A poster of comedian Vanessa Gonzalez hangs at The Creek and The Cave Friday night shortly before her set. Photo by Mari G. Hernandez/Special to Austin Vida

At South by Southwest, comedian Vanessa Gonzalez brought her sharp storytelling and Texas-grown humor to a packed room at The Creek and The Cave, as part of a showcase presented by Cracked Comedy Club in partnership with Netflix’s “Mating Season.”

Gonzalez is no stranger to Austin, having earned accolades such as “Best Stand-Up Comic in Austin” by the Austin Chronicle in 2017, 2022 and 2023. And at the global festival, Gonzalez shed light on her Latina life.

During her set, the Laredo-born comedian shared stories about growing up Catholic, navigating life with her boyfriend and adjusting from Texas living to life in California.

“Wait, y’all can read anything you like?”  Gonzalez said as she talked about California. “We can’t do that back home [in Texas]. They burned the books.” 

The comedian started her career gathering laughs and fans in Austin with the Latino Comedy Project and performing in local venues such as ColdTowne Theatre and The Creek and the Cave. Her truthful storytelling mixed with comedic timing gives a breath of fresh air to audiences, specifically the Mexican American crowd. 

“From the beginning, I feel like I’ve always been a storyteller – a longer, narrative-type of comedian,” Gonzalez said.

Coming from a theater background, Gonzalez said things like improv and sketch comedy made her feel like she could be anything she wanted to be and nothing would hold her back. 

Vanessa Gonzalez performs at SXSW Friday night at The Creek and The Cave. Photo by Mari G. Hernandez/Special to Austin Vida

“Even now, for acting auditions, I still only get roles for a maid, server or mom,” Gonzalez said. “But with improv, I could play a cat, a man, a lamp. The possibilities are endless.”

Improv and sketch comedy gave her the comfort of performing without much risk as she hid behind a character. Eventually, the comedian’s friends started performing stand-up comedy, something Gonzalez never ventured into. 

Gonzalez, the daughter of first-generation Mexican American parents, grew up in Laredo. As a child, she found ways to stand out while expressing herself through comedy. Today, her comedic work pulls from formative experiences in her life as well as her early adulthood, with her family being at the heart of what she does. 

“I think my family taught me to be funny,” Gonzalez said. “Everybody is always roasting each other, and no one’s ever serious.”

With a theater degree from Texas State University, Gonzalez moved to Austin in 2008 after connecting with a community of performers in the Latino Comedy Project. She took to the stage, performing improv and sketch comedy. 

It was Gonzalez’s friend, Lisa Friedrich, who pushed her into her first stand-up with her original material. During one of Friedrich’s stand-up shows, Gonzalez was given five minutes of stand-up time with a mic and 15 audience members. 

“She [Friedrich] just threw me into the deep end of the pool,” Gonzalez said. “After that, I told myself, I guess I’ve got to keep doing this.”

She took that leap into the unknown and began sharing stories of growing up in Laredo, tales of dating and stories about her mother, Esther, who Gonzalez said is a character all on her own. 

As her confidence grew in sharing her authenticity and humor with crowds, Gonzalez fell in love with stand-up and hasn’t looked back since. She said she finds joy in working the stage and the crowds, engaging with audiences and connecting with her fans. She does admit that no matter how many shows she’s done, it can still be just as scary, even after 18 years. 

“You just never know what’s going to happen when you’re up there by yourself,” Gonzalez said.

She moved from Texas to Los Angeles in 2018 after being invited to the Just for Laughs Festival, where she was recognized as one of the New Faces of Comedy. Fully supported by her friends and family, a new adventure awaited on the West Coast.

The Laredo-born comedian shared stories about growing up Catholic and adjusting from Texas living to life in California. Photo by Mari G. Hernandez/Special to Austin Vida

As she worked in Los Angeles, she was featured on TV and late-night talk shows, and even had her own 30-minute comedy special on “Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents” in 2019. 

As people began to learn her name, Gonzalez never forgot her roots and recognized the power she held as a Latina comedian. Her hilarious authenticity brings audiences back to her shows time and time again. She said even from traveling across states and going on tours, there’s nothing quite like an Austin crowd cheering you on. 

“I feel like the people who come see me in Austin have been seeing me grow over the years and just really know me,” Gonzalez said. “People know they’re ready to have a good time, and I don’t have to win them over.” 

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Vanessa Gonzalez at SXSW 2026

WHEN: 

WHERE: The Creek and The Cave