SPEAKER_01 0:00

Check Tess, what's going on y'all? This is first is uh second live for Corpuscing coffee. Let me see if we can put a put the chat here if if anybody's on the chat.

SPEAKER_00 0:12

You'll have to read that. I can't see that far.

SPEAKER_01 0:14

So we've got uh I'm a Suce, your host, obviously. This is the Corpuscing Coffee Edition coffee cup. No coffee in here. Oh, you guys got coffee cup.

SPEAKER_03 0:23

We got another one over here.

SPEAKER_01 0:24

And we got as you may be sure to share the mic over there. So we got Bobby Pena. Yes, the third.

SPEAKER_03 0:29

Sometimes everybody says it more official, but uh but yeah, Bobby Pena. And then uh my oldest daughter, Elisa Pena.

SPEAKER_01 0:37

What's going on, y'all? So uh so Bobby, I know Bobby through the comedy scene.

SPEAKER_03 0:41

Yes, right, right, and um I'm a co-administrator of CorpusCrissy Comedy.com with uh Ronnie Fryer, and one of the neat things that uh we're doing is we're really trying to elevate the scene uh with the comedy community. And Elisa has just graduated two years ago from Texas State, and they're able to really help out with flyers, promos, um, different logos and things for a lot of the koozies, the koozies are really cute.

SPEAKER_00 1:10

I mean, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:10

So they did all of the logos that we have, the stickers, um, and then the other merch that we're thinking we're gonna kind of expand to maybe coffee mugs next, nice, and then t-shirts uh later on.

SPEAKER_00 1:21

Eventually, that's a lot more stock to hold.

SPEAKER_03 1:24

This is true, but it's been awesome the way that Elisa's been able to thrive and then help us out as well as they use their creative uh outlets for us.

SPEAKER_01 1:35

How do you how do you feel about uh helping out the comedy scene or like what's your what's so what business like what do you what do you sell?

SPEAKER_00 1:42

Well, typically I sell my art as uh stickers, keychains, cups, all kinds of things, just whatever I can put my art on to make it more accessible for people to see. Um we recently started tote bags, those are really cute. I don't know if they showed that off. We've sold that a couple of times already, but um I generally do that and then I kind of freelance uh to supplement that income. So I do stuff with a couple of nonprofits uh in the museum and things like that. But being able to use that to support the local community in general, not just comedy, but uh all over is really cool because our family has been in corpus forever. Um so we're like six, I'm like sixth generation corpus Christian.

SPEAKER_03 2:24

Yeah, like we said, my mother-in-law lives next door, so and she's 91, 92?

SPEAKER_00 2:28

She just turned 91 last month.

SPEAKER_03 2:30

So yeah, they have been you know in the thick of it for uh forever.

SPEAKER_00 2:34

So anything to kind of make corpus thrive is really important to me, and I really really enjoyed doing that kind of thing.

SPEAKER_03 2:41

I think I've instilled that Sherry too. She's been born, you know, she's born next door, my wife, uh 28 years. Well in the hospital, but yeah, they grew up next door. Um, and so it's been one of the things where I even though I was born in Chicago, I moved here in my, you know, starting high school. So it's really been a you know, I mean, thing for me for 40 years. So I really taken I mean, I know I don't look it.

SPEAKER_01 3:08

No, well, you do definitely look like like Chicago-ish now.

SPEAKER_00 3:14

I thought he was gonna say you look old.

SPEAKER_02 3:16

I was surprised you only said 40.

SPEAKER_03 3:20

That's funny, bro. But yeah, we really love Corpus. Uh, obviously, there's some things that kind of we love more than some other things. I mean, you know, the way some things can go politically, water, you know, any kind of things that decell or whatever, all that. I mean, that's you know, we want the best, and sometimes you think one thing is gonna be the best and it doesn't work out. So, you know, live and learn. But I think the neat thing, like at Cole Park, they have that sign that says uh better together on the side of the amplificator. And I really think that obviously that is the best way to move forward. So when we get more people on our side and people knowing about uh, you know, the Corpus Christi Comedy.com site, and then with Elisa's uh artistry by Elisa, there's a lot of things that we can help facilitate, you know, more growth, more understanding, more creative things. So that's always a neat thing.

SPEAKER_01 4:13

So yeah, so you've always been involved in like community in the community or uh we we really kind of have.

SPEAKER_03 4:18

I mean, some years it's taken you know a little bit of a backseat just because of uh things that are you know kind of drawing our our needs and stuff.

SPEAKER_00 4:26

But with church, mom is like a a teacher, or she just retired from teaching, so now she works with me, but so it's awesome. She was always involved and like our whole family, because Ella was a Girl Scout, she has that billboard.

SPEAKER_03 4:39

All right, so down at the the marina, down at the marina that has talks about the grass, the seagrass and stuff, the importance protecting it, right? So there's been little things that we've done, you know, uh through church or through uh other ways, like you said, the Girl Scouts and uh things that you have done with your social media volunteering and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

So cool. Yeah, do you feel like you need to be involved in the community? Like what what what made you like want to get involved in the community? Is it because you had kids?

SPEAKER_03 5:07

I think I think a little bit about that, but one of the things I remember growing up is hearing people complain and then me going, So what are you doing? And then them were just complaining. Well, that's not gonna solve when your aunts and uncles or some of their friends come over and they are just complaining, yeah, like, well, it's not gonna change if you don't try to do something different.

SPEAKER_00 5:31

One of the things that we've been talking about, I'm involved with like working at uh we've been doing clothing swaps and stuff with the free store and things like that, is talking about the price of community is inconvenience. Price of community is inconvenience, yeah. So even when you don't want to do something for the betterment, betterment of the village and like being a community, it's really important that you do those things anyway.

SPEAKER_03 5:53

Maybe tired, maybe exhausted, but still comedy's late at night all the time. Well, you know, and so that's the importance of coffee, like you said. Stimulant that it is, you know, making sure you get up for the the cause.

SPEAKER_01 6:08

Here comes the cat, want to be in the interview. Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's cool. Uh so but so you have so your degree is in art. What's your degree in?

SPEAKER_00 6:16

Uh, it's officially called communication design, which is just a fancy way to say graphic design.

SPEAKER_01 6:20

Graphic design? Yeah, nice, nice, cool. So, how are you uh learning like the business aspect of it, being that you're selling stuff now?

SPEAKER_00 6:27

Trial and error, mostly for sure.

SPEAKER_03 6:30

Um, you've taken a course recently.

SPEAKER_00 6:32

Yeah, I took a continuing education course through Texas State uh to kind of get more on the business side because we were going on two years, and I was like, I kind of need a little more information.

SPEAKER_03 6:42

For sure.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:44

And then the neat thing that Sherry and Elisa are good at is asking the other vendors that are near them, like, what's worked for y'all and what's asn't. And this way they're not reinventing the wheel. So they can you know draw upon those kinds of things. Yeah, and then I think they're really open and they look at things in a way where okay, let's not make you know a million of these until we know that 20 of these will sell. Right.

SPEAKER_00 7:08

That's why we kind of try and do everything in-house. Right. Because but then speaking up real quick about what you were saying about uh being really open, all of the artist community, which is more where I am, we're all I feel uh really like we're colleagues and not competition.

SPEAKER_02 7:25

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 7:25

So there's not a lot of gatekeeping. So that's a big community building aspect because everyone is helping out. I just talked to a couple of people who were at uh Tuesday Blues Day, which we like to do. Um they're kind of thinking their students getting close to graduating and deciding what they want to do with their lives. They're like, How do you do this? And I'm I'll tell them anything because none of us are gonna be the same. We're all kind of working together.

SPEAKER_03 7:49

Right. And then that's been like a thing with Milky Tomato is a company that that is a weird name. But they are like what Elisa does on steroids because they do things on a huge scale, and they are very successful. And so it's a it's like how a Mexican family owns a Mexican restaurant and everybody works in it. Yeah, that's theirs, but for a graphic design company.

SPEAKER_00 8:12

Yeah, so she does stickers and all that kind of stuff and Comic Cons.

SPEAKER_03 8:15

So cool. Yeah, oh yeah. So it's they they have like the biggest vent, you know, they get the biggest spot, and then they have yeah, they're up to like a 20 by 10 now at cons. And at cons conventions are you know, that's big. That's huge. And so, and they have stuff like stacked. Wow, and so it's really neat, and they are awesome, they love Alisa and Sherry, so they help out, and they'll when they like something that Elisa's done, they'll put you know, put it on there and go, look at what our friend is, you know. And so they'll tag her and they'll highlight it and stuff. So that like she said, that there's not that much gatekeeping as far as you know, there could be some, but then you find the people that are willing to help and answer, and you know, and then they have been really open to the young kids too who want to do something like this. Uh, no AI, we don't use any AI on anything, and there's signs.

SPEAKER_00 9:03

We have yeah, we have a sign at our booth.

SPEAKER_03 9:07

No AI, it's just like 100% human-made.

SPEAKER_00 9:10

And we know that there's a huge thing about it, but yeah, we have that sign and we also have a safe space, uh, safe zone sign because we got certified through the Pride Center of Corpus Christi. Um, so those are two of the things that we really believe in, and so we have it published at the booth and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_03 9:25

Yeah, so that's awesome. And then we know AI is like hitting uh like a nice little trend highlight right now where people are putting things, and that's cute and all, but real artists, I mean, are what really drive things, and then you know, they're so water consumption water and when you find out what goes into creating all those little you know, things you're like, it's insane how that's the way it was developed. You're like, wait, why though? Why do they have to do it the way they do? Because the amount of water that's being used to do those kind of uh you know factory farms or whatever they call them is yeah, it's insane. But some of them kind of look cute and some of them Alisa can spot any AI, it's it's hilarious. And so it's like AI.

SPEAKER_00 10:11

I went really and I and I could do it better, yes.

SPEAKER_01 10:15

How does it how does it how do you how do you find yourself as a dad supporting what your daughter's doing?

SPEAKER_03 10:20

It's I mean, there's a lot of Hallmark moments. We've talked about this uh because they have a thing, an exhibit at the Museum of Science and uh History where we've taken them when they were in strollers, you know, through and so seeing that kind of thing, wow, it started at the Arts Center uh a couple years, well before when you were still in school. When I turned 18 years, right having you know things sell there. So she you'd do they would do a thing there, and seeing it on this on the wall was huh, you know, you're like, oh how cool, you know, it's like and so when I post it on on online, I'll go proud print, you know, parental post or whatever. And it's like for real, you know. I mean, it's one of those things where uh I get sentimental and we look at you know, my wife and I look at each other and like, oh, you know, seeing it go from there to this, yeah, and then now with the exhibit and special spot at the museum, wow, you know, and it's it's a highlighted piece, it's like wow, that's pretty cool. And they're doing something that they love. And so seeing the creative part come through and just them thinking of something and then doing it to a point you're like, wow, it's seeing seeing it being developed and actually come into fruition.

SPEAKER_01 11:34

That's awesome. Yeah. Do you feel like so? Have you tried like how what's the the difference between selling a big piece of art or do you do big pieces of art? I do.

SPEAKER_00 11:43

Um, I do some bigger, some fine art pieces that I uh will display in the art center. Um but since those take so long, like we have some hanging up that I do them with like a 032 brush, so it's like barely any bristles, and you're kind of doing it real slow, and it takes like a hundred hours. That costs a ton of money. And even like the regular designs, so drawing a cup takes 17 to 23 hours. Um original work, I would have to charge so much to have the time work out, so that's why I really like making them into products so that more people can have them and it's just more accessible. Yeah. So I do the fine art uh still occasionally and stuff like that. And I have I'm gonna be having an art show for my 25th birthday. Wow, cool. Um, my quadrant centennial. Um but so I'll have some of my pieces there. But uh I really enjoy having the smaller stuff that people can have.

SPEAKER_03 12:41

And it's wild at how at especially Tuesday Blues Day at the university, those students love, love, love their stuff. Wow, it is incredible. And they'll I love that. Yes, yes, but I mean, and so they're so glad that you know Elisa's there again at this next month, and so they'll get the collection. So if they've made cups and there'll be four to the collection or something, they'll get the next one, or you know, and so that's so that's what you're you would you consider that your following, your audience?

SPEAKER_00 13:10

Oh, yeah. We've started doing loyalty cards, like little punch cards, so I'll sign it, and then they get a special sticker when they visit us five times.

SPEAKER_03 13:17

Yeah, but yeah, we have pen pals and different kinds of things going on to you know be connected to the the Yeah, it's a snail mill club.

SPEAKER_00 13:26

So I designed there's a couple different themes, yeah. Like planet Earth, it's really cheesy, but the art is capitalized. Um that one's got like animals and stuff with fun facts and little hats and things, and then there's silly sexy pinups, which is all ridiculous things like uh this this month. Yeah, if you haven't opened yours, don't listen. They're conversation parts with little pinup legs. But so I send out uh those once a month with like a letter and my calendar and stuff like that. So some of my regulars really love that.

SPEAKER_03 13:56

Yeah, I mean it's it's a neat thing as a dad seeing that. And then our other daughter, you know, they're real passionate about you know theater, so they've done you know a lot of the plays and things and their uh sociology with a minor in law, so they are activists. So Elisa is as well, right, with Texas Rising and you know, wanting the betterment of the city and you know, all of our citizens and things. So it's neat as a parent, you know, seeing them doing what they really like and feel fulfilled doing.

SPEAKER_00 14:26

It's yeah, they've always kind of been like follow your dreams. So a lot of people would not want their child to pursue a uh career in the arts.

SPEAKER_03 14:34

But if you hear about that, they're probably gonna live with you forever, and that would be fine.

SPEAKER_00 14:41

That's the attitude that he went in with it, and he's like, Well, as long as you like it.

SPEAKER_03 14:46

Yeah. And that's like when you had kind of talked off camera before, where uh there was a gap when I started comedy when I was in my 20s uh after high school, and I kind of joked that with our daughters and uh my wife, it's one of those things where I had a captive audience. So they as it is now, we can build off each other and laugh and everything. So it wasn't as uh big of a need to get out, you know, at those times, you know, because we were able to make them laugh, or they were able to make me laugh and things, and we do things together and and really do it right. Now it's getting to the point where I'm able to retire really soon and so kind of live out more of the the comedy thing and do uh my best to help the scene with the Corpuscruz Comedy.com with Ronnie and everything. So it's kind of come full circle and it's really kind of a neat thing to experience because there's ups and downs, hills and valleys, you know, along the way and everything. But it's like, all right, you know, even though I'm I'm old as heck, uh it's well, yes.

SPEAKER_01 15:49

See, I asked you the other day. I was like, uh, so are you like because because you seem like retirement age and stuff, and I was like, is this your retirement plan? Like you don't have to be, you know what I mean? Like why why you're here, you know? That's basically my question.

SPEAKER_00 16:00

You're not even retirement age, though. You're retiring early. Well, I'm retired vote from ATT.

SPEAKER_03 16:05

So I qualify from ATT and they're offering a package and everything because we got a little slower and see about you know those that can. And so I was waiting for that. I thought this call would come late last year, but it didn't. Oh wow, so I thought maybe it's gonna be a little while longer. But the kids, when I had mentioned we we love like Jim Gaffigan and going to different uh shows Nate Bargessy, but leaving those shows, and I think I had said something like, I wish I would have possibly kept on doing that, you know, younger. The kids were like, Well, you could do that now, do it now, yeah. And so, like we said, you tell them do what you love, and then here I may not be doing exactly what I love and putting it so the kids weren't having that. They're like, No, no, no, you could do this now.

SPEAKER_01 16:50

You're the you're the second dad this week that told me that same thing. Oh, wow, okay. Like I'm telling my kids this, and what's dad doing? Right. Yeah, I was like, whoa, smoke.

SPEAKER_03 16:58

So we're all we're obviously thinking that exactly right, and you have to you know lead by example to a certain extent, or else, you know, you were just blowing smoke, dad. What the yeah, yeah, crazy, man. So you'll be hosting a show. Uh uh, so I'll be hosting uh the open mic on Thursday at Mesquite Street. Uh I love that that uh mic. That cat. Um, and so that's always fun uh going down there and seeing all the new comedians or the the comedians do new bits and stuff. Cool, cool, yeah, yeah, for sure. Mesquite. Did they ask you or uh what's is there like a there's like a sign-up sheet, and Anna will kind of Ana Ramidas, uh one of you know our great freaking uh comedians here, they uh are in charge of part of it, and so they'll go around with a a sign-up sheet and then kind of ask who'd be willing or wanting to do that. And so yeah, there's a crew couple of us that get to do it a little more often than others. I'll not do it next month, but then the month after I have another time to do it then. That's so cool. Yeah, it's neat because it gives new comedians another chance to see what hosting is all about, right? And everybody at our mics are really like kind of like how Lisa was saying the artists are. We're not gatekeepers. If there's things we think we could help tell them, you know, do this, don't do this, or you know, don't worry about this, you know, and kind of move it, you know, in a positive direction. That's a neat thing.

SPEAKER_01 18:23

So cool. Yeah, and there's the who Joe's kind of your age. I remember when I saw you at the artisan with Joe, he's kind of the same age as you. That's so cool.

SPEAKER_03 18:30

He always says, he always says he's older than me, and I'll let him keep saying that, even though we don't need to get a calculator and really figure it out. So he asked me again, so how old are you? I go, No, no, no, you've been saying on on air that you're older, so we'll just keep it. I don't want to call you a liar. But he says like it's him, it's Wendell, Mr. Wendell, him, and then uh every now and again he'll meant remember that Jan and Barney, uh, you know, even though she's a musical artist and stuff, but then he I don't think he thinks they're as old as you know we are at times because they do a lot of things, they're really active, they kayak and do all kinds of cool little things, and sometimes some 50-year-olds aren't doing those things, and they're you know in their 60s because he just talked about getting uh his social security. So but so yeah, Joe says he's like the second or third oldest in corpus.

SPEAKER_01 19:23

I I let him have so cool, yeah. Awesome. Yeah, so you've been so you've been doing comedy for two how long?

SPEAKER_03 19:31

So two years again. One of my friends, uh uh Max uh Richards, uh his stage name, um, was turning 50. And when we were younger, I sold cars with him at Saturn, yeah. And that was a great time. Uh showing your age?

SPEAKER_02 19:45

Yeah, Saturn, bro.

SPEAKER_03 19:48

Yeah, that's like is that even the right thing? I know, right? So the neat thing about there is you uh you have a lot of downtime. So if you have a good group of guys, there's a lot of neat things that could happen. And so I had told him about me doing uh comedy when I was younger and then doing uh different things and uh improv. So he was like, Oh, asking more questions and where do you do that? And I tell him about the different open mics that were there then. Yeah, so he really got inspired by that and started doing it. Well, then he turned 50 and he was like, Hey, you know, I like some of the people and you know that had an integral part and me getting to my to this part. And so I was one of the guys like Blake Trevino was on there, Sean Miller, Shaky Jake, um Doug Dalton, Blake Trevino. Um, so there was did I say him twice? You said it twice. Yeah, okay, at least I had done his logo. Another shout out. Yeah, so you did his logo. Yeah, yeah, that's the slow those podcasts. Right, right. And so it was neat. And so then that was where that was the first show coming back, and so the itch was there again, and so the like the kids had said, you know, then then do it. Yeah, and so I'm like, okay, yeah, yeah, you're right.

SPEAKER_00 21:02

You didn't have such a captive audience because we were adults don't live here no more, right, right, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 21:07

So and Sherry can so that so jokes around your family different from jokes at uh like at Open Mic or at Open?

SPEAKER_03 21:13

Um, I think somewhat. Uh now that they're older, uh, you know, I'm not really dirty, dirty, uh, or anything like really super, you know, wearing age appropriate. Well, there's always the dad. You know, if I do say something, or if you know, I feel like you're dirtier at home sometimes, honestly. Well, no let you be. Well, I was all pent up. I couldn't say very many things because you were so now I have to say certain some things just come out.

SPEAKER_01 21:40

Well, you can only hold it in for a long time.

SPEAKER_03 21:42

Exactly right. Hurry up and turn 21. As it is now, one of the things she that Alisa is saying is that sometime in the past I had said you can't know. She's made they're making it seem like I had said that you could flip me off when you are. 35.

SPEAKER_00 22:00

Okay, because dad likes to flip his kids off uh for fun. You know, we're looking at him too long, he throws us a little bird. And then Catherine, my cousin, one time flipped off dad back and she was 25. And I said, Well, why does Catherine get to flip you off back? And dad goes, Well, you can when you're 25. And guess what? I'm 25 in April, and there's a lot of walking back going on.

SPEAKER_03 22:21

There seems to be uh a thing where Elisa, Ella, and my wife have a better memory than you. They claim that they have a better memory, and they use that against me. No, we told you about this. I'm like, I don't think you told me about this. I think it's just a thing where you get past concussions.

SPEAKER_00 22:39

Yours was more major than mine.

SPEAKER_03 22:41

I did have a concussion, yes. And age and stuff, and I I partied a lot when I was young, but still, I mean, they I think they get over 25 is the number. Oh, yeah. So watch out for that at the art show. That we're gonna be with all of Lisa's art, and then she's gonna be just there. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:02

So, what do you guys got for the Super Bowl today?

SPEAKER_03 23:04

Um, I really like uh the Dallas Cowboys. Um, I think I think the way Seattle, the Seahawks have been playing, you know, that they're more well-rounded. I I like you know, both teams, they've played and gotten to this point because they're talented, obviously. Um it's just so uh it's so not fair for other teams when New England had been so dominant for so long, and then they didn't have that long of a layoff of being bad to be good again. It's like as a Chicago Cubs fan, I don't get it. Well, and a Bears fan, you know, but like things like that, you're like, they should go through a you know, a mourning period that's longer than two years.

SPEAKER_00 23:48

It's like what the heck a hundred years.

SPEAKER_03 23:51

Well, not a hundred, but I mean ten, you know. But uh, I do like some of the players on both teams. So it's one of the things that's changed me is fantasy football has made it to where I'm not only cowboys or only bears since I'm from Chicago. Oh, wow, wow, wow. So now, you know, you like different aspects of different teams. And Elisa and Ella are not that way still. They remember when I was really like only, you know, and so every now and again, now Ella's getting to a point where they're more comfortable with school, their course load. So on Sundays, they'll watch some games with me more often. And so if I'm seeing a game that isn't a Bears game or a Cowboys game, I think that's ridiculous.

SPEAKER_00 24:30

I think we should be watching a movie together.

SPEAKER_03 24:33

That's the thing too. Elisa could take it or leave it. She they don't care.

unknown 24:36

I don't care.

SPEAKER_03 24:37

Ella is kind of like now, but for some reason she's adopted the Ravens, so now we watch some. Uh I think it's they love to read, and their my mascot is uh what is it the Edgar Allen and Poe?

SPEAKER_00 24:50

Edgar Allen Poe.

SPEAKER_03 24:51

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 24:52

The Ravens, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:53

So it's kind of like that. But uh, so that's a thing. She is dating somebody who is a Washington Commanders season ticket holder, the family owns, and so that is a trying thing where you're like, what in the heck?

SPEAKER_00 25:07

But we saw them on TV at Christmas.

SPEAKER_03 25:10

Well, this is true.

SPEAKER_00 25:11

That was fun.

SPEAKER_03 25:12

But so, yeah, so that's always a trying thing as a dad. Yeah, you try to raise them right.

SPEAKER_00 25:19

I've decided I like the Miami Dolphins because their colors are nice. And then the dolphins I just like their colors, they're cute.

SPEAKER_03 25:26

And look at the dolphin goes through that ring.

SPEAKER_01 25:30

Reminds me of Snowflake from Ace Ventura. Yeah, that's funny. Uh oh man, I want to talk about your roast battle. What was that like?

SPEAKER_03 25:38

So that was my first. I had never, you know, been in a roast battle. As a matter of fact, when growing up, when people would try to tell yo mama jokes about my mom, yeah, we would get in, you know, a scuffle. Oh, wow. So I wasn't really about that. And it was fine that other people like doing it and everything, but uh, me and another comedian, Tim Boudreau, were talking when it was announced, and he's an older comedian. And so we were like, it's kind of a cool bucket list check, you know, thing as a comedian. I didn't think I was gonna get as far as I got, and then to do that with my wife does not like roasts, and so it's an ex-elementary school teacher.

SPEAKER_00 26:14

It's very stressful for people to be mean to each other.

SPEAKER_03 26:17

Doesn't really appreciate being the you know, leaning mean, you know, and so some of it could be, you know, just you know, more comedic and so not ill intended. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But so that's the one thing, but they all love to support me. So they were there and I won. And then I won.

SPEAKER_00 26:35

And then we had to keep going and seeing people be mean to dad.

SPEAKER_03 26:40

It was like a trying thing. So as it got closer, you know, when I'd win, uh, you know, and so bittersweet. Yes, very exactly. Right, but but my goodness, you're not that familiar.

SPEAKER_01 26:51

Oh my gosh, how did y'all how did y'all feel when they were roasting him? Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 26:55

Uh mom's heart rate monitor on her watch went off a few times where it's like, you calm down, maybe. Um I feel like knowing dad, I could have made fun of more things than just him being fat as the other fat person in the family. I'm like, okay.

SPEAKER_03 27:12

But also right. I'm glad you kept your mouth closed because we don't need to give anybody any more. And that's the thing, like on my socials, there are so many things you can make fun of. I do things that could easily have been a joke. You know, I love my can am. I'm on the the Riker a lot. Sherry uh makes it where that's my second wife. So there could have been some things there.

SPEAKER_00 27:36

Who won did diversify a lot of her jokes, right? And she's really creative, she's such a good writer.

SPEAKER_03 27:43

Well, she's an artist, too, isn't she? Have you seen some of her report? Yeah, yeah. She's and so it's neat.

SPEAKER_00 27:47

We're fans of each other, right?

SPEAKER_03 27:49

Right, and the family, too. So that made it an interesting battle at the end. Um, but it was great. I mean, looking back at it, uh, I'm glad I did it. I'm proud of the way I did it. I think I attacked it in a way where my jokes were mostly fact-based. Like I, if they didn't say something on stage or do something on socials or anything, I would listen to them on podcasts and get things that they had said they did or you know, liked or didn't like.

SPEAKER_02 28:16

He really talked about it.

SPEAKER_03 28:18

Yeah, because some of the comedians that I had, um, like the second round, Adrian uh Rodriguez, he doesn't do a lot of shows or do a lot of uh things like that, and he doesn't post a lot, but he was on um sports with Roland for a good while. He had a little uh a little stint where he was on his own. So I listened to those and kind of get tidbits of that. Jay Everett, who I started with, yeah, he's out there, he'll say everything.

SPEAKER_00 28:43

Yeah, so you could show, like all to all this thing together.

SPEAKER_03 28:46

He'll be real self-effacing and say things that he's making fun of himself. So I could say, well, Jay said, you know, and then everybody. So that was good for that one. And then as we went along, Sweet T is another one who doesn't post a lot of his personal or other interests on social media. So I had to listen to his times on on podcasts, and then it was during that time, and then when we were on a podcast, the slow roast again, um, that we would mention something and he would say, Well, he doesn't like to read, he doesn't like to listen to to music, and so we're you know, people started roasting him right then, you know, right at the same time. But then uh, and some of the people would be on like another podcast, the That Dude Talks with Chris Lingoria and uh that one. So it was neat to be able to do that uh and kind of do my research that way. So that's the way I had done it. Like some of the other comedians, they was just say have a good funny thought in their head, and it couldn't have been meant for anybody, not just Bobby Pena the third, you know. Okay, and so it that was fine, and that's their strategy, and that's how they go about it. That's fine for them.

SPEAKER_00 29:52

I did accidentally heckle once.

SPEAKER_03 29:53

Oh, that oh, which oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:55

Someone had said called you a virgin or something, and I was like, His kids are here, his kids. Yeah, Jay felt that I shouldn't have I shouldn't have heckled.

SPEAKER_03 30:04

No, no, that was well, that was the first round against Jay, but he said something along the lines of And we're friends with Jay, we're cool with Jay. He has me make his flyers and stuff, but I was like, but and Jay Jay has a big heart, you know, and stuff, but he did hugs us all and everything after and everything. Yeah, it's fine. But it's one of those things where he had said something, you know, like, you don't have sex, or you don't have something, you know, like that. He's got two kids. You know, and that was good. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:31

Do you feel like yeah, that comedians need to be on social media more?

SPEAKER_03 30:34

I do. I think, especially during um show times, show weeks when you have you're on a show. Okay, me and Tina uh La Cucina were talking about this. That it's it's great and infuriating to have some of the comedians on your bill because some of them they perform wonderfully, they are gonna get the laughs, but they aren't gonna post until that day that they're on a show. Oh wow. And so it's like girl or guy, you have you know 1200 fans, they want to see you, you know, and so you not posting on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, whichever ones you you know you use, yeah, I think that's a hindrance towards the scene and them growing. So a lot of comedians are introverts, they can get on stage and say jokes and be hilarious. Right, be hilarious, but after that, offstage, they aren't gonna go up and try to get more fans by being outgoing. Hey, how are you doing?

SPEAKER_02 31:31

I guess you could call it.

SPEAKER_03 31:32

And so, yeah, so socials not posting on there, I think is is really making it harder for them to get a bigger following. And nowadays, seems like club promoters want you to have a thousand, fifteen, two, you know, three thousand, five thousand fans, so that it seems like it's gonna be better, you know, for them to sell tickets, right? Because you have more people that can bring more people to their venue, all that kind of stuff. And then when you say I'm on a you know, I'm on a show here, then they'll say, All right, I'm there, you know, I'm close to that. Or so it helps, and there's so many people that can say different things. Uh, well, Facebook's dead, or Facebook's for older people, whatever it is. There's still a lot of traction, and a lot of people that come to our shows because of flyers. Yeah, you know, with corpuscrissy comedy.com, that's we're at 3,500 followers now and just you know, not even here. Exactly. And I think we're doing it for the right reasons. We want to highlight the scene. Yeah, everybody, even comedians that we may not agree with everything they say, they're still comedians in corpus. And they should, you know, they have their fans, so whatever they do, their podcasts or their you know, uh uh films and things like that that they do, yeah. We'll put it on there so that you know you can say that.

SPEAKER_01 32:42

Yeah, I was mentioning to Ronnie, like maybe put maybe on that same page, put a clip of a comedian. That's one of the people can see, oh I might like this. Exactly right.

SPEAKER_00 32:53

That's one of the we need more of the comedians to film themselves and have a lot of that going on.

SPEAKER_03 32:59

Well, there's some, but not everybody does it.

SPEAKER_00 33:01

And not everyone has polished clips, right? It's it's definitely been a conversation.

SPEAKER_03 33:04

Right, and then so right, so that's one of the things we really want to highlight in 2026. And like with the show you just did, um, I think that one was a great show. And then one of the things we could have done, and I think we should do going forward is maybe interviews with some of the people leaving so that we could we could do uh Man on the Street or Oh, you just left, you know, this the corporate original show. What'd you like? And what you know, have you followed everybody, or are you gonna, you know, different kinds of things like that to drum up interest and then highlight people who were leaving to tag the venue, the show comedians. This way it makes it seem like that's the place to be. And it is because everybody at that show had a great time. Nobody left going, eh, you know, whatever. Yeah, um, because whatever reason, you know, plumbing, whatever. Yeah, or what, or whatever, or AC, you know.

SPEAKER_01 33:56

I mean, yeah, it seems like an old building, anyways. Plus, that side of town is a lot of the stuff is old, like it could be in the plumbing. Because I kind of live on that side of town too, and it's it's an issue, definitely. But does it for that part of the city?

SPEAKER_03 34:07

But the room upstairs, it everybody loves it. I mean, so many comedians that I've talked to, uh, like John Stringer was just here, and we had a great uh three-hour lunch with him and uh Ronnie Blake and I, and that's one of the ones he says out of the whole country that's like in his top. No, no, yeah. Wow. So it's only like 60, 80 seats, but the feel, the way the ceilings lower, you know, it's got a cool vibe and everything. So it's got a neat vibe to it. And so when you put in comedians who are having fun and everything, I think it'll help you know grow the scene faster the more people are more out there on socials for sure.

SPEAKER_01 34:43

So, what do you how so what do you want to get into like the the level of comedy for comedians?

SPEAKER_03 34:50

Like, do we have actually good comics or are they still making it their way to I think we have some like definitely you know, diamonds in the rough. There are some that are really good. Um, and then there are some that are close, you know, and I think it's just a little more time, a little more input from you know, different comedians. Um, going to the open mics, you know, now that we have there's some weeks we have open mics, it could be like one a day, and so so having five plus a week is awesome for Corpus because it wasn't like that, you know, 10 years ago. Yeah, and so that's an eating, and then especially I think like Migalito's taking a more positive approach about helping you know comedians tag third certain things, as well as John Roman, uh Javi Luna's helped me, you know, with a couple things. Uh I worked one of his merch tables when he had a uh sickness for the person handling his merch on one of his shows with uh Chonay up in uh Woodlawn, the Woodlawn Center. And so that ride up there and back, it was it was awesome. So he was letting me pick his brain and stuff. So it's a new neat thing about that.

SPEAKER_00 35:55

From an outsider's perspective, who's been going to the shows now for a little over two years, because we were going a little bit before you were jumping in. A lot of the comedians have uh the same jokes that have kind of prevailed, but they've all evolved. So when they have the same sets that they've been doing for a while, they really grow into it and take the notes and everything. And so even some people that I've only seen for two years have gotten leaps and bounds better just by going out and practicing their craft, which is really cool.

SPEAKER_03 36:23

Yeah, it is, and that's the neat thing, like how I look at like the the hooks, the Corpus Cruzy hooks. You know, I I love sports, and so a lot of things are sports metaphors, but seeing like when uh those guys are coming up and then seeing who they've become with the Astros or other teams is kind of similar to the Corpus Cruzy comedy scene because I remember seeing Steve Setorvino when he was just starting out at like Sparkling City and a couple of the places around here. Uh Javi Luna, I remember him uh being with the Vatos Locos tour, which is still a cool tour. Wow, but you know, that was 10 years ago, you know, and seeing where he is now and he was so funny at the last show.

SPEAKER_02 36:59

He did such a good job.

SPEAKER_03 37:00

Oh yeah, at the roast, yeah, yes, yeah, because he was on the show uh that he had hosted uh the other night too. So he's you know, he's our big fish. He is you know the big name in in Corpus, along with Tina Lacocino, who's one you know, comedian of the year uh for the band for a while. Oh, yeah, for sure. Um, and then you know John Roman has been really instrumental in helping a lot of people with his being um uh one of the promoters for a lot of different comedy clubs here in the city, too. So it's neat to see where we can be the rise of the mothership and the things going on in San Antonio and Austin. We're close enough to where a lot of the comedians that are going there, if we could take a Wednesday or a Thursday show from them before they do their Friday or Saturday show and then build our scene more. And I think the Hilliard Center is doing that, you know, with a lot of the comedians they're bringing in. Mesquite Street is has a really cool list of comedians coming, you know, it just in the few months coming up. Yeah, and so it's neat seeing that, and then the open mic spots that we have that we could thrive, you know, the annex with their showcase and and things like that, all the different places, and a lot of our comedians are hungry to get maybe their own mic or get another show during the month somewhere else. So there's gonna be a lot of neat places coming uh up as well.

SPEAKER_01 38:18

So yeah, I I really hope that a lot of us like I don't know, I don't know if we're I don't do you think that like we're too nice to each other at open mics, like great set. I think some instead of like, oh, maybe this.

SPEAKER_03 38:32

Well, one of the things I think in a way, I think though there's a couple of us who I know I'm one of them, and there's a couple other guys that are compliments. Well, compliment will compliment sandwich, but also when they taped one, I go, I'd love to see that with you. Or after you watch that, okay, so you know they're trying to exactly yeah, and I'll go, let's watch that together, or after you watch that, let's talk, you know, because I'll remember a couple things, but sometimes some people don't want to hear the the criticism right because they want to hear the praise, everybody does, yeah, you know, and so if you say it then, or I'll also kind of say, Well, how did it feel? And then we'll build off of that. I don't want to go up to someone where they know they kind of you know botched one okay thing or something, and then kind of make it to where they're not gonna believe the next time they may have you know bombed, and I go, dude, yeah, you rocked. Then they're gonna uh you just say what I want to say, you know. So they might not you know think of me as a good sounding board. And by no means do I know any more than anybody else, but I know what I hear, you know. And so when they say why they wanted to say something or what they were thinking about, I go, Well, did you do that? And then we can kind of get into more of the the process. Uh, but a lot of comedians, not a lot, there's several comedians who are good about that, helping. Um, you know, there's writing sessions that you know have happened at Tapology and things like that, right, and stuff like that. So there's a lot of help to be done, and it's not just after the mics or after the shows, like you killed it, you know, yeah, you crushed.

SPEAKER_01 40:05

Yeah, for sure. And and when they tell if somebody tells me that, I'm like, what like tell me? What exactly more, yeah. Yeah, and then they're not they're not ready.

SPEAKER_03 40:12

They're not ready to say they're like, Oh, I thought I was just gonna say this, you know, we're gonna be done and we're gonna hug it out, and then that's all.

SPEAKER_01 40:19

Yeah, the other night, an artist and one guy told me he's like, Oh, yeah, great. I was the first one, a third third one to go up. I was like, What'd you like about it? And he couldn't remember it, right? I was like, okay, but thank you though. Appreciate it. That's awesome, man. Uh yeah, is there anything you guys you guys want to talk about? Anything else?

SPEAKER_03 40:35

Um, I I mean I got my first show in San Antonio coming March 1st. So yeah, so that's gonna be neat. Um, that was one of the goals once I retired, is to start traveling a little bit more. And so San Antonio is a great place. There's a lot of cool comedians that have you know come down and I met or through socials got you know a really nice friendship with. Uh, so that's gonna be neat. And I got a lot of family and friends up there that haven't been able to come down. You're putting on the show? No, no. I'm just uh invited. Okay, okay, okay. I'm just it's a open bike showcase on a Sunday, and it's uh done by uh Duckies. He's a big name in San Antonio. Um, and so that's gonna be a lot of fun. And then it's uh Anna had told me I'd asked because I didn't hear about this bar. It's called uh Rocky's Tavern. I'm like, anybody know about this? And Anna had said, Oh, that's a fun room, go, you know, do it. And I'm like, okay. And so he had said I could bring some people, so I'm bringing uh Ronnie Fryer, Skip Pettit, and Tim Boudreau. Oh, they're gonna be on the yeah, yeah, so they'll be on there. So I'll be a feature doing just a little bit, you know, 15 minutes, and then they'll be able to do you know seven to ten. So cool. So it'll be a good guide trip, you know. Uh first my first road trip, they have all done road trips, but me having to work for uh for this long time, so I haven't yet. So this will be the first one.

SPEAKER_01 41:53

Uh Elisa, what do you got going on? I I heard you in the art center.

SPEAKER_00 41:56

Yeah, uh I have a couple of places where I have my stuff. Art center, uh K-Space is one I have a shelf in there. Um Sparkling City Game Store, I have stuff in there.

SPEAKER_03 42:09

Um and then you have to do it.

SPEAKER_00 42:12

Noisy's Brewing. I designed their labels for their barbecue sauce. Yeah, so totally, yeah. And then my most recent uh one was the Museum of Science and History, where we did uh a wholesale order. So they have like our Corpus Christi cups, and then we design cups for I say we because mom is so integral to the business. She's production. Yes, uh, so I design and then she does a lot of our our production work, but uh did some stuff for them and I don't want to blow smoke up my butt it's really cool. It's really exciting that they put they've put in the corpus christi section, the noasis section, nice a little display case featuring me, which was really awesome.

SPEAKER_03 42:52

So when we had seen it, we're like oh my gosh, because it's in a it's in a case, the things that they've made for them. So like the different things are things that you could see in the museum, so it's not just things that Elisa had made of the city, you know, as uh some of the other items are. Yeah, this one is specific for them, and so they're able to do that for other museums, and they've kind of reached out, but they're also the in-house uh uh artist for the the Colorado River uh association, so they do work, uh they're based out of Austin, and they're a nonprofit that helps teach kids about water conservation and stuff like that, and they do river cleanups.

SPEAKER_00 43:29

Oh wow, and I designed a little he's a raindrop, his name is Ripple. Oh wow, and they actually turned him, we designed him for uh a project for like a kid's activity booklet. They turned him into a mascot recently. I think it looks exactly like my drawing. It's so cute. How do you feel about that? Wow, that's awesome. No, I love it. I love them. I love working with people that are doing good things for any community. I was up there obviously for college uh in San Marcos, so uh that's how we got connected, but they're awesome. Yes, I love everything they do with it.

SPEAKER_03 44:01

And it's such a cool thing as a dad, seeing their enthusiasm about all that.

SPEAKER_01 44:05

That's dope. Yeah, so uh how do we find you guys online?

SPEAKER_03 44:08

Uh mine on uh Bobby Pena the third on Facebook, Bobby Pena Three Comedy on Instagram or uh Corpus Christie Comedy.com. Um we have all the shows open mics, things like that. We have a calendar of every comedy show open mic or things going on in the city that the comedians are doing. Wednesday, there's uh at the Alamo Draft House, there's film up. Heidi Hobda puts on this awesome thing where local uh artists are able to put little things that they may be working on to big films. So if they're doing uh some kind of project, wherever it is in the you know, in the setup or the process, they can have it filmed there to get criticism or critiques, show it off, kind of network that way. So I'm in one with that Javi Luna and I had been uh in, and I was Migolito's in it, Daniel Torres, uh Happy the Entertainer, Ronnie Fire. There's a lot of Trey Automijo, there's a lot of comedians in that one. Then uh we tried to do it for CC7 Day, but we kind of uh we had a kind of a technical glitch, yeah. So we weren't able to do that. So this will be the first screening, and there's still some polishing up that uh Javi wants to do with it, but like we said, it's a place that you could put it up there, and then Jan uh is doing something. Um, Jan Morris, uh the other comedian. We love uh all of her comedy songs, but her and Barney put together um another version of one of their CC seven day films that they had done last time. It's gonna be the second edition of Corpus Christie after dark. A lot of comedians are in that. I'm in that one in a couple scenes. Wow, that's so that's awesome there too.

SPEAKER_00 45:46

Online, how can they go to that?

SPEAKER_03 45:47

Uh film up. Uh, you go to Islamodrafthouse uh com or film up Corpus Christi is another way uh that you can go and get uh the tickets and things like that. Wow, that's cool. Yeah, that's an awesome time.

SPEAKER_00 46:00

And then online, I'm artistry by Elisa on everything. Alisa is E-L-I-S-A, and that's uh Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter. Nice um, I never tweet, but I never X. Never X. And then that's also that's also my website, so just artistry by Elisa.com, and that's that's where I am.

SPEAKER_01 46:18

Nice, nice. Yeah, I like the the picture you have for your logo. It looks like you with the glasses. Yeah, right, right.

SPEAKER_03 46:23

Yeah, I should have worn mine, I got one. Yeah, I'm with Elisa.

SPEAKER_01 46:27

Nice, like hers says I'm Elisa. Cool. Well, thanks. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, thanks a lot, you guys, for me on the show for this conversation. Thanks a lot, you guys. Uh stay tuned for Corpus and Coffee, another edition coming out soon. This is the second episode of that, but thanks a lot for the comments, you guys, and we'll see y'all next time.

SPEAKER_03 46:44

Woo!

SPEAKER_01 46:44

Bye.

SPEAKER_03 46:45

Nice, that was awesome. Cool.