John Leguizamo’s Passion for Baseball, Latinos Resonates With Jesse Menendez
John Leguizamo, the star of “Latin History for Morons,” likes my tattoos? More on that in a second.
Growing up, there were few actors I genuinely rooted for. Not that there weren’t any Latino actors or entertainers, but there just weren’t many with whom I could relate. John Leguizamo was one of those actors. Honestly, his presence was more like a symbol of possibility.
When I look back, I think it was John’s association with hip hop culture that made me dig his persona. Like some of my favorite artists of the day, John spoke with a stylized New York accent. He wore baggy pants and he knew how to breakdance. Boom. That’s all I needed to be all in. John was an absolute representation of who I was at that point in my life.
The first time I saw John perform was during his short-lived sketch comedy show, House of Buggin’. The show was like Saturday Night Live, but for a Latino audience. The show included a great balance of satire and political commentary. They tackled subjects like immigration and racial profiling. The show proved John was down for his people, and I was inspired by his conviction.
Earlier this year, a colleague mentioned that John was bringing his latest one-man show, Latin History for Morons, to Chicago. My friend thought it would be cool to have him on our “La Vida Baseball Live!” show.
Latin History for Morons
I’ll spare you the details of securing an interview with a celebrity. The point is we got him! I was confirmed for an interview with John Leguizamo at Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theater.
On the day of the interview, the La Vida Baseball crew and I arrived early to stage the interview area. It didn’t take long for John to arrive. He had on jeans, a button-up shirt and a tan plaid sports coat and his signature disheveled hair style.
“I thought you’d be shorter,” I said as he walked toward us.
He laughed and said it was probably because he’s played some short characters on screen like Violator in Spawn and Toulouse in Moulin Rouge.
We sat down and talked a bit before we went live. I told him I had been a fan of his since Day 1.
Tattoos break ice
Before we went live to tape, he looked at my hands, which are tatted with the names of my daughters, and asked if they were real tattoos. I told him that they were.
“That’s dope!” he said.
John Leguizamo likes my tattoos!
The interview was great, and John spoke candidly about his desire to bring Latino culture to the masses. He talked about the intention behind each of his roles and productions. He talked about his love for the Mets and Latino baseball. It was a great conversation with an incredible astute cat.
I’ve conducted a ton of interviews over the years. My interview with John Leguizamo stands out as an all-time favorite.
