Ralph Barbosa (born October 3, 1996) is an American stand-up comedian. His career began gaining traction in 2019 when he was named the Funniest Comic in Texas. His performance at a Don't Tell Comedy show garnered over 4.6 million views on YouTube by September 2023. In 2021, he won a New York International Latino Film Festival competition and hosted the HBO Max special Entre Nos: The Winners 3. Barbosa made his late-night debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in January 2023. His comedy special Ralph Barbosa: Cowabunga, released on Netflix in October 2023.
| Ralph Barbosa | |
|---|---|
 Barbosa in 2023 | |
| Born | October 3, 1996 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Medium | Stand-up |
| Education | Mesquite High School |
| Years active | 2019–present |
| Genres | Observational comedy |
| Children | 1 |
Early life and education
editBarbosa was born on October 3, 1996, in Dallas, Texas and was raised in Mesquite, Texas. His mother gave birth to him when she was 16 years old, and he was raised by his grandmother, who was an immigrant from Mexico.[1] His father owned a body shop in Oak Cliff, where he painted cars.[2][3] He attended Mesquite High School, and during his senior year, he began performing comedy for his class to distract his teachers.[4] Before pursuing comedy full-time, Barbosa worked as a barber at Oak Cliff Barbers.[3]
Career
editIn 2019, he was awarded the Funniest Comic in Texas. His performance at a Don't Tell Comedy pop-up show went viral, amassing 4.6 million views on YouTube by September 2023.[5] In 2021, Barbosa won the New York Latino Film Festival Stand-Up competition presented by New York International Latino Film Festival and HBO Latino. He was later featured as a host of the HBO Max comedy special Entre Nos: The Winners 3 alongside Gwen La Roka.[6][2]
In January 2023, Barbosa made his late-night television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[7] The next month, during a taping of the podcast OMG HI! with comedian George Lopez, guest Steve Treviño praised Barbosa's rising career, prompting Lopez to respond, "Nobody knows who that motherfucker is," and disagree with Treviño's wish to ease the path for young Latino comedians.[8] The clip of Lopez's comments went viral, sparking backlash towards Lopez, leading him to later privately apologize to Barbosa.[9] He announced his Super Cool Ass Tour on November 14, 2023, via Instagram.[10] In December 2023, he and Melissa Villaseñor were named in the Top Latin Times' List of Best Stand-Up Comedians of 2023. The Latin Times described his style as "laid back and often invoking his Hispanic heritage to connect with audiences."[11]
On October 31, 2023, his comedy special Ralph Barbosa: Cowabunga was released on Netflix.[6] The special was filmed at the Kessler Theater, across the street from the old barbershop where he used to work.[12] The special debuted at number three on Netflix’s Top 10 TV chart, where it remained for two weeks.[13] Sean L. McCarthy of Decider recommended streaming it and rated it 9th among the 10 best stand-up comedy specials of 2023, praising Barbosa for being "cool, calm and effortlessly funny, even when joking about wondering what it means to be cool."[14][15] In April 2024, Barbosa was tapped to host the show Introducing…, which showcased up-and-coming comedic talent and kicked off the 2024 Netflix Is A Joke festival.[16] In July 2024, he was named one of Variety's 10 Comics to Watch, alongside Troy Iwata and Jackie Fabulous.[17]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | HA Festival: The Art of Comedy | Guest |
| 2022 | Entre Nos: The Winners 3 | Writer and host |
| 2023 | Ralph Barbosa: Cowabunga | Writer, producer, and host |
References
edit- ^ Sánchez, Aaron E. (December 7, 2023). "Commentary: How Ralph Barbosa's comedy explains Latino voters". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ a b Kaur, Jagminder (November 2, 2023). "Ralph Barbosa: The Comedian's Journey From Local Gigs to National Spotlight". TheCinemaholic.
- ^ a b Myong, Elizabeth (September 20, 2023). "Ralph Barbosa on his new Netflix special, cheesesteaks and growing up in North Texas". The Dallas Morning News.
- ^ "Ralph Barbosa's Ass Won't Last". Vulture. October 2, 2023.
- ^ Pandyal, Hershal (June 28, 2022). "This Weed Joke Is As Potent As Today's Weed". Vulture.
- ^ a b Grobar, Matt (September 20, 2023). "Comedian Ralph Barbosa Sets Fall Launch For First Netflix Special 'Cowabunga'". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ Martinez, Kiko (January 13, 2023). "Texas comedian Ralph Barbosa makes 'Tonight Show' debut". San Antonio Express-News.
- ^ Martinez, Fidel (February 16, 2023). "Latinx Files: George Lopez's crab-in-a-bucket moment". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Carras, Christi (February 12, 2023). "George Lopez privately apologizes to fellow comic Ralph Barbosa after insulting him". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Aguirre, Priscilla (November 16, 2023). "3 huge comedians, rising star are set tour dates in San Antonio". San Antonio Express-News.
- ^ Rodríguez, Abel (December 14, 2023). "Melissa Villaseñor, Ralph Barbosa Top Latin Times' List of Best Stand Up Comedians of 2023". The Latin Times.
- ^ Gallagher, Danny (August 1, 2023). "Comedian Ralph Barbosa Will Film His First Netflix Special This Week at The Kessler". Dallas Observer.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (November 17, 2023). "Comedian Ralph Barbosa Unveils Dates For First Leg Of His 'Super Cool Ass Tour' As He Graduates To Theater Circuit". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ McCarthy, Sean L. (November 2, 2023). "Stream It Or Skip It: 'Ralph Barbosa: Cowabunga' On Netflix, A Comedian Who Wants To Keep Things Chill For His Debut Hour". Decider.
- ^ McCarthy, Sean L. (December 20, 2023). "The 10 Best Stand-Up Comedy Specials Of 2023". Decider.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (April 10, 2024). "Ralph Barbosa To Host Comedy Showcase 'Introducing…' Kicking Off Netflix Is A Joke Fest 2024". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ Howard, Courtney; Laffly, Tomris; Miller, Stuart; Plunkett, Paul; Riley, Jenelle (July 16, 2024). "Troy Iwata, Jackie Fabulous and Ralph Barbosa Among Variety's 10 Comics to Watch for 2024". Variety.
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