Latino comedians take Chicago by storm

September 26, 2012 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- At a time when Latino comics are taking the Chicago comedy scene by storm, Gwen La Roka is proving to be one of this city's up-and-coming comedians.

"I am a people's talent I guess you could say," said La Roka.

"You're just hoping that the audience relates to what you are talking about and they find it funny," said comedian Joey Villagomez.

Thousands of people attend the Mikey O Comedy Show. Mike Oquendo, a stand-up comic, was first influenced by Freddy Prince. Oquendo is in the business of giving Latino talent a spotlight of their own in venues across the city such as Joe's On Weed and the Athenaeum with his Mikey O Comedy Show.

"We want to show the Latino side of this thing we call stand-up," said Oquendo.

"I think I am dedicated to doing the best that I can in representing my culture," said comedian Elizardi Castro.

Patty Vasquez is one of Chicago's most seasoned and respected comediennes. "They also describe me as a Latina, but at the end I am still just a stand-up comic."

"Latinos have a hunger for comedy. The audiences in Chicago have that hunger for it," said Vasquez.

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