Today we’d like to introduce you to Tommy Lucero.
Hi Tommy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started doing comedy in my early 30’s hitting open mics in my hometown of Ocean Beach. After a near fatal car crash I began to take comedy more seriously, possibly due to head trauma and the realization that this could all end at any time. From there I went on to perform at the Hollywood Comedy Store, Homewood Improv, and multiple comedy showcases all over the state.
Went on the road numerous times over the years learning the ins and outs of “touring” and booking shows. That opened up opportunities at comedy clubs in different towns, that I never would’ve thought I’d visit, let alone perform in. The lessons you learn on the road are invaluable, one being that you never ever eat gas station sushi. No matter how cheap it is, or hungry and baked you might be.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I had to overcome not only shady producers, but alcoholism on top of that. My first time going out on the road taught me not everyone is your friend and not everyone knows as much as they pretend to. However, those outtings served to teach me about how not to conduct yourself in a professional setting. Even more importantly, was to make sure you get things in writing to ensure you’re not just performing for drink tickets.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve found that over the years you need to specialize in more than just one thing if you’re going to be a working road comic. Those things tend to be beyond the creative side of things and delve into things like scheduling, transportation, and taking people on the road that don’t annoy you .
I’m personally proud of coming as far as I have without compromising my own ideals or way of performing. I’m proud of taking the chances I have that have led to winning roast battles, taking part in comedy festivals, and appearing on TV in different shows. If you don’t take a risk here and there you’ll never know what you might be missing out on, or the experiences you could rob yourself of.
I feel what sets me apart is the fact that I learn from my mistakes. “The definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting different results”. Failure is part of learning something new, not every outting will be epic. However, the ones that are, tend to make up for those that aren’t.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I’ll be performing more on the road again in the coming year. Keep an eye out for my series of televised comedy shows in conjunction with some local producers as well as @usweedchannel .
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tommytheroach?igsh=b3Rwam40ZWpwYTN0
- Twitter: @tommy_lucero
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@tommytheroach?si=0DabH97Giyzz6WBL
- Other: Tiktok: tommytheroach
Image Credits
Patrick Rutherford
Seabass
Jacob Blaeser Photography
Ace Diaz
Mike McCalla
Jen Martinez
