2009 has been a year of many major and diverse firsts: The first African American President of the United States in Barack Obama, the first Latina Supreme Court Justice in Sonia Sotomayor and, for the first time, a Latino guy gets a shot at having a late night TV slot.

The controversial and popular Mexican-American comedian George Lopez has become the first Latino late-night talk-show host with his TBS show 'Lopez Tonight' and many people have something to say.

Lopez has become something of a hero in the Hispanic community as a living representation of someone who came from very little yet rose to have a big and biting Mexican-American voice, at a time when Hispanics, the country's largest minority group, will reaffirm their rapidly growing presence via the U.S. 2010 census. But with power and exposure come responsibility and criticism.

Ricardo Gonzalez of theamericano.com wrote, "The last two times I have listened to George Lopez he has been both vulgar and anti-white." Mr. Gonzalez continues by saying, "It ('Lopez Tonight') certainly doesn't represent what a lot of us are about, and I, for one, wish Lopez would go back to being funny ..."

Whether he represents Latinos well or not, Lopez has accomplished something unprecedented.

Lopez is widely known for his sitcom 'George Lopez,' that aired on ABC from 2002-2007, which dealt with the struggle and ensuing comedy of a Latino family with Lopez at the helm. Lopez has also worked as a stand-up comedian since the 1980's.

Lopez himself does think "White America" is ready for him. In an interview for this article, Lopez said "I've been criticized my whole career, everybody gets criticized, it will not change the way I approach humor, it hasn't, but I understand if somebody is not happy with it because if you try to make everybody happy, you're not ever gonna be a success." He said, "If you're offended by the show in any way or you don't agree with what I say, it's very simple, don't watch the show."

Lopez predicts that his brand of humor will prevail, especially after the holiday season passes.

"In two weeks this show already beats the averages of the other talk shows and we're just finding our way," Lopez said. "This show will be the number one show in late night TV."

Across the board, late night television numbers have been falling off and, with 'Lopez Tonight,' TBS is betting on the newest and fastest growing demographic, minorities, who are significant consumers, to be the solution.

"He plays the Latino part pretty strong. If it's about offending older white people, it's not gonna hurt him a bit, that demographic is sort of played out," said Guy Garcia, author of 'The New Mainstream: How the Multicultural Consumer is Transforming American Business'. "If it alienates younger non-hispanics who have moved beyond racial and ethnic hyper-awareness, then that will be a problem."

"In his audiences, which are absolutely multicultural and mixed, they seem to get the joke so far," said Garcia.

He's definitely exhibited a culturally-inclusive policy with his A-List guest lineup so far who have ranged from Ellen DeGeneres and Larry David to Carlos Santana and Oscar De La Hoya to Jamie Foxx and Samuel L. Jackson.

With the show 'Lopez Tonight,' Lopez joins a storied roster of television personalities like Johnny Carson, David Letterman and Jay Leno who have held influential late-night television slots, only Lopez' rise to late night is more parallel to Arsenio Hall, the first African American late-night talk-show host. Tapped for his broad appeal, Hall had huge ratings at first, only to have his show canceled for eventually narrowing it to cater mostly to an African-American audience.


"George Lopez has never been pigeonholed into being a 'Latino' comic," said Jamie Masada, Founder & President of Laugh Factory. "He has broad appeal because he doesn't limit his observations to his own ethnic background which a lot of comics choose to do. Stand-up comedy brings people together and George is among the best at bridging the differences among audience members."

It's likely Lopez will experience pressure from many sides dealing with the mass audience that comes with late night TV.

"He has to respond to his own conscience. He's gotta do whatever he thinks is funny," said longtime Latin comedian Paul Rodriguez, "I don't criticize, I'm just so happy that TBS had the courage that none of the other networks had. The times when everything was black and white is not true anymore, there are many of us who are chocolate."

Ultimately comedy is all about laughs and "the only subjects off limits are ones that aren't funny," adds Rodriguez. "That's the art of comedy, you can say anything if you know how to make people laugh."

"He just says things we say at our dinner table that we're afraid to say in public. I don't think he's against Blacks, Whites or Hispanics," said Armando Lucas Correa, Editor in Chief of People En Español. "He's an inspiration for the Latin community to see what he's achieved."

And multiculturalism seems to be Lopez' intention, "If change can come to the White House, then change can come to late night," said Lopez. "The main thing I want to do with this show is to attract a diverse audience who will come and have a party every night."

Is George Lopez "vulgar and anti-white"? - Celestrellas

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I was just talking to a friend about him, She can't stand him...says he is a mexican coon....

Me, hey, let him get his money. The latino population is expanding rapidly, it's about time they got a late night show.

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I love George Lopez......everythin g doesn't have to appeal to white folks and that's something they need to understand. They damn sure don't worry about appealing to us. "Friends" anyone??
I can see though, that just like in the Black community, there are Latinos who feel like they need to be the voice of dissention and "Massas" apologist for EVERY goddamned thing.......that man needs to be happy George is on TV, instead of pretending like he doesn't understand George's humor or where he's coming from.

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I really like George and I'm very proud of him but to me I don't see nothing anti-white or American about him

He's very proud of Latino heritage and gives Latinos a good name

I'm just sick of his sitcom on Nick@Nite but that's my dude though

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I used to like George until I heard him say some pretty offensive things and say the "N" word in Spanish.

I watch his show a few times on Nick @ Nite and I think he's cool. However, white folks fcking kill me. Every show out there could be 'too black', could be 'too latino', 'too strong for the masses', yet NO SHOW could EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER be 'too white'!

I mean word? Just because dude reps his heritage on the regular?

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I love George Lopez. His stand up is hilarious, I love his tv show, and really enjoy his late night show. I say get your money George!

There haven't been alot of prominent latino men headlining their own shows on TV. I can count them on my hand. There was Desi Arnaz (Ricky Ricardo), Fredie Prinze (Chico and the Man), and now George. I wish him the best of luck for his show. IMO he's funnier than most of the late nigh hosts out right now. Carson Daly's dry ass is still on TV! I think George will be just fine!

Nick @ Nite knows how to run shit into the ground! N@N made me feel the same way about Fresh Prince,Cosby, Full House, Family Matters and Roseanne. I know soon enough N@N is going to make me sick of George and The Nanny ( love me some fran Drescher!). I don't think i could ever get sick of Everybody Hates Chris

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Do I think George Lopez is racist, anti-white or w/e other label no? No. He is hella funny to me BUT I get what the guy was saying about him not representing all Latino's views. Don't some of us as black people worry that the view of one black person will be taken as the view of all of us by another group? It's the same thing.

Love this entire post, from the idea that Hollywood needs more "leading men" of the Latino persuasion, to how much I love "Everybody Hates Chris." It won't ever get old for me either. They do tend to overdo other shows...just like a few other networks I won't name. Between all the channels that syndicate the shows, you can see up to 2,500 episodes of Everybody Hates Chris, Roseanne, The Golden Girls, The Fresh Prince, and George Lopes per day. But TGG and EHC and Fresh Prince and Roseanne I can watch...and watch...and watch without getting tired of the shows.

And back to Hollywood needing leading hispanic men, well...I'm all for that.

I don't have a problem with George Lopez, actually. I think his show (original sitcom) is pretty funny when I catch reruns of it late at night.

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That one dude sounds like a coon.

"Oh Lawddy! We have to please massa! We don't wonts him mad at us, or they'll never accept us!!! I know, we'll put out the message that we're not like THOSE mexicans!"

Sit yo' brownosing butt down somewhere.

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I saw his HBO show where he was telling some 'white' politicians to kiss his and the rest of the mexicans ass for not voting for "Sotomayor" for supreme court, and he said "they" will never vote for them. He likes the President and will probably help him in 2012.

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I feel you, but then you must dislike a lot of Artists and Comedians because that is their favorite word...unfortunately .

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George Lopez is awesome and there is no way that he is anti- white because his wife is white.

I love George Lopez

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