Meet Gilbert Gill Chris | Standup Comedian & Podcaster
We had the good fortune of connecting with Gilbert Gill Chris and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Gilbert Gill, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
I don’t think I’ve ever looked at stand-up as something I could quit. I’ve wanted to quit on certain nights, but comedy kind of follows you everywhere — home, the boring 9-to-5, even ordering chicken online. Even when I’m not on stage, I’m watching people, thinking of ideas, and finding weird things funny. I think that’s how I know I’m supposed to keep doing it.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think what sets me apart is that I’ve never wanted to just tell jokes — I’ve always loved creating spaces and conversations too. Stand-up is a huge part of who I am, but I also host The Mindbuzz, produce podcasts, and help create opportunities for other comics, artists, and creators. I love hearing people’s stories and finding humor in everyday life. My comedy comes from being Mexican, growing up in Southern California, family experiences, awkward moments, and just observing people. I’ve realized the smallest things are usually the things people connect with the most.
Getting where I am professionally definitely wasn’t easy. I think people sometimes see a show, a podcast episode, or a clip online and assume it happened overnight, but there were a lot of late nights, open mics, trial and error, learning equipment, producing shows, and figuring things out as I went. There were times I questioned whether I was good enough or whether I was moving fast enough, but I kept showing up.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that consistency beats motivation. Motivation comes and goes, but showing up matters. I’ve also learned that building a community is just as important as building a career. The people around you really matter.
What I want people to know about me and my brand is that I’m trying to create something that feels genuine. I want people to laugh, but I also want them to feel like they’re part of something. Whether it’s a stand-up set, a podcast conversation, or a live event, I want people to walk away feeling a little more connected than when they walked in.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend came out for a week, I’d want them to experience Southern California the way I see it — good food, comedy, random adventures, and conversations that somehow start serious and end with us talking about aliens or movie theories at 2 a.m.
The first stop would definitely be food because that’s a priority. We’d hit some taco spots, grab a slice of my favorite pizza from Long Beach and stop by my favorite coffee shop in Paramount, Horchateria Rio Luna. It’s one of those places that feels creative and community-driven, which I really love.
We’d hit the beach at least once because Southern California almost feels illegal if you don’t. Sit there for a while, reset, and have one of those conversations that starts normal and somehow ends with us debating aliens, movies, or what is better, menudo or pozole, again.
We’d also go catch some comedy because I love introducing people to that world. Shameless plug: I’d take them to Milagro Cinemas on Monday nights where they show old comedy movies. I love seeing classic comedy with an audience because it reminds you that funny is timeless. There is something about watching an old comedy movie in a theater. It just feels right, oh and free re-fills on soda.
I’d probably end the week recording a podcast episode because that’s become a huge part of my life. To me, the best parts of a place aren’t always the popular attractions. It’s the people you meet, the laughs you have, and the random moments that somehow become the memories you never stop talking about.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d shout out everyone who believed in me before there was proof they should. Family, friends, comics, podcast guests, bookers, audiences — basically everyone who looked at me and said, “Yeah, keep going,” instead of, “Have you considered accounting?” I also have to shout out Amber — my co-host, producer, girlfriend, and sometimes camera person. She wears so many hats and she doesn’t even like hats. None of this really happens by yourself — every opportunity, joke written, and step forward usually has someone else’s fingerprints on it, its kind of crazy how that works out.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gillbillydelic/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mindbuzzpodcastnetwork
Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/4r35EH2Des3LzuTyO8uX92?si=a1938d5ca9744967
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