Exploring  the Drama Behind the Laughter in PBS’s ‘Roots of Comedy With Jesus Trejo’ 

New comedy-documentary series premieres on So. California’s flagship PBS station Premieres in June; streaming now on  PBS.org and the PBS app, and YouTube

By Mina Briseño

Part comedy, part social commentary, part travelogue, Roots of Comedy With Jesus Trejo gives you an inside look of the other side of the laughter, revealing how the most memorable comedy traces back to the roots of a community with themes that are central to the series. Jesus Trejo, an LA based comedian embarks on an emotional odyssey as he visits with comedians from all walks of life, delving into their childhood, style of comedy and their why.  Why they become a comic, why they choose the jokes they tell, and just plain piercing the facade of the comedian.

Along his journey, Trejo visits six U.S. regions (Denver, Portland, Minneapolis, Austin, Los Angeles and Chinle, Arizona).  He meets with six rising comedians who explore the mosaic of our nation through the lens of stand-up comedy. The six episode series with 30-minute episodes is executive produced by Jesus Trejo, Juan Devis and Danny Lee, and co-produced for PBS by PBS SoCal and BIPOC-production studio CALICO in association with the National Multicultural Alliance. 

Trejo is a Los Angeles-based comedian, actor and writer. Born and raised in Long Beach, Trejo’s first hour stand-up special Stay at Home Son recently premiered on Showtime. He was a Staff Writer on Hulu’s now canelled TV comedy  This Fool and also the host of Tacos Con Todo. a web series in which he navigates the LA taco scene with celebrity guests. Also an author of two upcoming children’s books, Trejo was named in “Variety’s Top 10 Comics to Watch” in 2017 and is a paid regular at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles.

Beginning on Friday, May 24 all six episodes of Roots of Comedy With Jesus Trejo will stream for free on the PBS app and PBS.org as a special release. The series will also be available to stream on the PBS YouTube channel, following the television broadcast premiere on PBS stations across the country on Fri., June 21 at 10 p.m. ET/ 9 p.m. CT.