Currently residing in a city that never sleeps or stops laughing, this comedic star on the rise delivers sharp, streetwise humor rooted in everyday life, blending cultural insight with an effortlessly charismatic stage presence. As part of We Own The Laughs.com’s Comedian of the Day, have a few laughs and get to know comedian Luis Lopez. The Portland, OR native shares some of his favorite moments in stand-up comedy and explains how he always owns the laughs.
Name: Luis Lopez
Hometown: Portland, OR/New York City
Instagram/X/Tik-Tok: @LuisLopezComedy
Years in Comedy: 8
Haven’t we seen you somewhere before: Nope! Probably just online, it’s great not needing credits to get work but I’d love to do late nite at some point just to buy a suit.
Comedic Influences: Louis CK and Bill Burr are my two main influences. I just think they’re some of the best.
Favorite Comedy Album: Mitch Hedberg: Strategic Grill Locations. I just love it, so silly the whole time, so many jokes, it’s not at all the kind of comedy I do, but I love listening to it so much. I’ve fallen asleep to this angle a lot.
Favorite Comedy Special: Chris Rock “Bring The Pain” — If I could go back in time and watch one performance live, it’d be this. He’s just killing so damn hard. Imagine being in that room; it must have been a mess.
Favorite Comedy Movie: Step Brothers. I watched this like 50 times after my cable got cut growing up, it was one of the only movies I had on DVD so it was Step Brothers and Coach Carter, which isn’t really a comedy. I loved Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly so much in that movie, and Adam Scott was a total tool, and it worked so great. Big fan. You also see balls on a drum. How often does that happen?
Favorite Comedy TV Show: Family Guy. My mom hated it, so I think that made me like it more and secretly watch it. The taboo! The jokes, love Family Guy.
Favorite Comedic Character: Michael Richards as Kramer. Not so much Richards as a stand-up.
Favorite City to Perform In: New York City. I live here, it’s my favorite place. It’s also my least favorite. I’ve done so many terrible shows, but also a lot of great ones. I love it here.
Favorite Topics to Joke About: I have no favorites, really; it’s just whatever I think is funny at that moment. Sorry, that’s not really an answer, but I’m just typing this alone in my apartment, so you can’t yell at me for it. (Laughs)
Favorite Type of Audience for a Comedy Show: A mix of everybody. Every demographic you can cram in that room.
Favorite Comedy Club: Whoever is working me the most at that particular time. You’re the best “Insert Club name here.”
How did you discover your passion for comedy:
My parents had a store growing up, like a little corner store, and I’d be there a lot. I’d be mostly in the computer room in the back until a customer came in, and I’d just be on YouTube, and one day I found a video of Jerry Seinfeld doing I’m Telling You For the Last Time. And I loved it, then I made a comedy playlist for Pandora, and I found more and more comics that way, and then that’s all I listened to for years.
What do you remember most about your first time performing stand-up comedy:
I remember thinking that wasn’t that bad. Looking back, I’m 1005 sure it was that bad, but I tried to get on another one right away, but that mic you had to sign up for a week in advance, so I was bummed. But I knew I wanted to do it again, so I went back next week and kept doing terribly for years while lying to myself that it wasn’t too bad.
How would you describe your comedic style:
I have no idea. I’m not exactly silly or political or super dirty or super clean. I say Fuck a fair amount, but try to talk about whatever is funny or whatever’s bad and try to make it funny. I have a few ICE jokes right now that are doing well, so I like doing that kind of stuff. Who knows? Here I’ll ask AI to describe my comedy hold on.
Luis Lopez is a New York-based stand-up comedian known for a style that blends slick delivery with a high-energy, conversational tone. Having transitioned from finance into comedy, he often brings a sharp, “New York energy” to the stage, fast-paced and relatable.
There you go, you know those 6 months I had interning at a bank? Huge comedic influence, apparently.
Describe your process for comedic writing:
I think of something funny or something funny happens, I make a note on my phone about it, and then later the next day, I try to write out what I thought was funny about it. Then, before I go on stage, I write the bullet points I think are funny and try to say them onstage.
Describe the comedy scene in your area:
It’s New York City… It’s the best scene in the world. It doesn’t need me to describe it; I’d only do it a disservice.
How do you judge success in the world of comedy:
Are you funny? And are you not homeless because of your comedy? If yes on both, you’re a success. How big a success you are after that varies a lot, but if you can make people laugh and you can pay your bills that way, then you’ve made it, and I’m proud of you.
Who are some of your comedic peers that you enjoy watching perform or inspire you personally and professionally:
Peers? Like people I know or people who started around the same time I did? People I know and see around a lot are guys like Joe List, Dan Soder, and Daniel Simonsen. Those guys are all hilarious and working a bunch and have been doing it for like 15+ years. People I’m actually close friends with? That’d be like Alvin Kuai and Igor Martinez. We all started around the same time, and it’s always nice to see people you started with start getting some success.
What’s been your most memorable moment in comedy:
I did the last show at Carolines Comedy Club on New Year’s Eve 2022. That was really special for me, I didn’t work there that much honestly, but it was such a legendary venue and doing New Year’s there is so cool cause you get to go see the ball drop, perform for 400 people, and then steal some stuff because the club’s going to close down after. I have a sign from there on my bookshelf right now. I’m looking at it. It’s orange and says “Only Caroline’s Staff and Talent Beyond This Point”
What have you learned most from your failures in comedy:
Fun fact, I’ve never failed in comedy. Good luck, try again with another question, you idiots.
How do people react toward you when they realize that you can make people laugh:
People in real life? I’m not sure, I think they just kind of go OK and move on with their lives. I’m not like a class-clown type person off stage. I kinda just walk around, listen to a podcast, and read a book.
Describe building a career in stand-up comedy:
It’s way harder than I thought. I thought you’d just have to get funny, and that’s it. Funny is like 1% of it. The rest is very hard. Marketing, social media, promoting, etc. All sucks.
If you could change one thing in the world of comedy, what would it be:
I’d love clubs to be able to sell tickets on their own. I think it’s a thing of the past that if the weekend is light, clubs apologize to comedians; now comics feel all the pressure. I wish there were two clubs per city: one for big-name acts that sell out, and one for guys who are just funny and not famous.
Best advice you’ve ever received from a comedian:
Do every gig you can. I think this is more advice for very new comics. I turn down some bad bar shows and such now, where I don’t think I’d get anything from it. But when you’re starting out, I think you should say yes as much as you can. Even bad ones, they’ll build that muscle you need to deal with bad shows and distracted crowds and learn how to navigate those situations. It’s best to have those skills. It’s like that saying, better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war. It’s like that, but not at all cause it’s just dick jokes.
If you were releasing a comedy special this week, what would it be called:
“I Was Forced To Do This”
Funniest encounter you’ve ever had with a celebrity:
I saw Mike Tyson once, gave him a head nod, and he did not reciprocate. Not really funny, more terrifying, but I guess from the outside looking in, I’d chuckle at that.
Weirdest place you’ve ever performed any form of comedy:
I did a gig at a wedding once, it was a “surprise” for the party guests. The bride and groom had me do 45 minutes; it wasn’t only weird, it was straight up terrible. I’ve never bombed with the smell of salmon in the air.
A Luis Lopez Fun Fact:
I’ve been getting really into plants lately. I have a Golden Pothos and a Snake plant I’m looking at right now. That’s not very ‘fun’, but boy am I excited about it. Shout out to Prometheus and Cornelius
Where would you like your laughs to take you:
I’d like to just be a successful touring comedian. If I get to the point where I”m touring doing theaters across the country I’d love that. I don’t care much about V Shows or Movies or writing for anything. I just want to do stand-up, be able to bring some friends with me, and get rich as hell.
What would you tell a potential comedian if they ask you how they can own the laughs:
I’d say, “WTF do you mean own the laughs? Talk normally, you weirdo.”
What are your thoughts on the future of comedy:
I think people will tire of crowd work and then venture away from a lot of stand-up. I think once they do start coming around to it again, we may see a strong preference back to jokes and stories instead of ” what-do-you-dos. I think more comics will continue to blow up on social media, but may not pivot from that to stand up and instead stay on socials and podcasts.
If you could write an episode for ONE classic TV sitcom, which show would it be:
The Cosby Show. Now, they have to deal with the ramifications of his mass-sexually assaulting a bunch of people.
If you could choose ONE comedy club and THREE comedians to perform with on your perfect comedy show, how would it go:
I’d do the Mcdougal Room at the Comedy Cellar. I’d have myself open, Bill Burr, John Mullaney Louis CK closes.
What’s next for you:
Road rooms baby! Burr has a great quote about how for years he was just killing in obscurity. I’d like to think I’m there. And occasionally “doing just pretty good in obscurity” but I always try to kill as hard as I can on the road. So I’ll just keep doing that until something pops for me. I love comedy, I love doing long sets especially, I love comics, so what’s next for me is what’s been the past 3 years or so for me. Doing this and somehow surviving while I do it. Next Stop: Comic Cents in Boulder Colorado! April 3rd and 4th.
Why should a person always laugh at life:
I just don’t agree with this? Sometimes you laugh, sometimes you cry, sometimes you’re horny, sometimes all at once. Just live life and feel every emotion as it comes to you. And if something is funny laugh really really hard.
Follow Luis Lopez’s comedic journey on these social media websites:
Instagram: Luis Lopez
Youtube: Luis Lopez
Personal Website: Luis Lopez
