Fans of comedian Pablo Francisco ought to line up at the Francisco household, knock on the door and shake hands with his parents, thanking them for not sending their son to seek professional help.
"I drove my dad insane sometimes," Francisco said in an interview with The Spectrum. "He asked me one time if I wanted to see a psychiatrist. That's how weird I was, I guess."
Weird? Yes. Absurdly hilarious? No question. Comedian Pablo Francisco will be performing at UB Saturday to a sold out Center for the Arts. Known best for his sound effects and dead-on impersonations of celebrities, Francisco will get some of his best laughs on stage as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Don LaFontaine, the "the movie preview man."
Francisco dubs his act as a one-man variety show, a "variety show" on the rise, to be precise. The up-and-coming comedian was a regular cast member of "Mad TV," and has also appeared on more than a dozen television specials such as "Comedy Central Presents" and "Full Frontal Comedy." Francisco recently released his third CD, "Pablo 3," as well as his highly anticipated DVD, "Bits and Pieces."
Before being nominated for Comic of the Year, as voted on by every comedy club in the nation, he was just like anyone else. He used to work a countless number of hours while attending school until one fortunate day when he was dismissed from his day job.
"Yeah I got fired from Domino's pizza. I would always be late. I always came in at 11 when they opened up at 10:30. I could never wake up early enough," he said. "I was going to a community college, studying to become a movie director."
From the pizza place to performing stand-up to sold-out clubs and universities around the United States, Francisco did something right. One question, though, still begs to be asked. How did he master all the sound effects and voices that he uses throughout his act?
"When I was a kid, my brother had a tape recorder and after you play them back and listened to how great they sounded on tape, I just kept going with it," he explained.
He kept going and he kept everyone laughing. His material has grown to include mild race material, some self-ribbing Hispanic jokes, in addition to the pop icon aping.
Francisco explained where he gets his inspiration for his work.
"I get a lot out of hanging out with friends, watching lots of television, the news, relationships, ex-girlfriend stuff," he said.
Francisco's favorite part of his act is his impression of Jackie Chan.
"I like to do a lot of martial arts stuff," he said.
The majority of audiences love his impersonation of the "movie preview man," Don LaFontaine. Francisco progresses into a story of the day he actually met the man behind the voice.
"Yeah, I actually had lunch with the guy once, and he really talks likes that," he said, finishing the story in the deep, ominous voice. "I'll have two eggs beaten beyond recognition...or scrambled."
Francisco is touring a few universities, while hitting up The Improv, a chain of comedy clubs in the United States, though he has expressed a preference for universities.
"At universities, everyone's down. Everyone's hip with everything, they are all young and watch a lot of television. They know what's going on."
With touring comes constant traveling which has its agitating moments but also its perks.
"I hate sleeping on the plane," he said. "I'm on a plane every single week, for about eight or ten hours, but I like staying at hotels, and meeting people and s***. Aside from doing the shows, I like to go to every single mall. I get a lot of ideas from the mall," he said. "Plus, every mall has its own store that isn't anywhere else; you get to buy things that you won't find in any other place."
When Pablo Francisco takes a break from what seems like non-stop touring, you can catch him as a guest appearing on Comedy Central's "Mind of Mencia" and "The Showbiz Show with David Spade."
Doors open for his performance at the CFA at 7 p.m.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
