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Comedian Cristela Alonzo on politics, therapy, and what it means to be 'Middle Classy'

Cristela Alonzo's second Netflix special, "Middle Classy" comes five years after her first comedy special, "Lower Classy."
Cristela Alonzo's second Netflix special, "Middle Classy" comes five years after her first comedy special, "Lower Classy."

Cristela Alonzo is one of only afew Latinoswitha Netflix comedy special. When her first premiered in 2017, she didn’t hold back on her dislike for former President Donald Trump or her identity as a Mexican-American in South Texas.A critic in Eponymous Review called her “fearlessly funny.”

But after the 2016 election, Alonzo says she needed a break from comedy. She started getting involved in politics. Now, she’s back for her second special, “Middle Classy.” And she’s bringing her activism with her, opening up the special with cameos from civil rights leader Dolores Huerta and Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro.

“I just feel like I’m a kind of different comic than a lot of others,” said Alonzo.

“I have this whole world that’s not stand-up related that I thought, ‘You know what? I want to merge both worlds and I want to show that people like Joaquin Castro and Dolores Huerta can be funny.'”

That’s not the only way Alonzo’s world has changed. She shared with us what it’s like being able to finally afford to take care of herself and the importance of therapy despite the stigma among her Latino family.

Copyright 2022 WAMU 88.5

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