Ricky Velez

{{Infobox comedian

| name = Ricky Velez

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|32|2021|10|19}}{{cite news |last1=Wilstein |first1=Matt |title=Ricky Velez: From Late-Night Troublemaker to 'Undeniable' Stand-Up Star |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/ricky-velez-goes-from-late-night-troublemaker-to-undeniable-stand-up-star |work=The Daily Beast |date=October 19, 2021 |language=en}}

| birth_place = Queens, New York, U.S.

| education =

| medium = {{hlist|Stand-up|film|television}}

| years_active = 2007–present

| spouse =

| children = 1

}}

Ricky Velez is an American stand-up comedian, writer, and actor. He co-starred with his best friend, Pete Davidson, in The King of Staten Island (2021), which he also helped write and produce. His first stand-up special, Ricky Velez: Here's Everything, was released on HBO in October 2021.

Early life

Ricky Velez was born and raised in Queens, New York in a blue-collar family with two brothers.{{cite web |last1=McCarthy |first1=Sean |title=Ricky Velez Reveals Why The NYC Board Of Education Wouldn't Let Him Film His HBO Special At The High School He Attended |url=https://decider.com/2021/10/27/ricky-velez-interview/ |work=Decider |date=October 27, 2021}} Velez is half Puerto Rican and half Irish.{{cite news |last1=Martinez |first1=Kiko |title=Meet Comedian Ricky Velez, Who Plays Pete Davidson's Puerto Rican-Irish BFF in 'The King of Staten Island' |url=https://remezcla.com/features/film/ricky-velez-king-of-staten-island/ |work=Remezcla |date=June 12, 2020}} One of his brothers introduced him to stand-up comedy through half-hour specials on Comedy Central and watching The Daily Show. He studied drama at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens.{{cite news |last1=D'Alessandro |first1=Anthony |title=Universal's Judd Apatow-Pete Davidson Comedy Adds Stand-Up Comedian Ricky Velez |url=https://deadline.com/2019/06/pete-davidson-judd-apatow-film-adds-stand-up-comedian-ricky-velez-1202627609/ |work=Deadline |date=June 5, 2019}}

After graduating, Velez attended college for less than a year before he returned to Queens and tried to join the military. He was denied to the military and started working various odd jobs, including for his friend's carpet company, where he would lay carpet for red carpet events.

Career

After returning to Queens at age 19, Velez started working for the Broadway Comedy Club, where he would take tickets while performing stand-up each night.{{cite news |last1=Given |first1=Molly |title=Ricky Velez is introducing himself to the world – Metro Philadelphia |url=https://metrophiladelphia.com/ricky-velez-is-introducing-himself-to-the-world/ |work=metrophiladelphia.com |date=October 19, 2021}} He was dealing with depression at the time and felt he needed "the instant gratification that stand-up gives". During this time, he met Pete Davidson and would later become roommates with him.

In 2014, Velez won the New York's Funniest Stand-Up competition at the New York Comedy Festival. As a result, he was able to land a role as one of the contributors for The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore (2015–2016).{{cite news |last1=Steinberg |first1=Brian |title=Comedy Central's 'Nightly Show' Takes Shape With Panel |url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/comedy-centrals-nightly-report-takes-shape-with-panel-1201396954/ |work=Variety |date=January 9, 2015}} He has said that the experience on the show taught him that he did not like making daily television. Velez has played guest roles in several television shows, including one episode in Crashing in 2018.{{cite news |last1=Otterson |first1=Joe |title=Ricky Velez Sets HBO Comedy Pilot With 'King of Staten Island' Team (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/ricky-velez-hbo-pilot-judd-apatow-judah-miller-1234641752/ |work=Variety |date=June 18, 2020}}

Velez collaborated with his long-time best friend Pete Davidson on The King of Staten Island, a semi-biographical film about Davidson by Judd Apatow that was released in 2021.{{cite news |last1=Nordstrom |first1=Leigh |title=Ricky Velez, The Next Big Thing in Stand-Up, on Healing Through Comedy |url=https://wwd.com/eye/people/ricky-velez-king-of-staten-island-hbo-special-1203662591/ |work=WWD |date=June 30, 2020}} Velez co-starred with Davidson and was also a writer and producer on the film.{{cite news |last1=Wong |first1=Curtis M. |title=Comedian Ricky Velez Is Proving Himself As More Than Just Pete Davidson's Best Friend |url=https://nz.news.yahoo.com/comedian-ricky-velez-proving-himself-120009867.html |work=Yahoo News |date=October 13, 2021 |language=en-NZ}} Velez was cast in June 2019 after Davidson asked him to audition for the part of one of his close friends who is a bad influence on Davidson's character. Velez was excited to be able to deal with topics such as mental health in the film.{{cite news |title=Ricky Velez Will Be Undeniable |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/ricky-velez-interview-comedians-you-should-know-2020.html |work=Vulture |date=October 23, 2020 |language=en}} Velez was also signed by William Morris Endeavor in 2021.{{cite news |last1=Cordero |first1=Rosy |title=WME Signs Comedian Ricky Velez |url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/wme-signs-comedian-ricky-velez-1234855123/ |work=Deadline |date=October 13, 2021}}

Judd Apatow helped Velez release his first stand-up special later that year on HBO, Ricky Velez: Here's Everything, which was executive produced by Apatow and Pete Davidson. The special deals with topics such as mental health and his family.{{cite news |last1=McCarthy |first1=Sean |title='Ricky Velez Here's Everything' HBO Max Review: Stream It or Skip It? |url=https://decider.com/2021/10/25/ricky-velez-heres-everything-on-hbo-max-stream-it-or-skip-it/ |date=October 25, 2021}} Velez described the special as "me introducing myself to the world". He had attempted to film the special at his high school alma mater, the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, but the board of education did not allow it. It was eventually filmed over two shows at Brooklyn Steel on August 28, 2021, with most of the footage used in the special from the second show.{{cite news |last1=Zemler |first1=Emily |title=Rising Comedian Ricky Velez Knows 'People are Addicted to Fun' in New HBO Special |url=https://observer.com/2021/10/hbo-ricky-velez-heres-everything-interview-judd-apatow-pete-davidson/ |work=Observer |date=October 22, 2021}} Velez had toured for five months prior to filming to work on the material during the COVID-19 pandemic. The special received positive reviews, with Jason Zinoman in The New York Times describing it as a "solid introduction to his spiky, propulsive comedy".{{cite news |last1=Zinoman |first1=Jason |title=Four Stand-Up Specials That Showcase Hard-Working Comics |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/29/arts/television/four-stand-up-specials-to-watch.html |work=The New York Times |date=October 29, 2021}}

In 2023, Velez portrayed Alex in the television comedy show Single Drunk Female, where he is the former boss and eventual boyfriend of Sam, portrayed by Sofia Black-D'Elia.{{cite news |last1=Robledo |first1=Anthony |title=Why "Single Drunk Female" Explored Emotional Sobriety In Season 2 |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/anthonyrobledo/single-drunk-female-emotional-sobriety-season-2 |work=BuzzFeed News |date=April 24, 2023 |language=en}}

Personal life

When Velez was 21, he became roommates with Pete Davidson in Brooklyn Heights. Velez has said that period of his life was fun but unhealthy.

Velez's mom died in 2016, a few months before The Nightly Show was cancelled, which led to a tough period in his life. He was able to use his stand-up performances, especially at the New York Comedy Club, as part of his healing process. During the pandemic, Velez started attending therapy when he did not have stand-up as an emotional outlet.

Velez has a son, born in 2018, who can be seen playing guitar at the end of his 2021 HBO comedy special.