Terry Gross

Five people on that.

Let me just explain again that you were squatting.

The family was squatting in an abandoned diner.

That sounds really dangerous.

It must be so interesting to be on stage doing comedy about all these horrible things from your childhood that you could have been in legal jeopardy for, that a lot of your family could have been deported for.

And now you've found a way on stage to make that funny and, of course, to make it very public.

Let me stop you for a second.

Is that because you watched so much TV when you were a kid?

You had to stay home.

TV was your friend.

Music was your friend.

You learned a lot about America from TV.

Is that where you learned like this perfect English, no accent kind of sound?

So let me reintroduce you.

If you're just joining us, my guest is comic and actress Cristela Alonso.

Her new Netflix comedy special is called Upper Classy.

We'll talk more after a break.

I'm Terry Gross, and this is Fresh Air.

Your mother taught you that when you're poor, as you were, there's no time for pleasure and there's no time to relax.

And she felt that you were just relaxing while she was around.