Esther P. Mendez Was 'Not Shy' – Meet Gabriel Iglesias' Mom

Stand-up comedian and actor Gabriel Iglesias adored his late mother, Esther P. Mendez, a determined single mom who supported and encouraged him in his career.

Gabriel Iglesias, the stand-up comedian audiences know and love as "Fluffy," speaks of his mother often in his show. Esther P. Mendez was a strong supporter of her son's talent.

Gabriel lost his mother, but her memory and influence on his comedy remain. Esther P. Mendez's character is still an inspiration in Iglesias' comedy and his life.

Gabriel Iglesias, AKA Fluffy, was born July 15, 1976, in San Diego, California, to Esther P. Mendez and Jesús Iglesias. Gabriel's father, whom he described in his shows as a Mariachi, didn't show up at the hospital for his son's birth.

Gabriel often mentioned his mother in his stand-up show, and when she was present, he introduced her to his audience.

He would be absent for most of Gabriel's life. Esther raised Gabriel and his siblings as a hard-working and determined single mother.

Esther's example and work ethic helped her son succeed, and Gabriel undoubtedly inherited her outspoken, bold personality and sassy sense of humor.

Gabriel, who started doing stand-up professionally in 1997, is one of the country's most popular comedians and is considered one of the best, along with Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, and Chris Rock.

He gave up his day job in to become a full-time comedian, and ended up evicted from his apartment and had his car repossessed, but Gabriel never gave up on his dream.

In 2000, he had his big break when he was cast alongside Amanda Bynes and Nick Cannon in Nickelodeon's comedy show "All That," and his career was launched.

The man known as "Fluffy" has cited actors and comedians Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy as the main influences in his comedy, and of course, Esther P. Mendez.

Esther P. Mendez Was the One Who Invented Gabriel Iglesias' Stage Name

When Gabriel started doing stand-up, he had hecklers who mocked him for being plus-size. He told his mother about it, but Esther put a new spin on it and invented Gabriel's stage name. The comedian revealed:

"I told my mom, 'Mom, you know, they keep callin' me fat.' 'Oh, mi hijo, you're not fat; you're fluffy.' And I'm like, fluffy? Okay, fluffy. And it just stuck."

Not that there was anything "fluffy" about Esther as a mom. She couldn't be. She was a single mom of six, and Gabriel was the youngest. The comedian described Esther as "fair" but not strict and said:

"Fortunately, I learned quickly that I don't like pain, yeah, 'cause back then, you were allowed to … yeah. And [spanking] it was encouraged!"

Esther was a strong-willed lady and spoke her truth outright. Once, when meeting iconic comedian and talk-show host Jay Leno, she drank a few Margaritas with him and called him "big chin."

Gabriel Iglesias Mentioned His, Mother Esther P. Mendez, in His Standups

Gabriel often mentioned his mother in his stand-up show, and when she was present, he introduced her to his audience. He joked:

"That little woman made me… She says to everybody: 'No, he came out of here; this is the road to success!' She is not shy!"

Gabriel revealed that Esther was initially worried about her son taking up comedy as a job and not a hobby and feared he would be disappointed. She was delighted by his success.

Esther P. Mendez Died in 2012

Sadly, Esther P. Mendez passed away on May 1, 2012. In 2016, Gabriel shared his enduring grief on Mother's Day, posting a photo of his mother's grave on Facebook and captioning it:

"4 years ago today, I lost my mom. If u still have urs remind her u love her even if times r tough. Once they r gone regret is a terrible thing. I miss my mom (sic)."

Gabriel often pays tribute to Esther P. Mendez on his Instagram, posting photos of his mother and sharing how much he loves and misses her.