Next up is one of the more recent additions to NBF (if you consider 2015 “recent”): Carlos Rivero.
Tell the readers a little about yourself. Who is Carlos Rivero?
I feel like a man can not be judged by his actions, but by how many cats he keeps: I have two. I’m a former musician, professional wrestling/comic book fan and current strange news podcast comedian. It’s clear, although looking like an adult on paper, I’ve never truly grown up. Last summer I traveled to Cuba with my wife and was accidentally baptized into Santeria. That’s neither here nor there but kinda embodies what it is to be Carlos Rivero.
You have 0 training as an actor, and yet you’ve been in two NBF films so far. How did you get into acting?
The first time I was ever on stage was for The Passion Play when I was in 8th grade. I was one of the Roman soldiers that beat up Jesus Christ. I vividly remember hearing my grandmother in the audience on opening night shouting, in horror, “No, Carlito, no!” as I stomped on the savior. Sorry, Mima, I had a job to do. In my 20’s I’d randomly pop up in comedy shorts for a Cliffside Park based group of guys called Drunken Sailor Productions. A couple years ago, now in my early 30’s, Sam reached out to me because of my natural Latin heat and confidence. He looked at me and said, “this short, thicc, hairy Caribbean man could definitely play Hitler.” The rest is history.
What was your favorite part of being on set with Yellow Scare And Click Send?
For Yellow Scare I got to dress up like Hitler in a Jessica Rabbit dress and high heels. I was the embodiment of something that would trigger my least favorite kind of people and that’s something I’m very proud of. Both Yellow Scare and Click Send were an opportunity to work with some insanely talented, legit actors. I’m just a guy that likes making people laugh, so getting to see professionals that make acting their life’s passion was a treat. Click Send is special because Isaac Platizky and Joey Mosca gave me room to improv some dialogue with Sam and that was a lot of fun.
Your beard is a big part of you… What was it like shaving for Yellow Scare? Under what circumstances would you shave again?
Shaving for Yellow Scare was very traumatic. I hadn’t been clean shaven since shortly after birth, so I couldn’t really recognize the man in the mirror. I had to do a lot of soul searching and really learned that I’m not just my facial hair but a human being with real worth. I don’t think I’d shave for anything again unless I was reprising my role as Hitler in Green Scare.
You get a time machine and are able to go back to visit Carlos age 12. What advice do you give the chubby kid?
Take a bus to Bayonne and punch Sam Platizky in the face.
You also have about 600 podcasts… what is it about podcasts that appeals to you? Tell us about the one you’re currently working on.
I have a single podcast that’s doing pretty well. It’s called Hello, Creeps! Started it three years ago with my two best friends, Fredo and Davel. We search the internet for the weirdest news we can find for the week and just discuss it for an hour or so. It’s a good time. Currently it’s just Fredo and I hosting because Davel went missing some time ago in the barrel room of a Kentucky bourbon distillery.
What are your goals? Is acting something you want to pursue? Podcasts? Or simply living deliciously?
I don’t really see myself acting in non-Narrow Bridge Productions in the near future. I enjoy my time with the NBF family so it never feels like work or unnecessary pressure to deliver something I’m incapable of. You need a guy that’ll do anything for a laugh? I’m there. Hello, Creeps! Podcast is my current creative outlet and I enjoy every episode we make. Check it out on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher. It’s very NSFW so definitely play it at family gatherings for the elderly members of your family. As for living deliciously? That’s forever. Until the pizza and alcohol snuffs me out of this realm and fires my soul into space from a plasma cannon.
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