Ralph Barbosa Signs Deal for a New Stand-Up Comedy Special with Hulu

Posted on November 12, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

There’s a new Hulu-va comedy special in Ralph Barbosa’s future.

The 28-year-old Mexican American stand-up comedian is the latest to ink a deal for a new special with Hulu.

Barbosa joins Hacks scribe Joe Mande amidst the streamer’s aggressive expansion into the stand-up space.

Barbosa’s currently untitled special will launch domestically on Hulu and Disney+ internationally at a date not yet disclosed. No other details were provided.

Barbosa is coming off of the Netflix special Ralph Barbosa: Cowabunga, which spent two weeks on the streamer’s Top 10 chart in the fall of 2023, debuting at #3.

Previously teaming with Gwen La Roka on the Max comedy special, Entre Nos: The Winners 3, he’s also put out a set for the digital series Comedy Central Stand-Up Featuring, which has topped 5.7 million views on YouTube, and unveiled a Don’t Tell Comedy performance, which now has over 6.1 million views on the same platform.

Known for his disarming and laid-back style, Barbosa has been touring North American theaters this year with his Super Cool Ass Tour. He is represented by 3 Arts Entertainment and UTA.

Hulu’s new stand-up brand, Hularious, launches on November 22 with The Skinny, the latest special from Jim Gaffigan. Other previously announced comedians bringing new specials to Hulu under the Hularious banner include Bill Burr, Chris Distefano, Ilana Glazer, Sebastian Maniscalco, Andrew Santino, and Roy Wood Jr., to name a few.

As part of its new comedy initiative, Hulu is also launching a curated collection of licensed stand-up specials ranging from iconic comedy specials to recent releases from 800 Pound Gorilla and Comedy Dynamics, among others.

Francisco Ramos Releases Debut Comedy Special “Venezuela’Merican” on YouTube

Posted on July 14, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Francisco Ramos’ debut comedy special online is …

The Venezuelan stand-up comedian, known for his unique perspective on the immigrant experience, has posted his debut comedy special Venezuela’Merican on YouTube via 800 Pound Gorilla.

No logline was provided for the special, filmed in Las Vegas at Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club inside the MGM Grand.

Produced by Garrett, Ed Conover and 800 Pound Gorilla Records, Ramos’ special was directed by Michael Malone.

“I’m beyond thrilled for everyone to finally see the special(ito) we’ve been cooking up!” said Ramos in a statement to Deadline. “Huge shoutout to Brad Garrett for producing it and to the fantastic team at 800 Pound Gorilla for their incredible support. Now, fingers crossed for 1 million views—because that’s the magic number that might finally make my mom stop asking, “When are you getting a real job?””

Ramos’ special comes following the release of his comedy album, Vayalo!. Working as a comic over the course of the last decade, his credits include reaching the Top 10 on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, appearing in Max’s Entre Nos comedy specials, and providing voice work for the animated movie Rio.

He’s also made guest appearances on popular television shows like Shameless, Lady Dynamite, Gentefied and This Fool.

Later this year, Ramos will be seen in his first feature role in The Unexpecteds, an action comedy starring Veep‘s Matt Walsh.

Prime Video Acquires Documentary Film About Bad Gyal, “La Joia: Bad Gyal”

Posted on July 14, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Bad Gyal is ready for Prime time…

Prime Video has acquired a documentary film about the 27-year-old Spanish singer, songwriter, DJ and model, whose real name is Alba Farelo Solé.

Titled La Joia: Bad Gyal, the original doc follows Bad Gyal, exploring how she attempted to conquer the mainstream while her debut album was postponed for over a year for reasons beyond her control.

Known for her distinctive overall use of Auto-Tune, Bad Gyal has developed a strong cult following since her musical career began in 2016, with her uploading a cover of Rihanna‘s “Work“, sung in Catalan, to YouTube.

She continued to make music as an independent artist, releasing records like “Indapanden“, “Jacaranda” and the popular “Fiebre“.

Bad Gyal later released two mixtapes: Slow Wine Mixtape (2016) and Worldwide Angel (2018), which consecrated her as an emerging artist within the Spanish urban scene.

Bad Gyal signed with Interscope Records and Aftercluv in 2019, and saw mainstream acclaim with songs like “Santa María“, “Zorra” and “Alocao“, the latter becoming the number-one song in Spain for 2019

Her debut album La Joia was released in 2024.

Vampire Films is making the film in co-production with Double Body, Entrelíneas and Nanouk Films.

David Camarero is the director behind the project.

La Joia: Bad Gyal will premiere on Prime Video at the end of this year.

Karol G to Livestream Final “Mañana Será Bonito World Tour” Concert on YouTube

Posted on July 13, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Karol G is taking a final bow… and she wants the whole world to watch.

For the closing of her history-making Mañana Será Bonito World Tour on July 23 in Madrid, the 33-year-old Colombian singer – the first Latina to ever headline a global stadium tour – will livestream the concert on her YouTube channel for all her fans around the world to watch.

In an emotional post on Instagram that she shared on Friday (July 12), Karol G wrote in Spanish, “The time has come to close an unforgettable chapter in our lives. This album, more than songs, has been a journey of overcoming, of desire, of motivation and a band-aid for the soul. Every stadium we stepped in vibrated with the beautiful emotions that each one of you brought and we had the opportunity to fill thousands of hearts around the world. We are about to have the last concert of this tour and yes, it is hard to say goodbye to something that has meant so much to all of us, but the time has come and I want us to celebrate together! This July 23rd, our last concert, we will broadcast it through my YouTube channel, in real time, so that EVERYONE, anywhere in the world, can watch it and celebrate this beautiful thing we built together.”

The trek kicked off in the summer of 2023 in the United States, where it became the hottest ticket, selling out Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. and Metlife Stadium in New Jersey.

She also sold out the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., becoming the first Latin artist to sell out two consecutive nights at the historic venue.

This year, Karol G’s show in San José, Costa Rica sold 104,686 tickets between the two sold-out nights (March 9-10), marking the highest ticket sales ever for a concert in the country, according to Live Nation. Her two shows in Costa Rica broke the previous record set by Coldplay in 2022.

After wrapping up her Mañana Será Bonito tour in Latin America in May, Karol will make her way through Europe kicking off June 8 in Zurich and will wrap July 23 in Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

According to Billboard Boxscore, in 2023, Karol — who was honored with woman of the year at Billboard‘s 2024 Women in Music event — grossed $155.3 million and sold 925,000 tickets from 20 shows. She landed at No. 11 on the 2023 Year-End Boxscore Charts.

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Karol G’s “Provenza” Music Video Becomes Ninth to Enter YouTube’s Billion Views Club

Posted on June 26, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Karol G is on Cloud Nine.

The 33-year-old Colombian Grammy-winning singer/songwriter has achieved yet another career milestone as herher “Provenza” music video surpasses one billion views on YouTube, just two years after it was released.

Filmed by Pedro Artola on the island of Lanzarote, the beachy music video marks Karol G’s ninth clip to enter the coveted “Billion Views Club” as a lead, featured artist or collaborator.

She also ranks No. 17 on the Global Top Artists chart.

On the Billboard charts, “Provenza” hit No. 1 on both the Hot Latin Songs and Latin Airplay charts in 2022.

“Provenza” follows her other one-billion titles: “China” with Anuel AA, Daddy Yankee, Ozuna & J Balvin; the Nicki Minaj-assisted “Tusa”; “Secreto” in collaboration with Anuel AA, as well as “Culpables”; “Bichota”; “TQG” with Shakira; “El Makinon” in collab with Mariah Angeliq; and the Bad Bunny-assisted “Ahora Me Llama.”

Climbing up the list with more than 750 million views each are “Mi Cama,” “A Ella,” and the heartfelt “Creéme” with Maluma.

The news comes on the heels of Billboard’s 2024 Woman of the Year and Latin Woman of the Year unleashing her summer-friendly tropical tune “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido.”

The feel-good track, produced by Edgar Barrera, Sky Rompiendo and Karol, is a flirty merengue inspired by her love and admiration for the Dominican Republic.

“Its culture, its music, its colors, the hospitality, the energy … everything feels very authentic and special there,” she expressed of the Caribbean island in Instagram an post. “Its people have embraced me in a way that fills my heart and inspires me all the time.”

Sal Vulcano’s Stand-Up Special “Terrified” to Debut Globally on YouTube in Late May

Posted on May 21, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Sal Vulcano is terrified… And he’s ready to make you laugh!

The 47-year-old part-Puerto Rican and part-Cuban American comedian has revealed plans to debut his hour-long stand-up special, Terrified, globally on YouTube via 800 Pound Gorilla at 8:00 a.m. PT on May 31st.

While it’s unclear what all Vulcano discusses in his special, it’s said to offer a fresh perspective on his hysterical real-life experiences.

Filmed at the historic Vic Theatre in Chicago, the special is executive produced by comedian Ari Shaffir.

Vulcano is best known for co-creating, executive producing and starring in TBS’ hidden camera comedy show Impractical Jokers, one of the most recognized and long-standing comedy shows of all time, which is currently in its 10th season and in syndication with 13 international versions.

While on tour with the Jokers over the last decade or so, the group has sold over a million tickets, selling out London’s O2 Arena and Radio City Music Hall in New York City seven times apiece, in addition to Madison Square Garden and Boston Garden.

In recent years, Vulcano’s audience as a solo comedian has shown tremendous growth.

He’s coming off of a solo national stand-up tour, which saw him sell out shows in 60 markets at notable venues such as The Beacon Theatre, The Ryman, The Wiltern, The Wilbur and The Vic.

Vulcano’s “Everything’s Fine” theater tour, spanning 28 cities in its first leg, goes on sale next week. Presale tickets can be purchased here.

Also behind No Presh Podcast Network, Vulcano co-hosts the hit podcasts Hey Babe! and Taste Buds with comics Chris Distefano and Joe DeRosa, respectively. Both routinely rotate in the top comedy podcast lists.

From 2019 to 2022, Vulcano starred in and executive produced game show The Misery Index alongside Jameela Jamil, the Jokers, and Grandma’s House Entertainment for TBS.

Other acting credits include Office Race, What We Do in the Shadows, Bones, MacGyver and 12 Monkeys.

Bizarrap Teams Up with Natanael Cano to Release Two-Track “BZRP Music Session #59″

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Bizarrap is back with new music featuring a Regional Mexican star…

The 25-year-old Argentine record producer, songwriter, DJ and hitmaker has partnered with Natanael Cano to release two singles.

The 23-year-old Mexican corridos tumbados pioneer and Bizarrap joined forces on “BZRP Music Session #59,” a two-song project officially released on Wednesday, April 3.

The new music is as explosive and raw as previous music sessions recorded by the likes of Residente, Arcángel and Young Miko.

According to a press release, “BZRP Music Session #59” was created following a “spontaneous” Miami meeting between the two artists in 2021, and is powered by Bizarrap’s innovative Argentine trap.

“Now that they know we’re on top, they think we haven’t struggled,” spits Cano in the first track, or chapter one, also being referred to as “Endiamantado.”

Chapter two, or the second song from this release titled “Entre las de 20,” fuses Cano’s corrido tumbado hybrid with synthesizers and Bizarrap’s signature style.

Kicking off with his prickly guitars, Cano sings about outgrowing a relationship; he’s on to bigger and better things. “There’s no trace of what you knew about me/ I told her we broke up, I don’t have time to spend. But I do have money to throw away.”

It’s not the first time Bizarrap teams up with a música mexicana artist.

Last summer, Bizarrap tapped Peso Pluma for “BZRP Music Sessions #55,” which peaked at No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart dated June 17.

Cano’s session with Bizarrap follows team-ups with Milo J, Rauw Alejandro and Shakira, the latter being Bizarrap’s most consequential session to date.

The dis track broke a handful of Guinness World Records and, when it dropped, held the title for most streamed Latin track on Spotify in 24 hours (14.4 million streams) and most viewed Latin track on YouTube in 24 hours (63 million views). It also won song of the year at the Latin Grammys.

Nate Diaz to Fight Jorge Masvidal in 10-Round Boxing Match This June

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Nate Diaz is sidestepping the Octagon for the boxing ring…

In a rematch of a marquee UFC headliner, the 38-year-old half Mexican American mixed martial artist and boxer will fight Jorge Masvidal again, this time in a boxing ring on June 1 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.

The two fought in MMA in the UFC 244 main event on November 2, 2019 at Madison Square Garden, for the mythical BMF title. Masvidal won that bout via TKO (doctor’s stoppage).

Diaz vs. Masvidal is contracted for 10 rounds at 175 pounds.

The event, distributed by Fanmio, will be dubbed “Last Man Standing.” A multicity promotional tour is being planned.

Diaz and Masvidal, two of the UFC’s biggest stars of this era, have since departed the promotion, Diaz as a free agent and Masvidal via retirement.

The UFC approved Masvidal to take this fight, as he is still under contract. Diaz and Masvidal have been involved in three of the top 10 UFC pay-per-view events of all time.

Diaz made his pro boxing debut last August in a decision loss to YouTuber-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul. Diaz went into that bout with an arm injury.

This will be Masvidal’s return to competition after retiring in April 2023 following a UFC loss to Gilbert Burns.

Masvidal beat Diaz in the fourth round at UFC 244 when the ringside physician halted the bout because of a Diaz cut. That is an impetus for the rematch. There is unfinished business; Masvidal wants to remove all doubt, while Diaz is out for revenge.

“Nate’s a dead man walking,” Masvidal said in a statement. “I can’t wait to prove that last time was no fluke. He got saved by the referee. Now we are boxing, which he says is his forte, but he’s got no shot at beating me. I’m not going to give him an inch in that ring to even breathe. If he thought our MMA match was bad, this is going to be much worse. I’m going to drown him. I want to put away any talk that him and I are the same, or that the referee saved the day. All of that talk ends June 1. Violence and throwing hands are in both of our bloods but as I proved before, I’m a far superior athlete and I’m a meaner fighter. When June 1 comes I’ll put all unanswered questions to rest, live for the world to see.”

Fanmio has distributed big combat sports events before, including Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul in 2021.

“When we started our journey into boxing, we wanted to bring only the most entertaining fights together that would help transcend the world of combat sports,” Solomon Engel, Fanmio CEO, said in a statement. “Being able to put together the Diaz vs. Masvidal rematch in the boxing ring is in line with that vision. These guys are the original and true BMFs, have continuously sold out arenas and sold millions of pay-per-views. June 1 gives each the opportunity to write a new chapter in their storied history, settle their score and show the world who will be the last man standing.”

Karol G & Shakira’s “TQG” Music Video Enters YouTube’s Billion Views Club

Posted on March 8, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Karol G has another streaming hit video…

The official music video for the 33-year-old Colombian superstar’s massive breakup anthem with Shakira, “TQG,” has surpassed one billion views, officially entering YouTube’s Billion Views Club.

The music video, released on February 24, 2023, as the focus track of Karol G’s Mañana Será Bonito album, features the two Colombian powerhouses delivering the empowering track that’s short for “te quedó grande.”

In the bop, the artists go back and forth about moving on from their past relationships and being on another level.

“TQG” marks the eighth Billion Views Club entry for both acts as a lead, featured artist or collaborator.

For Karol, it follows “China,” “Tusa,” “Secreto,” “Bichota,” “Culpables,” “Ahora Me Llama” and “El Makinon.”

For Shakira, it follows “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” “Chantaje,” “La Bicicleta,” “Hips Don’t Lie,” “Can’t Remember to Forget You,” “La La La” and “Perro Fiel.” The former is No. 13 on YouTube’s Global Top Artists chart, and the latter is No. 21.

On the Billboard charts, the Ovy on the Drums-produced banger debuted at No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. tallies, while also crowning six other Billboard listings and becoming Karol G’s first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Furthermore, the track won best collaboration at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.

Gloria Estefan Among Artists Sharing Personal Stories & Life Lessons on YouTube’s Documentary Series “The Thread”

Posted on January 17, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Gloria Estefan is opening up about her life…

The 66-year-old Cuban singer, actress and businesswoman is among some of the most exceptional Americans in the arts, media, religion and politics sharing their personal stories and life lessons in The Thread, a new documentary series coming to YouTube in March.

As part of the 16-episode series, Estefan sat down for a probing conversation with producers from Life Stories, a nonprofit media organization that makes and distributes “films about people whose lives inspire meaningful change.”

Each conversation is recorded at the highest quality by Emmy-winning filmmakers, notes a release, “and is accompanied by an educator guide so that the documentary series can be used in secondary classrooms and informal educational settings.”

“The Thread is an exploration of what it means to live a purpose-driven life,” noted George Kunhardt, executive director of Life Stories. “The voices we amplify in this series spark curiosity, ignite inspiration, and connect us to the multi-faceted people who have helped shape our society. Our mission as filmmakers is to shine a spotlight on the stories of moral leaders to help people find passion and purpose in their own lives.”

The “Get On Your Feet” singer’s episode, entitled Gloria Estefan: Singing Through Struggles, will go live on March 4.

Martin Sheen, who is of half-Spanish descent, will also appear on the series. The West Wing actor’s episode, entitled Martin Sheen: Lights, Camera, Activism, will go live on March 25.

Others Americans to be figured include The Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Lewis, New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast, Katie Couric, actor Jason Alexander and Sen. Mitt Romney.

The episodes will roll out once a week from March 4-June 17 on the Life Stories YouTube channel and will be released as a podcast on major platforms.

Life Stories is a new division of the Kunhardt Film Foundation, “an organization that has introduced a generation of viewers to artists, cultural, political, and civil rights leaders,” according to a release. The Kunhardts – father Peter and his sons Teddy and George – have earned a combined eight Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards, a duPont-Columbia Award, an IDA Documentary Award, and two NAACP Image Awards.

“We are bringing our longstanding dedication to quality with increased focus on the power of individual narrative,” said Teddy Kunhardt, EP of The Thread. “We believe that life stories, thoughtfully told, have the power to create change.”

This is the episode guide for season 1 of the series:

March 4 Gloria Estefan: Singing Through Struggles
March 11 Jason Reynolds: The Power of Narrative
March 18 Tova Friedman: Surviving Auschwitz
March 25 Martin Sheen: Lights, Camera, Activism
April 1 Roz Chast: Drawing From Life
April 8 Kurt “Big Boy” Alexander: A Hip Hop Odyssey
April 15 Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Lewis: Finding Wisdom in Pain
April 22 Mitt Romney: Family Ties
April 29 Cecile Richards: Championing Choice
May 6 Reginald Dwayne Betts: A Voice for the Incarcerated
May 13 Tony Hawk: Skateboarding’s Living Legend
May 20 Darren Walker: Hope and Courage in Action
May 27 Katie Couric: From Tragedies to Triumphs
June 3 Jason Alexander: The Power of Laughter
June 10 Betty Rollin: First You Cry
June 17 Father Greg Boyle: Welcoming the Unwelcome

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

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