LA-born comic Chris Estrada has always been certain of two things—his knack for cracking jokes, and his love for punk rock.
The seasoned standup, writer and producer’s debut comedy show This Fool premiered on Hulu last year and was renewed for a second season in 2023. Not only does Estrada star, the show is based on his life and offers a comedic look into cholo culture from a rocker fool’s perspective.
Navigating adolescence in a melting pot of culture gave Estrada the means to explore a variety of art forms.
“I’m a Mexican American and my parents are immigrants. As I’ve gotten older, I embrace my parents’ music,” says Estrada. “But when I was 13 or 14 I wasn’t looking to embrace it, I was looking to find my own way and I think I found that in punk rock.”
Even if his gang-affiliated cousins would pick on him for liking “white boy music,” he’d continued to bump bands like The Clash, The Germs, Rage Against the Machine and NOFX.
“I relate to it emotionally,” he says. “It sounds weird and I feel weird so that’s why I like it, you know?”
Although he’d go to concerts, buy records and zines, and connect to the political message of punk, he never felt part of the scene. It wasn’t until he began participating in stand-up comedy at 29 years old that he felt a personal sense of community.
While developing This Fool, Estrada tried to enhance the show’s tone by including a blend of tracks from his current and formative years—hip-hop, regional Mexican music, oldies and ska, among other genres. But he says he’s most proud of the show’s use of Southern California Latino punk bands.
“In the first season we use a song from Generación Suicida and in the second season we use music by this band called Tozcos,” Estrada says. “As much as I love Black Flag and The Clash, it’s cool to give some shine to these punk bands that sing in Spanish, are mostly Latinos, and are in Southern California.”
His love of the music has led to a collaboration with the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas for a three-day takeover. Estrada will give guided tours of the museum, DJ at the Triple Down Bar, host a comedy show and a screening of This Fool followed by a Q&A.
Estrada is no stranger to Vegas, as some family members reside here, and he has taken the stage here several times, including a performance at the Golden Nugget during Punk Rock Bowling.
Estrada and the museum connected via Instagram, where “they messaged me and told me they were fans of the show. I was taken aback and thought that’s really cool, but didn’t think much of it,” he explains. “Then I did a podcast with Damian Abraham from the band F**ked Up and he invited us to go do a live podcast at the museum with one of its founders, Fat Mike from NOFX, and Fred Armisen.”
Estrada concurs that Las Vegas is the perfect place for the museum as a more affordable destination for travel compared to other major cities, as well as a destination where punk culture is just apparent.
“I think LA and New York would have been a little too institutional,” says Estrada. “The fact that it’s Vegas and it’s just a little offbeat ... it’s really cool and I love that it’s there.”
CHRIS ESTRADA December 15-17, event times and ticket prices vary. Punk Rock Museum, thepunkrockmusem.com.
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