Carlos Mencia from "Mind of Mencia" on Comedy Central July 13, 2011

Comedian Carlos Mencia is undoubtedly one of today's most lauded entertainers and feared comics. Whether he's doing man-on-the-street interviews, commercial parodies, or performing at sold-out shows nationwide, Mencia's humor connects with a diverse audience from all walks of life.

Born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras as the seventeenth of eighteen children, Mencia's parents sent him to the United States when he was three months old to be raised with his aunt and uncle in the Maravilla Projects in Los Angeles. Mencia began his career in stand-up comedy at the Laugh Factory in LA, and later became a regular performer at The Comedy Store.

In 2002 Mencia joined the "The Three Amigos" comedy tour with Freddy Soto and Pablo Francisco, and later that year he was nominated for a CableACE award for "Best Stand-Up Comedy Special" for his HBO appearance. His first Comedy Central special also premiered that year and shortly thereafter he landed guest spots on "The Shield" and "The Bernie Mac Show."

Following the success of his solo DVD "Not For The Easily Offended," Carlos began developing "Mind of Mencia." The show was an instant hit and after the first season, Comedy Central signed Mencia back for his own original stand-up special, "Carlos Mencia: No Strings Attached." The special was the first Comedy Central Stand-up Special DVD to achieve Platinum sales status. Running for five seasons "Mind of Mencia," was one of the strongest shows in the network's history.

In the summer of 2007, Mencia starred opposite Ben Stiller and Michelle Monaghan in the Farrelly Brothers' hit feature film, "The Heartbreak Kid." Later that year he embarked on his first USO Tour to the Persian Gulf, entertaining troops serving abroad. In 2008 Mencia taped a new special for Comedy Central, "Carlos Mencia: Performance Enhanced," which premiered in May of that year.