Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

Gabriel Iglesias: I'm Not Fat... I'm Fluffy Blu-ray Movie Review

Pero, él ES gordo...y también "fluffy" y muy divertido.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 11, 2011

This program is intended for mature audiences only.

Humor is such a personal thing. Not only is one man's laughs another man's "huh?," but the best humor usually stems from personal experience rather than a comedian giving some semblance of life to a prewritten joke told thousands of times by hundreds of comedians both professional and amateur. Standup sensation Gabriel Iglesias' I'm Not Fat...I'm Fluffy El Paso tour stop proves the comedian to be one of the best around; his jokes are built around not only his girth but his own experiences in traveling to shows and the day-to-day of his personal life. Iglesias, a California native and one-time contestant on Last Comic Standing, returns to El Paso, Texas for I'm Not Fat...I'm Fluffy, a favorite spot of his that he seems to know inside and out -- notably some of the area's finest eateries -- and where he celebrated a very borracho 21st birthday.

The Fluffy One.

Gabriel Iglesias' I'm Not Fat...I'm Fluffy El Paso tour date features the Comedian brandishing his unique flavor of laughs for a packed and energized crowd. This 69-minute standup routine features the famed overweight Comic earning plenty of laughs at the expense of himself and various stereotypes; Iglesias is in no way afraid of poking fun at his ample size as well as creating caricatures of several ethnic backgrounds as they fit into the stories he tells. Food, travel, and family play central to Iglesias' routine. He discusses his five -- now six -- levels of fatness (big, healthy, husky, fluffy, DAMN! and now oh hell no!) and how he came to add that sixth category thanks to a rather large "dinosaur"-sized man he met in Las Cruces. He also shares his passion for food (it runs in the family), discusses the ups and downs of travel for a large man of his ethnicity, and spends plenty of time sharing the blessings of family life while also finding the humor in the daily grind of parenthood. Iglesias proves himself a solid all-around talent in I'm Not Fat...I'm Fluffy, and his personalization of the humor makes it all the funnier because of the obvious reality and honesty that's at the heart of his every routine.

A standup Comedian who also seems like a stand-up guy, Gabriel Iglesias' I'm Not Fat...I'm Fluffy is both funny and occasionally touching; he takes the time to give props to his fans and acknowledge that without them, he'd be going hungry. He points out his mother, a diehard fan, and a military serviceman in the crowd, giving his show a down-to-Earth, honest, friendly demeanor. His jokes are funny without resorting to an overload of vulgarity, though there's certainly some choice words scattered around the show. It takes a few minutes for Iglesias to find his stride, but once he's in his zone, the laughs come regularly, and Iglesias seems just as into the performance as his crowd. It's nice to see a Comedian take as many jabs at himself as others; Iglesias uses his size and talent to his advantage, though it's his ability to so perfectly mimic other people and plenty of sound effects -- just call him a the Hispanic Michael Winslow -- that really brings the show full circle and adds weight and substance to the stories he tells. Technically, I'm Not Fat...I'm Fluffy is a standard home video representation of the show; stagnant close- and medium-distance shots of the Comedian are occasionally offset by some distance panning and zooming shots, but the editor makes sure that Iglesias, and not an overabundance of camera angles, is the star of the show.

The following routines are included in I'm Not Fat...I'm Fluffy:

Return to El Paso
Nickelodeon
Oh Hell No!!
I Hear the Bell
New Daddy
I Do Voices Everywhere
Obama
My Girl
Cop Story 1
USO
Cop Story 2
Cakes and More Cakes
Dropping Frankie Off
DDR
Disney
Car Was Stolen

Gabriel Iglesias: I'm Not Fat... I'm Fluffy Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

This is a fairly routine 1080i presentation. Gabriel Iglesias: I'm Not Fat...I'm Fluffy looks just fine, save for a bit of noise in some of the darker corners of the frame and a touch of softness in the collage of El Paso exterior shots that lead up to the Comedian's entrance at the beginning of the show. Otherwise, this one takes on a stable and steady appearance. Detail is solid, with the transfer picking up the finer details of Iglesias' face -- both pores and, ultimately, beads of sweat that form as he gets in his groove -- as well as his clothing. Colors are fine, whether the black shirt with purple accents Iglesias wears during the show, or the orange accent lighting behind him. This is a very basic presentation; there's practically nothing other than Iglesias on stage to scrutinize, and considering the 1080i video nature of the program, there's little room for complaint.

Gabriel Iglesias: I'm Not Fat... I'm Fluffy Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Gabriel Iglesias: I'm Not Fat...I'm Fluffy features two audio options: a lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 mix and a PCM two-channel presentation. The 5.1 track engages the rear speakers to handle crowd applause and laughter. It's a bit too aggressive at times and never does a great job in plopping the listener into the middle of the audience. It sounds a bit forced and unbalanced, occasionally competing with and, once or twice, drowning out Iglesias. Otherwise, the track handles his speech well enough. On the other hand, the PCM track delivers a noticeable improvement in clarity. Crowd ambience is dialed down considerably but is still present and handled by the front right and left channels. Iglesias' delivery is substantially crisper and more natural, the track even picking up the nuances of his sound effects far better than the 5.1 mix. The PCM mix is definitely the one to choose.

Gabriel Iglesias: I'm Not Fat... I'm Fluffy Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Gabriel Iglesias: I'm Not Fat...I'm Fluffy features a few brief extras.

• Deleted Scene (1080i, 7:46): High School Reunion.
• Fluffy's Friends Hit the Stage (1080i): Martin Moreno (5:00) and Noe Gonzalez (4:10).
• Onstage Q&A with the Fans (1080i, 8:09).

Gabriel Iglesias: I'm Not Fat... I'm Fluffy Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Comedy is certainly a personal medium; not everyone will find the humor in Gabriel Iglesias' routine, particularly those easily offended by caricatures of various ethnicities. Those who can look beyond the politically incorrect stereotypes and revel in Iglesias' talent and innate ability to tell a humor-laden story will enjoy his act quite a bit. Gabriel Iglesias: I'm Not Fat...I'm Fluffy sports a decent enough technical presentation and a few extras. Considering the relative cheap price of the Blu-ray, fans of standup Comedy -- newcomers to Iglesias included -- are encouraged to give this one a try. Recommended.