I know that one of the big draws for SF Sketchfest is having big names perform throughout the festival, but I’m always pumped to see local acts getting to cut their teeth across town. That’s what really makes SF Sketchfest for me: ensuring that genuine San Francisco and Bay Area voices are heard. This year, I got my fix at Donde Esta Mi Comedy?, a stand-up show featuring Latino comedians from all over the state. Truthfully, I’ve been meaning to catch this show for a while; this is the second year Donde Esta Mi Comedy? has been part of SF Sketchfest. They also play shows around the Bay throughout the year.
DEMC founder and host Baruch Porras-Hernandez is a literary and comedic force of nature. He is constantly performing around the Bay Area; most recently wrapping a run of his one-man show Love In the Time of Piñatas, and had two books of his poetry published in 2019. Baruch started DEMC after establishing Donde Esta Mi Gente?, a Latinx reading series, a few years back in order to hear and share more Latino voices. From there, the comedy series quickly took off for the same reasons. He kicked off the show with a quick, warm welcome and introduction to DEMC, sparkling in the spotlight with glittery makeup and charisma for days.
Vince Caldera, a Los Angeles-based comedian, joined us first with comedic observations of the gentrification taking place in his neighborhood, like two Rick and Morty murals alongside a mural of the Virgin Mary. Caldera also dove into his family, talking about his middle school-aged brother’s Instagram account, and another sibling’s misadventure with a ouija board to learn about a crush. He was clearly as tickled as we were with a joke about demons having a soft spot for teenage love and helping them learn if their crush likes them back. I love hearing family stories, especially stories about younger siblings- they’re silly and pure, and you can tell whoever is telling the story really cares about their family.
Natasha Vinik, based locally, took the stage after Caldera, starting out with some riffs about the tallboy cans of water in the green room before diving into jokes about friends with babies and talking about her mother’s criticism of her recent ex-boyfriend. Vinik is one of those comedians where she makes you feel like she’s one of your closest friends, sharing hilarious asides and stories from her life with just you, even though the audience is packed. Having this temporary tight-knit bond makes her jokes about her recent breakup punch even harder; I guffawed as she compared regular, steady relationship sex to free lunch at work.
Porras-Hernandez rejoined us for a set, sharing stories about spending his New Years Eve in El Cerrito with his mom and his brother. We learned very quickly that he knows exactly how to mess with his younger brother, between pot gummies and tricking his brother into thinking he didn’t know his real name. He also shared stories about living in San Francisco, including a somewhat disturbing yet hilarious tale about an injured pigeon being attacked by another pigeon. Everyone was cracking up, and I was delighted to get a “real” San Francisco tale. A master of hijinks, comedy, and storytelling (not to mention a phenomenal master of ceremonies), Porras-Hernandez is a delight to behold on stage.
After Porras-Hernandez wrapped his set, he brought out Dominique Gelin, an Oakland-based comedian and SF Sketchfest regular. Her comedy was also super relatable, from her quips about astrology preferences on dating apps to having zero desire to go hiking with anyone on Tinder. “Cardio is not a date!” she yelled as the audience roared with laughter (and, probably, agreed with her statement). Everyone in the audience was tickled to hear some of her dating horror stories, like ending a first date with a handshake, or going out with someone who mistook a sushi restaurant for a Korean restaurant. Gelin’s delivery and jokes are spot on and full of life, and clearly energized the crowd.
Armando Torres joined the stage, starting off his set with a wacky story about his girlfriend and what somehow turned into an “evacuation drill for sex.” Torres, also from Los Angeles, exuded a comfortable confidence on stage, slinging jokes about Generation Z and babysitting work in LA. He compared babysitting to being a bodyguard against the baby, pointing out that the only person putting the baby in danger is itself. We all laughed (maybe a little too loudly) in agreement at his argument that children are assholes. Torres is very tuned into his generation and his audience, and tells his jokes with a certain finesse that pulls his set together perfectly.
To round out the evening, international award-winning LatinX drag king Jota Mercury performed a number for us. I’ve only seen a handful of drag king performances, mainly in New York, and have been meaning to catch some of the stunning Bay Area drag king talent, so this was a genuine treat. The audience roared and wildly applauded as Mercury performed his number; each zing aimed at machismo and toxic masculinity made the crowd go wild and Mercury glow. I can’t think of a better way to wrap up an amazing show.
There are tons of brilliant local acts included in this year’s lineup, but I feel especially lucky to have caught Donde Esta Mi Comedy? This show and these performers were the perfect antidote to the current state of the world. I’ll definitely be watching for the next DEMC show in San Francisco.
