Comedian Robert Parra on family and growing up as a gay Latino in a Catholic household

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Comedian Robert Parra may be funny on stage, but life behind the laughs hasn't always been smiles.

In this candid conversation, he talks about his grandparents as role models, growing up as a gay Latino wanting to pursue a creative career, his Catholic mom, family tragedy, and his ultimate path to the stage.

His first set of 2-minutes produced an audience reaction which pleasantly surprised him. The momentum led him to doing a 7-minute set, followed by many performances in San Jose and San Francisco comedy clubs.

He has an empowering message for aspiring comedians and for the younger, gay generation from the experiences he's already lived.

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Watch the full interview in the video player above.