Stereotypes, though disdained in most instances, are often embraced by stand-up comedians. The reason is accessibility; the recognition factor. For jokes to land, they must deal with something familiar to most if not all of the spectators. Even those who take umbrage at stereotypical thinking in every other situation will howl at gags based on insulting generalizations; typically, the most vociferous thigh-slappers and rib-splittees are the very people to whom the stereotypical jokes refer.

This was certainly true of the bunch with whom I sat through Latinologues. There on the stage in front of Kevin Adams' flashy lights was Rick Najera, pretending in the evening's second monologue -- exc[...]