theatre at 8 p.m. July 8, a little more than three weeks after his last performance there and just six days before he goes live on HBO with his "It's Not Me, It's You" special.
It'll be interesting to see how much different Sunday's show will be from the last one, and how much alike.
The 51-year-old comedian and actor has been honing material on his ongoing "That's the America I Live In" tour for the one-hour special.
"Everything I'm doing now is pretty much around getting ready for the special," he said in a phone interview before his June 15 show here.
That performance mixed the bitter with the sweet. It was funny when talked about Latino culture's foibles and nobility, uncomfortable when he justified drinking and seemed to aim barbs at his ex-wife, Ann, a difficult target considering she donated a kidney to him seven years ago.
Clearly a large chunk of it is what he'll perform live on HBO in Los Angeles on July 14. Some was strictly improvised, including a not-so-subtle joke about cartel violence in Juarez and his cursing out a female audience member for yelling too much.
A few fans asked him on Twitter if he was upset and cut the show short, but he said he wasn't, that he loved El Paso and had always planned to do an hour (the length of the HBO special). He appeared to refer to his attempts to quiet the rowdy audience, and that woman, by saying: "I just wish a little more respect had been shown."
In related news, Lopez is four segments into his new "Tell Me Your Story" podcast on iTunes. "Take Me Out," the summer dating show he hosts on Fox, is averaging 2.3 million viewers, according to TV Guide, which reports it's being moved from Thursdays to Saturdays beginning July 14, the same night of the HBO broadcast.
Lopez has been using his fame and fortune of late to branch out, developing a new sitcom, forming a production company to develop other shows, launching a line of comedy clubs with Carnival Cruise lines and starting to find ways to showcase young comedians.
"Being able to produce shows and help other talent and mentor other people is always a great part of TV and performing," he said. "I've been doing it a long time. You start to see what you are going to do further down the line. I don't intend to do standup forever."
Rubbery funnyman Bryan Kellen and cover band the California Kings open the July 8 show.
Tickets are $46 and $58, plus service charges, at the Plaza Theatre box office, the Chavez Theater box office beginning at 5 p.m. Sunday, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com and 800.745.3000.
Save your monies and don't see this racist SOB. Nuff said.
Posted by: DJ Jackson | July 05, 2012 at 01:30 AM
DJ Jackson: Another poor "persecuted" white man. Nuff said.
Posted by: Sam | July 05, 2012 at 01:40 PM
Sam - How wrong you are! I happen to be Hispanic and Lopez is a disgrace. He doesn't like this Country nor the people so let him live somewhere else.
Posted by: DJ Jackson | July 05, 2012 at 01:47 PM