LatinaLista — Like arroz y frijoles, Kiki Melendez and show business go hand-in-hand. Whether she’s hosting her own variety show, headlining a Latina comic showcase, producing or starring in film or appearing on stage, New York City-born Melendez is the definition of not just someone who “made it” but a “Latina who made it” in one of the hardest professions to make a name.
Melendez showed Hollywood that Latina comedy was cool — before they knew it. The journey to stardom is hard enough for anyone trying to break into show business but for a Latina trying to break in at a time when women of color were relegated to roles of maids, prostitutes and gang members, Melendez proved she didn’t have to sacrifice her dignity or her talent to make it.
But that’s not saying it was an easy road to where she’s arrived at today. In fact, with all her challenges, heartbreak, accomplishments and eventual accolades, her life story could be a movie — and that’s what it is!
The Journey of a Female Comic is a bilingual docu-comedy showcasing Kiki’s struggles to make it in Hollywood. Along the way, viewers see several familiar faces — all friends of Kiki — who share their experiences about a Latina who trailblazed Latina comedy in Hollywood.
The film will initially be released May 2 in theaters in Los Angeles and San Diego.
