San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
Creeping up on Hollywood
Stand-up comedian Frankie Quiñones, aka Tiktok’s viral ‘Cholofit guy,’ on his family-based sketches and TV projects
Frankie Quiñones started his sketch comedy career in his family living room in at age 6, holding a sprinkler head he found in his dad’s work truck as a microphone while dressed in his mom’s clothes. Always the class clown, Quiñones grew up in a home alive with comedy and funk music, which he also borrowed from his parents. The road wasn’t easy, but the accomplishments of this now-16-year comedy vet have raised his stock higher than a cholo’s socks. He sold a show to TBS with his friends (Donny Divanian and Cory Loykasek) called “The Dress Up Gang,” his comedy special “Superhomies” landed on HBO, he scored a part on “What We Do in the Shadows” (FX), and as of Aug. 12, he’s representing to the fullest as Luis on the ABC Studios/hulu show “This Fool.”
Keeping true to his L.A. roots, Quiñones over the years created characters based on an upbringing that wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows, such as his spicy drama-fueled character Juanita Carmelita, aka JC, based on his mother. And while his character Creeper may be the breakout star with his motivational Cholofit exercise routines, the man behind making you feel the burn is now getting shoutout requests at shows for his creations.
According to Quiñones, positivity has been a driving force of his success; after talking to him about where he came from and where he’s going, we learned that positivity is actually a trait that was passed directly from his parents, one of whom we were delighted and entertained to talk to as well. And that’s what’s up.
Q:
Let’s rewind time. Where did you first get on a stage, and when you got your first paying gig, how did that feel?
A:
Around 2005, I started doing comedy at this laundromat/cafe in San Francisco called Brainwash. It was a legendary place that unfortunately closed a few years ago. I used to get off work, drive up there once a week, put my name on a waiting list, and because it’d be so late by the time I got there, there would be like four to six people left in the audience. At first I felt cocky, like, “Hell yeah, I know I’m funny.” I got laughs, but once I learned how to translate my humor to the stage, I really started to feel the energy in the room.
So I started working out little five-minute bits there and developing my stuff. Then all of a sudden I got my first paying gig for $20 and two free drink tickets and I’m like, this is it, baby! It’s happening, homie! Once I hit that four-year mark, I really started to realize that’s not going to happen overnight, no matter how funny you are. I had to ask myself, “Are you about this?” I honestly believe that this is why I am here though, so I kept on. I ran out of money, I slept on my buddies’ couch for two years, and I just went after it. I wasn’t feeling so great confidence-wise, but I was honing my craft and gigs started rolling in more consistently. That’s when I really started to elevate my game and became open and showing more of myself and making my experiences funny.
Q:
So we know your characters are drawn from your life, but what’s the story of your upbringing?
A:
I was born in San Fernando and my parents and I lived in a one-bedroom apartment in Chatsworth. I was still young when we moved to Oxnard; we lived in Camarillo, I went to high school in Ventura. I saw them struggle when I was young, but positivity was like a religion. And it worked for them to achieve success. Then I spent almost 15 years in San Francisco, which is where I started
Frankie Quiñones 8 p.m. Saturday California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido $20-$25 artcenter.org
When: Where:
Tickets: Online: doing comedy.
This August, I’ll have been back in L.A. for 10 years.
My parents grew up in the projects around the corner from each other, and when they were dating, they’d save up the little money they had and go to the Improv or the Comedy Store. They would drink in the parking lot so they could order sodas for the two-drink minimums — they have stories. “Oh mijo, this one time Louie Anderson was there and there was this heckler and Louie Anderson went and just laid on top of the heckler.” For me to have these stories is amazing.
Q:
You were born into comedy! Since Creeper is derived from the OG Creeper, I think we need to hear about him first, out of respect.
A:
Creeper is a straightup extension of my father. All of my main characters are straight-up drawn from my parents. My dad is an old-school cholo who was always out front working on his lowrider car. Anyone that has a lowrider knows it has to be a way of life because there is constant maintenance. I’m talking every weekend they’re working on it. My dad was always working on his lowrider, always with Chucks and his Dickies pants creased, but always driving me to Little League practice. He’s a good dad, always like, “Show a little gratitude and handle your business. That’s what’s up!”
As I was developing Creeper over the years, I really started to do my research by watching Buster Keaton, Benny Hill, the Three Stooges and Mr. Bean because there are people around the world that don’t speak English but they get the physical comedy. So Creeper moves in this certain way that just makes people laugh, and you don’t even have to say anything.
Q:
I have news for you. He’s also funny just standing still. JC is my favorite character, though. I want to hang out with her, just not in public because she might start wildin’.
A:
JC! Juanita Carmelita! That’s my mother to the fullest! She’s a firecracker! She had a military father and was the oldest of all of her siblings. She went through some very tough things growing up, so for her to come out the way she did, to be so loving and positive, is something I’m very grateful for.
Q:
Creeper is your “Free Bird”! I got a screener of “This Fool” and watched it all in one sitting. I wanted more when it was over.
A:
Thank you! That’s what’s up! One of my best friends, Chris Estrada,
“At first I felt cocky like, ‘Hell yeah, I know I’m funny.’ I got laughs, but once I learned how to translate my humor to the stage, I really started to feel the energy in the room.” Frankie Quiñones
started writing a show with some other homies of mine, Pat Bishop, Jake Weisman and Matt Ingebretson. It’s produced by Jonathan Groff and Fred Armisen and it’s based around Chris’ life. It’s something I’m so proud of. Like, they finally let us do our thing and it came out so good. I think it’s not only going to resonate with our people but with everyone.
Q:
I’m sure when you got into comedy you didn’t think that so much of the gig would revolve around social media. It can be such a blessing and a curse. How are you handling it?
A:
It was a bit challenging at first because, you know, I’m about to be 42. I was on Facebook and then Instagram came out and now I gotta get on Snapchat — then they’re like, you gotta get on Tiktok and I’m like, how many things? So many!
With that being said, I got to a point where I was like, you gotta look at this as work. You gotta play ball. Sure enough, I got on all of the platforms and I’m grateful that I did because there are people that come to my shows that will be like, “Oh, I found you on Tiktok and that’s why I’m here.” So yeah, you gotta play ball.
Luckily, I’m in a position where I can hire some help, and now I’m grateful that I have TV work so I don’t have to stress over how many posts I do a day and algorithms. I don’t want to post just to post anyway, I want to make dope s---. I want my content to make you feel optimistic while laughing out loud. That’s my jam.
Q:
Where were you at in life when you felt confident enough to quit your day job, and how do you feel about balancing it all?
A:
I was delivering a sandwich when I got the call about “Dress Up Gang,” and that was the last time I did anything besides comedy for money. Cholofit went viral after that in 2017. By 2020 I was the busiest I’d ever been and was thinking, “Oh yeah, this is going to be a good year!” Then the pandemic hit and it was a little rough for your boy because usually I’m used to being around energy. There was a silver lining, though, and I got to a good space and ended up doing a Christmas movie.
When everything opened back up, I went back to touring, got to do “What We Do in the Shadows,” we shot the pilot for “This Fool” last fall, so it’s just been go, go, go.
I still want to be kicking it with my community too, so there’s a lot of pull. I used to dream, what if one day you get a show? Now I got one and I’m more stressed out than ever, but I’m excited. I am super grateful, you know? I’m learning that life takes a lot of maintenance and sometimes I gotta tap into my inner Creeper, like, “Hey, homie, just be present and be alive!”
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49. Actor Jenna Leigh Green (“Sabrina the Teenage Witch”) is 48. Keyboardist Bo Koster of My Morning Jacket is 48. Bassist Dean Back of Theory of a Deadman is 47. “The Late Late Show” host James Corden is 44. Guitarist Jeff Stinco of Simple Plan is 44. Actor Brandon Adams (“The Mighty Ducks”) is
43. Actor Aya Sumika (“Numb3rs”) is 42. Actor Ari Stidham (TV’S “Scorpion”) is
30.
Tuesday: Actor Vera Miles is 92. Actor Barbara Eden is 91. Satirist Mark Russell is 90. Actor Richard Sanders (“WKRP In
Cincinnati”) is 82. Country singer Rex Allen Jr. is 75. Singer Linda Thompson is
75. Actor David Robb (“Downton Abbey”) is 75. Country fiddler-singer Woody Paul of Riders in the Sky is 73. Actor Shelley Long is 73. Singer-actor Rick Springfield is 73. Actor-producer Mark Hudson (The Hudson Brothers) is 71. Actor Skipp Sudduth (“The Good Wife”) is 66. Guitarist Dean Deleo of Stone Temple Pilots is 61. Singer-bassist Ira Dean of Trick Pony is 53. Actor Jay Mohr is 52. Actor Ray Park (“X-men,” “The Phantom Menace”) is 48. Actor Scott Caan (“Hawaii Five-0”) is 46. Singer Julian Casablancas of The Strokes is 44. Actor Joanna Froggatt (“Downton Abbey”) is
42. Actor Jaime Lee Kirchner (“Bull”) is
41. Saxophonist Andy Wild of Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats is 41. Musician Sky Blu of LMFAO is 36. Actor Kimberly Matula (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) is 34.
Wednesday: Guitarist Mason Williams is
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73. Actor Kevin Dunn (“Samantha Who“”) is 67. Actor Steve Guttenberg is
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(“Selma”) is 50. Actor-comedian Dave Chappelle is 49. Actor James D’arcy (“Agent Carter,” “Dunkirk”) is 49. Actor Carmine Giovinazzo (“CSI: New York”) is 49. Actor Alex O’loughlin (“Hawaii Five-0“) is 46. Actor Chad Michael Murray (“One Tree Hill,” “A Cinderella Story”) is 41. Drummer Jeffrey Gilbert (Kutless) is 39. Actor Rupert Grint (“Harry Potter”) is 34. Thursday: Actor Tom Skerritt is 89. Jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter is 89. Singer Walter Williams of The O’jays is
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such as Britney Spears, women devalued and discarded until a new generation happens to “rediscover” their worth. (Moss’ own “Six,” about an earlier set of royals, the wives of Henry VIII, gets ahead of the curve by directly addressing this schism.)
I cannot wait for a group of downtown drag queens to mount a low-budget, highcamp production of “Diana” in 10 years. They’ll know exactly how to play it. Maybe that’s why a local queen bringing de Waal onstage to sing “Underestimated,” the musical’s opening solo, during show tunes night at a Fire Island Pines club — on the evening of the Tony Awards, no less — felt so spectacularly appropriate.
Her soaring vocals in the fabulous finale live on through my headphones. Although Sondheim’s oeuvre is the reason I sleep well at night, it is sonic moments such as these that get me up in the morning.
Ramírez wrote this for The New York Times.
“House of the Dragon”:
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New series. The dragons are back. Based on George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood,” this highly anticipated prequel series is set 200 years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” and tells the story of House Targaryen.