LONG BEACH, Calif. - Comedian Gabriel Iglesias would be happy to sell you a Fluffy T-shirt, comedy DVD or live CD - heck, he's even got Fluffy iPhone cases and chargers coming soon.
The 'Fluffy' comic was so named by his mom, who told her young, overweight son that he wasn't fat, just 'fluffy,' and it stuck. He's used digital tools to promote his career by parlaying his YouTube comedy clips into worldwide success, along with a thriving online merchandise business.
He works hard at it: Give it a try - do a search for 'Fluffy' and see who comes in as the No. 1 result.
Just don't attempt a group selfie with the comic after his live shows on your smartphone - because he won't let you.
He told us why, in an interview at his Fluffy Inc. warehouse here.
POST-SHOW PHOTOS
Iglesias has a staff photographer with him at shows to do meet-and-greets with fans afterward. The photos are posted at fluffyguy.com, where fans can download them for free. Before, fans would pull out their smartphones. 'It would take forever.'
ON YOUTUBE
With more than 220 million total views for his videos on the YouTube/Hot and Fluffy comedy channel (fellow top comic Jeff Dunham has more than 100 million views), Iglesias puts complete shows online, along with clips from his DVD specials.
'I just want it out there. I want my stuff there; I want them sharing it. I want the world to know who I am. Money is good, but what good is it if they don't know you?' He says the online exposure has helped him fill seats outside the U.S.. He recently played Saudi Arabia and India.
BENEFITS OF ONLINE EXPOSURE
'Ten years ago, as a comic, the biggest thing was radio. Everybody wanted to get on radio to promote yourself. Now, you go online and cut out the middleman. You can take yourself to the people directly. It's digital grass roots.'
ENTERTAINING ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK
'Most comics just promote. I'll post a funny picture, just to try and make it entertaining. My numbers grow a lot because of that.' He has so many fans on Facebook - 5.5 million, he can't mix with them. 'I've lost control of it.' But he does respond on Twitter. 'You can interact with people a lot quicker.'
He has a huge following on Google+ too - 2.5 million - but doesn't spend as much time there. 'Trying to keep up with everything is really hard. I'm trying to run a YouTube channel, a Facebook, a Twitter, a G+, a website and an online store. Somewhere in there I'm a comic and also a dad. It's really hard.'
FAVORITE APPSHe has his own Fluffy Guy app (free; Apple and Android) which offers soundbites, video clips, photos and tour dates. It's been downloaded more than 300,000 times.
Other favorites:
* Action Bowling (free; Apple). 'You flick your finger, and get to hit the balls. I do better than at the bowling alley.'
* Angry Birds (free; Apple, Android, Windows). He never tires of the classic game.
* Jawbone Up. He bought the Up band to monitor fitness and help lose weight. He's since ditched 100 pounds.
NEW CD
His comedy CD, Aloha Fluffy, was just released in September. At a time when CD sales have been declining, what's the market for digital comedy? 'Great. Comedy CDs do well because you can listen to them in the car. People love to laugh while they drive.'
Follow Jefferson Graham on Twitter: @jeffersongraham.
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