Comedian Jesus Trejo knows a thing or two about crafting comedy out of personal experiences. His journey as an only child and family caretaker has enriched his stand-up since his early days at the Comedy Store, where he initially worked as a valet. “The one thing that I felt like I was an expert on was my specific caregiving journey,” Trejo said.
“A lot of Latinos are caregivers and don’t get paid for it.” Trejo has found ways to incorporate that experience into his comedy. Most notably, he was part of a 2020 AARP documentary, “Care to Laugh,” that explored the most intimate parts of his life as a full-time caregiver and comedian.
In it, he jokes that he has two kids, “ages 70 and 71”— a nod to his parents. Trejo has put out two comedy specials — “Stay at Home Son” on Showtime and “Practicing” on YouTube — and has been on the “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” twice. He’s also a part-time actor, with roles in Netflix’s sitcom “Mr.
Iglesias” and Hulu’s “This Fool,” where he was also a writer. Now, the Long Beach local is exploring the jokes beyond the stage as host and executive producer of a new PBS series, “Roots of Comedy.” “I find that every joke can be traced back to the community,” Trejo said.
In the short travel documentary, Trejo engages with rising comedians as they explain the upbringing and communities that shape their sets. Trejo steps into the role of host and executive producer with comedy as his guiding.
