We were saddened to learn that local comedian and Cal creative writing alum Chris Garcia is departing for drier, tonier, potentially more fertile pastures (depending on whom you ask) — namely, his hometown of Los Angeles. He said as much in a triumphal email, followed by an even more triumphal Facebook status update. Asked to defend the decision, Garcia issued a semi-formal statement: "I've noticed a serious shortage of multi-talented, big-hearted, and brash snaggle-toothed Cubans represented in Hollywood, so I'm doing the Industry a favor and filling that void."
Our (futile) response: Nooooooooooooooo!
Garcia has been instrumental in fueling the recent Bay Area comedy renaissance, both in his role as co-founder of the weekly Mission district showcase, The Business, and as a former employee of the local startup Rooftop Comedy. He's gigged around the Bay for seven years now and amassed an impressive dossier of original sketch videos, including this parody of a hipster bass instructor, which wound up on The Bold Italic last week. (Sample line: "Maybe my libido doesn't like to come home to what appears to be my father in a dress.") It required the comedian to revisit a past life in which he played bass for various rock bands in the Berkeley student co-op circuit. He was also a science theater educator. At one point, he won a "Best of" award for having the best gams in the Bay.
Uh, j/k on that last one. But in all seriousness, he is one of the best comics. Or was.
Oh, and here's a little old school Garcia from the Garchives: