Raised in the urban city of Compton, California, Richard Villa always knew he wanted to make people laugh.
After completing a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, Richard felt there was something more out there in stored for him. While driving home one night, the neon lights of the Irvine Improv called his name. Hey Richard!
Seizing the moment of amateur night, Richard grabbed the microphone, went on stage, and has not stopped since.
Using stories of his childhood, Richard Villa turned what he thought were basic experiences into autobiographical satirical humor that depict life for Latinos and other minorities in the United States. Amid his newfound talent in improvisation, Richard was accepted to The Groundlings Theatre Group.
With his comedy and thorough understanding of his audience, Richard Villa became the first Latino to ever host the renowned Hollywood Improv on Friday nights. Sharing the stage with various other talent such as Jeff Garcia, Carlos Mancilla, Gabriel Iglesia, Mike Epps, Orlando Jones and Dat Phan, Richard Villa quickly took over co-host duties at the Ha-Ha in North Hollywood, and the Ontario and Brea Improv.
His ability to appeal to the audience earned him a special invitation by the U.S. Military to perform for the troops on the Combat Comedy Tour which included Iraq, Unit, May, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Djibouti, and Saudi Arabia.
In 2005 Vanguard Cinema released Richards 1st DVD, called Richard Villa: Performing This Way. Now being hailed as the leader for the new generation of Latino Comics, Richard Villa exemplifies dedication to making other people laugh. With his television appearances on Mun2s Loco Comedy Jam, HBO Latino and Los Angeles based LATV, Richard Villa has turned his talent into animation, becoming a writer and voiceover for MTVs Latin animation, Chico y Guapo.
In a personal project, Richard Villa is aiming at introducing his audience to Border Patrol Tales, a sketch comedy show depicting the social impact and influence of immigrants in the United States.
With all this and more, it is no wonder that in no time, Richard Villa will be as synonymous a household name as pan dulce and champurrado!
Be sure to check out his official site for upcoming appearances at www.richardvilla.com
By: Wendy Carrillo