In Partnership with Maverick Entertainment, Latin Hollywood Films introduces a new brand of stand-up and travel specials. Broads Abroad is a comedy and travel hybrid as the girls get into hilarious fish-out-of-water situations and tour the country’s exotic locations while learning the history of the first colonized city in the Americas. The project was filmed entirely on location in Punta Cana Dominican Republic at the Barcelo Bavaro Grand Resort. 

“We believe in supporting female talent in a big way. The diverse backgrounds of these three comediennes reach all corners of the country and appeal to a mass audience, said Doug Schwab, founder and president of Maverick Entertainment. “We are proud to work with Vicki, Crystal, and Kiki and look forward to audiences seeing this hilarious and unique stand-up special.” 

Melendez is president of Latin Hollywood Films, established in 2000, best known for their hit show Hot Tamales Live! on Showtime Networks. 

Comedian Kiki Melendez pioneered the concept of female-driven comedy on a major network.  

“People called me crazy when I brought forward the idea of an all-female comedic lineup on Hot Tamales Live! Now with Broads Abroad, we come back with the same message: Women are just as funny as men!, exclaimedMelendez “We were set to film in LA, and Vicki and I decided we needed a vacation. We added our bestie Crystal and created a one-of-a-kind travel and stand-up comedy special” said Melendez.  

The show features America’s Got Talent stars Vicki Barbolak currently guest host of  AGT Live in Las Vegas at the Luxor, Crystal Powell who is currently hosting the Magic Mike Live Tour and showrunner Kiki Melendez who has just completed a feature film The Wedding Factory with actor Kuno Becker.

Broads Abroad was created by Melendez and Barbolak.  It was directed by Melendez and Ramon Monchi Herrera. Hosted by Rene Rosado (The Conners) and executive producer Sarkis Semerjyan and producers Julia Carias-Linares, Erica Barrabi and Armando Guereno.

Melendez is repped by Culture Creative Entertainment. Barbolak is repped by Maverick Management and The Gersh Agency.  Crystal Powell is repped by PB Talent.

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The bilingual New York-born Melendez (Hot Tamales Live!/Showtime) will headline Broads Abroad and Reinas de la Risa, two shows—the first in English, the second in Spanish—that are part of a three multicultural, female-led series. 

Slated to be held at Barceló Bávaro Grand Resort in the tourist town of Punta Cana, the shows will be produced by Latin Hollywood Films and Maverick Entertainment, with the latter also distributing. Melendez is co-creator and Sarkis Semerjyan (Kiki Mobile/FYI) executive produces.

Broads Abroad will showcase a trio of US comediennes, Vicki Barbolak (America’s Got Talent/NBC), Crystal Powell (AGT/NBC) and Melendez. The show will be hosted by actress Jessica Camacho (All Rise/CBS) and feature actor Rene Rosado (The Connors/ABC) as a special guest.

CARIBBEAN QUEENS
The other show, the Spanish-language Reinas de la Risa, will feature female comics from the Caribbean region including Cheddy García, Zulema Cruz, Jaquelio Estrella, Jinita Luciano and Melendez. Actor Anderson Mercedes (Botija) will host. Comedian and actor Jochy Jochy (Bemberé) will open with a repertoire of jokes and also serve as producer.

“With this series, I wanted to continue to give talented women a platform to reach audiences worldwide,” says Melendez, the co-creator and producer.
The series will include a show starring African American comediennes. Black Girl Magic will feature Brooklyn Jones, Alycia Cooper, Just Nesh, Kelly Kellz and Ashima Franklin, with the latter also hosting.

All three specials will be directed by Ramon Monchi Herrera (Locos por la Playa) and produced by Erica Barrabi and Julia Carias Linares. Also, Douglas Santiago, Thomas Echavarría and Armando Guareno will join as associate producers.

“In these specials, we are merging two genres—travel and comedy—to create a perfect entertainment mix for these trying times,” says Semerjyan, the executive producer, in an apparent reference to the COVID crisis. The production will follow international pandemic guidelines, according to the filmmakers.

WOMEN FRONT AND CENTER’
“Maverick Entertainment is proud to support women in comedy,” says Doug Schwab, president of Maverick Entertainment. “We look forward to releasing these stand-up specials showcasing multicultural women front and center.” 

Maverick has worked with Melendez before, distributing the comedienne’s Hot Tamales Live! which she co-starred with Loni Love and Eva Longoria.

The three one-hour specials will be filmed back-to-back with an audience consisting of resort guests. The shows are expected to be ready for distribution in August, although it isn’t clear if they will be packaged together or separately.

Featured Photo: Kiki Melendez (Credit: Latin Hollywood Films)

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