Rafael Cruz

Born and raised in Tampa, Florida life was relatively uneventful but formative for Rafael Cruz's comedic voice. Right out of the gate, he credits his insecurities growing up with his ability to turn ordinary moments into funny concepts. His interest in comedy grew slowly, initially through school pranks and daring announcements at assemblies. His first open mic performance was at 19, and then he took a pause before returning to the stage. In the meantime, he thought that singular performance earned him the title of comedian.

Encouraged by Tampa friends, including Kam Patterson, to make a move to Austin's growing comedy scene, Rafael made the leap in 2023, starting nearly from scratch. His practical perspective recognized that moving to a new scene meant starting from the ground up. Networking became essential - and he wasn't afraid to ask for stage time or to bark as trade for stage time. Being told no wasn't a deterrent, it was just part of the game. He realized that you can get on certain stages, but you have to be able to prove yourself for repeat appearances on those stages. The Austin scene’s many sub-communities initially felt overwhelming, but camaraderie among transplanted comics smoothed the transition.

Only a few years into his own comedy career, Rafael was in Austin for just a couple of years before landing in the 2025 Cap City Comedy Club's Funniest Person in Austin contest finals. He had missed the deadline in 2024, so he's the rare star who lands in the finals on their first try. Admittedly, someone dropped out and he was next in line, but he recognized that he had pandered to the judges in an earlier round. For the finals it became more important for him to be authentic. It was a good strategy and life lesson as Cap City has since invited him to host and perform. He values the perspective he's gained from being a preschool teacher, working to rebuild his standing in a new comedy scene, and a very supportive girlfriend. While I declared that Rafael needs to become famous to wipe out existing browser search results, what's more important to him is getting better, "I just want to get good at this. And like people I respect see me and go, 'yeah, he's good.'" It's just a matter of time for our favorite Rafael Cruz.