Editor’s note: This story was published through a partnership between KSAT and Live From the Southside, a new local- and Latina-owned magazine that works to improve & expand community relationships through promoting events, stories and businesses.
South Side born and raised and a graduate of Southwest High School, comedian Joanna Estrada who is also known as Chona E, went viral on social media with her parodies just a couple of years ago.
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The comedian, actress and plus-size model has since collaborated with many comedians from throughout the nation and also joined the local Tex-Mex comedy show Bean & Chisme.
Fast forward to this year and headlining at San Antonio’s popular comedy venue Laugh Out Loud, Chona E was inspired to bring the first comedy show to her South Side community.
On Friday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m., the inaugural comedy event “Love to Laugh” and kick-off to her comedy series will take place on the South Side at B&N Sports Bar at 3705 Roosevelt Ave. The sports bar has been a South Side staple for over 30 years. Get your tickets here.
The all-star comedy lineup will be emceed by TikTok sensation Jose Zamorano, also known as Jose Not Juan. Zamorano graduated from KD Studios Actors Conservatory in Dallas with an arts degree. With more than 10 years of developing his craft and being a man of many hats, he aspires to be a global actor. He also lives on the South Side.
A warm welcome and a few opening remarks will be made by April Monterrosa, publisher of Live from the Southside magazine, the first Latina-owned publication on the South Side of San Antonio. Monterrosa’s South Side roots run deep and she has brought many “firsts” to her South Side community like the Southside Book Fair and Southside Market Days. She is also a radio personality on KLMO Tejano 98.9 FM.
The high comic energy all-star lineup includes:
John Perez — Perez grew up on the West Side his whole life and recently moved to the South Side. He started creating YouTube videos in 2015 and did radio for about two years. His comedy inspiration started when he went to a local comedy show and reminisced about his high school days as the “class clown.” Currently, he is working with other comics and has sold out eight solo shows and won three first-place open mic competitions.
Michelle Cantu — Cantu is one of San Antonio’s fastest-rising Latina comedians. She has already performed in shows all over Texas including Chingona Comedy, Don’t Mess With Texas Women of Comedy, Border Laughs, and the amazing comedy collective Bean & Chisme. She also graced the world-famous Laugh Factory stage in Chicago with Las Locas Comedy in 2022.
One Bad Comic – Israel Garcia: Garcia has been doing stand-up for over 15 years. His high energy and animated comedic style have garnered him some serious credits in the comedy industry. He has toured all over the United States on some of the biggest stages in the nation such as the Hollywood Improv and the Latin Comedy Jam. Israel has worked with some of the hottest comedians out there today including Mark Normand, Chingo Bling, and Jon “Polar Bear” Gonzalez, to name a few. His resume extends to numerous colleges and festivals. In addition, he makes time to perform for our armed forces as well as benefits and fundraisers.
You don’t want to miss this awesome event! Get your tickets here.
This article initially appeared on Live from the Southside.
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