when I made them laugh, made it easier for me to break the ice and distract them from the fact that I was a scared, gay kid in a new territory. What were your biggest influences growing up? I looked up to Lea Salonga, because she was one of the first Filipino artists who gained international recognition…Plus her voice is like buttah! Definitely Ellen DeGeneres; I was a huge fan of hers even before she came out. She made it a lot easier for the next generation of artists to be out of the closet. Also Margaret Cho and Harvey Fierstein for the same reasons. I really love people who sort of “break the mold” and kick doors down. I hope to do the same. Who was the funniest person in
your family? My mom. She’s cray-cray (laughs)
and she has no filter! I’m constantly talking about her in my act and I don’t even have to write material about her. I just repeat our conversations and people love it. (Laughs)
I read that you wrote forFashion Police under
Joan Rivers. What was that like? I only wrote for a few episodes. Joan had a lot
of writers come and go. She was a lovely woman and I still remember freaking out, when I heard her say my jokes on air for the first time. I mean she’s a legend, so it was definitely special even though it was a short-lived experience. I just interviewed Sandra Bernhard and we talked about comedy’s ability to create change. Any
opinions/soap box moments you’d like to share? I love Sandra! I opened for her at the Castro
Theatre in San Francisco once and it was one of the most magical stage experiences I’ve had. It’s true though, I think that’s whySuperstore has struck a chord with so many viewers. Our show approaches different issues in funny, relatable ways without hitting the audience over the head with it. Comedy has always been about being inclusive, not exclusive and the best comedy comes from the truth and how relatable it is. Amen. What’s your favorite thing about playing Mateo? I love that I basically get to play a version of
myself. (Laughs) My favorite though, is getting to play with all the other characters on our show. I love everyone that I work with so much, it truly is such an ensemble effort from the cast to the crew. We’re all here to make each other shine. If you had to describe him to someone who didn’t know him, what would you say? He’s that guy who you hate to work with, but you can’t hate on him too
much...Because he’s got the goods to back it up! You are part of a trend with LGBT characters. Mateo is many things and being gay is just a part of his sum-total. Exactly. If our show existed ten, even five years
ago, him being gay would have been the only focus of his character. I’m glad times have changed to where Mateo being gay isn’t a novelty anymore, it’s just part of who he is. Now the stories about him are about his whole being. Gay, Filipino, undocumented, his yearning for a better life, the kind of stuff everyone worries about. Mateo seems kind of shady at times, though
his objective always seems to be about moving forward. Would you say that is accurate? Absolutely. As an immigrant, myself, there’s
always an underlying sense of urgency about “making it” here in America. We were all told that if you just work hard enough, you can achieve anything. That urgency and yearning is a big part of Mateo’s personality. Do you feel any pressure to portray a gay character in a specific way? No, but I knew that I wasn’t going to butch him
up. I’ve said this many times, but I really hate it when gay men are chastised for being “femme.” Being feminine is not a stereotype. It’s important that femme, butch and everything in between is put out there, because representation matters! How is the romance going between Mateo and Jeff? It’s still going! I can’t wait for you all to see the upcoming episodes. We get into some pretty funny situations, because we have to be secretive about us dating. How has your life changed since doing Superstore? Other than being recognized every time I go to
a Target or something? Not much has changed. (Laughs) I did move into my own place though! No more roommates…Woohoo! Any favorite stories about the show and/or cast you’d like to share? When we were waiting to film the rest of the first
season, Nichole Bloom (Cheyenne) and I decided to apply to Target, so we could do research about what it’s like work in a big box store. We both filled out the lengthy applications at the store and I was feeling cocky, since I have retail experience. We got emails two weeks later saying, “Thanks, but no thanks!” (Laughs) Apparently, we’re not Target material. What do you think Mateo would say about the election results? He has a lot to say, but I don’t think you’d be able
to print it.
Superstoreis on NBC Thursday nights, returning on January 5. For more information, or to catch up on missed episodes, go
tonbc.com/superstore.
DECEMBER 2016 | RAGE monthly 35
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