GetOut Magazine

Bumbling TV cop animates stand-up act
By ALBERT CHING
GET OUT

In person, Carlos Alazraqui, who plays Deputy James Garcia on “Reno 911,” disappoints on one level: He doesn't have the facial hair that his character sports on-screen.

“The makeup people were like, ‘You should wear a mustache like that in real life,' I go, ‘I'd look like an angry Freddie Mercury,' ” Alazraqui says.
The comedian and actor may be best known for uttering four words indelibly etched in the pop-culture lexicon: “Yo quiero Taco Bell.”

Instead of shying away from this past, Alazraqui embraces his time voicing the canine pitchman.

“I'm proud of the Taco Bell Chihuahua thing, it was a very popular ad,” he says.

Not everything is as simple as a commercial; Alazraqui demands the
audience put forth some effort in his shows.

“I like to do the kind of bits where I want people to come on board with me,” he says.

What he tries not to do is condescend — he points to comics like Carlos Mencia, who he says “really caters to people, placates and uses stereotypes.”

And don't expect Alazraqui to use his heritage as a comedic crutch.

“I could never come off as being Latino. I'm this white guy that has this Spanish surname.”

Carlos Alazraqui
When: 8 p.m. Friday, 8 and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 8 p.m. Sunday
Where: Tempe Improv, 930 E. University Drive
Cost: $15
Information: and www.tempeimprov.com