International stand-up star Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias is hosting a show in San Antonio, Texas where the cost of entry is five cans of food, which will go to local families who are about to run out of food assistance. However, some San Antonians wonder whether the city’s hungry kids would be better off with some of Iglesias’ Saudi Arabia money.
This Sunday, November 2nd, at the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club in San Antonio, Iglesias will host and perform a special stand-up show that he hopes will stock the shelves of the San Antonio Food Bank during a dire time for food insecurity in Texas and in the entire country. Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, 42 million Americans, including roughly 370,000 San Antonio residents will lose their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits on November 1st, and the San Antonio Food Bank says it will need to spend $500,000 per week to support the many families who rely on the nonprofit for survival.
In lieu of monetary ticket sales, Iglesias will require audience members at his Sunday show to donate at least 5 cans of food for entry, which, for a 350-seat club, should result in 1,750 cans of food donated to the San Antonio Food Bank.
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Given Iglesias’ recent appearance at the controversial Riyadh Comedy Festival, some Texans would rather the comic simply put his “blood money” to good use.
While Iglesias’ fans lauded his efforts to support the San Antonio Food Bank, over in the San Antonio city subreddit, residents were less enthused about the benefit show and questioned Iglesias’ motives for such a public display of charity. “The post Riyadh press tour has been pretty bad all around, so far…” wrote one fan, presumably implying that the can drive is a cynical attempt by Iglesias to score some good press following his participation in the state-sponsored Saudi Arabian festival.
“Maybe just donate directly to the food pantry,” another fan suggested of Iglesias, whose 2025 global tour grossed over $40 million. “If I’m not mistaken, he’s a Trumper,” they added. However, Iglesias has made no public endorsements of the President, and the comic has claimed that he is not equipped to participate in political discussions, choosing instead to avoid controversial topics in his comedy.
“How many cans of food is the Saudi royal family contributing?” another San Antonian asked.
While it is certainly necessary to support food banks during such a dangerous time for families across the country, there is good reason to interrogate whether this is the best way for a comedian of Iglesias’ stature to make a difference. At the next gig on Iglesias’ tour schedule, an arena show in Savannah, Georgia, ticket prices range from $35 to $140 including fees, while five cans of vegetables barely costs $2.50 at most grocery stores. Donating the proceeds from any one of Iglesias’ regular shows would certainly make a bigger difference for the San Antonio Food Bank, but, if the skeptical Texans are correct, that may not be the selling point for the comic himself.
Unless Iglesias is also making a personal contribution to the charity, this benefit show may not even break four figures in the total value of the donations. Of course, raising awareness for the organizations assisting families through this terrifying time has its own value, and the benefit show may result in more donations than just the get-in-the-door cans – but a Saudi-sized check would probably go a lot further.
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