Sam Lopez: Frequent Flyer Smiles
March 17, 2024
Dulce Mac
The road to comedy success can be long, spanning years, states, and — in the case of this week’s guest — continents. Sam Lopez, globetrotter, co-host of Bottom of the Barrel (every Tuesday night at Comedy Mothership) and creator of the new Celebrity Guest Comedy Show (at Black Rabbit) sat down with Valerie Lopez to talk about how she’s landed a place in the Austin comedy scene. (Presumably after a very, very, long flight.)
(In the same spirit of being out-and-about, this week’s episode was recorded at Fallout Theatre’s podcast studio, with gracious help from Garrett Buss. Never fear, Valerie will return soon to her home base and 1‑to‑2 cats.)
Before embarking full-time on a comedic career, Lopez was on the precipice of joining the Peace Corps with a two year assignment to teach English in Malawi, Africa. Originally from Maryland, after completing a nannying assignment in Australia, her home base at the time was Auckland, New Zealand. The itch to perform spread rapidly after her first open mic.
Most famously known for being the birthplace of hobbits and Flight of the Conchords, New Zealand is not otherwise regarded as an exciting comedy incubator; while the trek to educate in another country held the promise of personal reward, it also meant a 2 year commitment away from the stage, even if Auckland’s comedy scene could only promise one to two open mics per month.
Lopez would, indeed, miss the rains down in Africa (editorial note by Valerie: thanks for the earworm, Richard), choosing instead to board a plane to Hawaii, followed by a move to San Diego to focus on building her comedic chops. It was there in 2016 that she met her now-husband, comedian Deric Poston. The relationship not only figures prominently into Lopez’s material, but acts as a motivator as well. “I don’t know if I would be any good if I didn’t have that kind of competition,” she says of being in a two-comic house, admitting “I’m very competitive, but if the competition is not, like, in my face, I can talk myself out of it.”
Beyond providing a life partner, San Diego also offered the opportunity to perform in a larger comedy scene (with stage time every night, if desired), and had the bonus of a (relatively, for our globe-trotting guest) short trip to Los Angeles for shows.
The variety of stages available in California played well to Lopez’s desire to be exposed to new experiences, and expand her own comedic repertoire. It’s a feeling that still sneaks up on her: “Whenever I have a joke that doesn’t sound like my other jokes, I get really excited…this isn’t like the same brand, or this is kind of weird for me.” Part of Lopez’s charm is disarming an audience with presenting a decidedly sweet demeanor with a healthy dose of naughty twists.
Performing and living in Los Angeles became the goal for the ambitious comedy duo of Lopez and Poston. After what was expected to be a permanent move to LA, carless Lopez was armed with a map and public transportation so she could hit as many places as time (and wallet) allowed.
Then came COVID.
Lopez and Poston rode it out for 6 months into the nationwide shutdown, eventually deciding that it was time for a move. Most of the “new” big names like Comedy Mothership and Joe Rogan had yet to bring a renewed spotlight to Austin. Tired of moving from one family member residence to another to save money, they decided to head to Texas and have been Austin residents since 2021. Feeling like trendsetters, they’ve watched countless friends and colleagues move to, fro, and often back-to the city as the revitalized comedy scene’s reputation has grown.
To the apparent chagrin of her mother, Lopez’s own reputation has also continued to grow, meaning her future will most definitely be in comedy. Co-hosting a show like Bottom of the Barrel, where the order of the day is to riff unprompted on material randomly pulled from a (yes) barrel, poses a unique but rewarding challenge for her. “I’m very plan oriented,” Lopez says, “so having to go up with nothing, it’s good for my confidence.”
Shortly before this interview, Lopez kicked off Celebrity Guest Comedy Show, which launched its run at Black Rabbit Underground Comedy. The plan was to draw people in with the allure of a mystery special guest. “I had kind of toyed with the idea of doing like, a Sam Lopez and Friends,” but jokes that she decided against it since “no one knows who I am.” It’s a great room, maxing out at about 50 people, giving an intimate vibe and bringing audience and performers together. Lopez hopes that the show will run monthly moving forward, and we’ve got our fingers crossed. We also know that people definitely know who Sam Lopez is.
Case in point: Beyond show-running, Lopez is also scheduled for this year’s Moontower Just For Laughs festival. When a performer’s arc reaches this point, we would historically be primed to ask: “so when are you moving to [one of the ‘coasts’]?” Thankfully, Lopez quickly puts the brakes on that kind of talk. “I think Austin’s a really good place to be a comic,” she says, and a city that welcomes building a family. Of course, it’s also a transit hub, with Lopez quickly adding: “It’s easier to fly to the East and West coast from here, versus being on one side or the other”.
For a comic who seemed to set foot on most major landmasses on her way to us, it’s gratifying to know that we can expect more of Sam Lopez in our (local) future. “This is the only place in the country I can imagine having a family and doing standup,” she assures Valerie. We hope Austin continues to be home for Lopez for a long time to come.
Somebody hide her passport, though. Just in case.
Follow Sam
- Linktree — linktr.ee/Samlopezcomedy
- Twitter — @TheBestSamLopez
- Instagram — @BestSamLopez
- Threads — @BestSamLopez
- Facebook — facebook.com/SamLopez
Sam can be seen and heard:
- Headlining Velveeta Room — April 12 (8pm) and 13 (8pm and 10pm)
- Moontower Just for Laughs 2024 Festival
- Bottom of the Barrel — co-host on Tuesdays at Comedy Mothership
- Celebrity Guest Comedy Show — monthly show TBD Black Rabbit Comedy Club
- MOMCATS Podcast — available at youtube.com/@thedylansullivanshow
Valerie Lopez
Richard Goodwin