Comedian Jesus Trejo looks at the family stories 'behind the jokes' in new series

When Variety named Jesus Trejo one of its “10 Comics to Watch” in 2017, the comedian got “a boost of confidence to let me know I’m on the right track,” he told NBC News in a recent interview.

The list included celebrities like Tiffany Haddish and Hasan Minhaj, and it showed Trejo there was an audience for stories about authentic experiences.

“One of the things that I pride myself in is that I talk about my upbringing, my family, the things I feel that I’m an expert on, which is my lived experience,” said Trejo, who grew up in Long Beach, California.

Fans will know the Mexican American comedian from his Showtime stand-up special “Stay at Home Son” and the web series “Tacos Con Todo,” where he meets celebrity guests at popular taquerías in Los Angeles. He was also a staff writer for Hulu’s highly praised comedy series “This Fool.”

Now, Trejo wants to carry over that authenticity as the host and executive producer of the new documentary series “Roots of Comedy,” which premieres on the PBS website and app on Friday, and on broadcast on June 21.

The series profiles six up and coming comics. Trejo says viewers will be able to meet their diverse families, see how they live, and share in the experiences that feed into their jokes onstage.

“Sometimes the stories behind the jokes are even more riveting than the jokes themselves,” he said.

Trejo highlighted the story of Vanessa González as an example.

“One of the jokes that she talks about is that her parents are from Mexico and they ended up working for the Border Patrol,” he said. “The punchline is like ‘traitors,’ but then we cut to it [her family story] and we realize that it’s complex. That’s the reality — that was the industry that existed in her hometown.”

Trejo says the through line in the series is that all six comics base their jokes on their family experiences, which also resonates with him.

“My rich upbringing as a Mexican American in Long Beach with immigrant parents is the basis for my storytelling,” he said. “I can bring that storytelling and that experience to any project that I take on.”

Trejo said his parents are from the Mexican states of Jalisco and Sinaloa, but met in Los Angeles. He grew up in a Spanish-speaking household and didn’t have a good grasp of English until fifth grade. So the first comedians he remembers on TV or in film were Mexican icons known to generations of viewers — Chespirito, India María, Cantinflas and Resortes.

“Seeing my mom crying, laughing, and seeing my dad slapping his leg, laughing, that leaves an impression on you as a kid,” he said, describing their reactions to those comedians.

When asked about his experience writing for the well-received comedy series “This Fool,” which was canceled after its second season, Trejo said he feels lucky to have been part of the show.

The series starred comedian Chris Estrada as a smart, well-meaning 30-year-old still living at home in L.A. and working at a nonprofit run by a dubious but hilarious Michael Imperioli (“White Lotus,” “The Sopranos”).

“It was great to be in a room with just so many funny people, and to tell stories that were all too familiar to people in my community, but maybe rare or rarely seen in the TV landscape,” he said.

This visibility, Trejo says, drives him to tell more stories about Latinos and family.

In 2023, he published “Papá’s Magical Water-Jug Clock,” a children’s book about working with his father in landscaping.

“My dad used to tell me that he was able to tell time based on how much water there was in his water jug. And when the water was gone, that’s how he knew it was time to go home,” he said. “That became the basis of this book.”

Trejo says these authentic family experiences also give him perspective.

“My parents were able to see themselves in a book, and they could barely read and write in their own language,” he said. “So I want to tell more stories that have that effect.”

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