LHO: What made you want to get into comedy?
Mark: Ever since I was a kid I loved to laugh. My parents were big into comedy and I loved watching the old TV sitcoms with them, Sanford and son, Chico and the Man and I couldn't wait until Saturday nights when my parents would let me stay up and watch Saturday Night Live. Then one night I heard my dad laughing louder than I had ever heard him laught before. When I went to see what was causing this, it was Richard Pryor, Live on the Sunset Strip! From then on I was hooked and couldn't get enough of comics and comedy.

LHO: What do you do now?
Mark: By day I work full time (I do graphic design ) When I get home I'm Mr. Mom and raise two boys with my wife. Then at night when everyone is tucked in for the night I go out and perform stand-up 4 to 5 nights a week. In between all the craziness I write more comedy.

LHO: Did you think you even had a chance when joining this competition?
Mark: When I started in the competition I wasn't sure about it. But after the first elimination round and I made it into the second, I really started promoting it hard core. Getting out there and promoting shows getting people to log in and watch the video and to vote for me. To make it this far is great. But being this close it's really time to bring my A game and hopefully bring it home!

LHO: Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
Mark: I was just asked this question last week and I answered it like this: I've opened up for a lot of great comics. People that I idolized when I was a kid, and after every performance I just step back and go “Wow! I just opened up for So and So”. Five years from now I want new comics stepping back and saying “Wow, I just opened up for Mark Gonzalez!”
Mark has been working at this for the last four months and with his talent and tenacity has managed to get enough votes to get him into the top five of this national competition. But the contest isn’t over yet. He still needs your help! The competition is coming to an end. The FINALS show will take place Saturday, April 14th @ 8 PM CST and voting will be taking place live, as the performance is web-cast on www.famecast.com as well as the TWO days following the performance. Log on to and if you like what you see register and VOTE. In five years when Mark’s on TV you might be saying “Wow, I remember voting.