HPA Talent has signed New York-based stand-up comedian, digital creator, and entrepreneur Alexis Carabaño for management, the company announced. The move signals a strategic push to broaden Carabaño's presence beyond the stand-up stage into touring, television, digital content, brand partnerships, hosting, and other entertainment ventures.
Carabaño's path to comedy is unconventional. Before turning fully to stand-up, he and his brother spent nearly two decades building VSPOT, a pioneering plant-based Latin restaurant concept in Brooklyn. He first developed his comedy career by hosting shows inside his own restaurant, a grassroots approach that eventually led to larger opportunities. He won a national comedy competition for English-speaking Latin American performers through HBO Latino and appeared on the HBO/Max special "Entre Nos: The Winners." He has since performed throughout New York City and most recently opened for comedian Marcello Hernandez. He is also the founder of St. Marks Comedy Club, a speakeasy-style performance venue in New York City's East Village.
Paris D'Jon, CEO of HPA Talent, cited Carabaño's multifaceted background as a key factor in the signing. "Alexis is exactly the type of talent we look for at HPA because there are multiple layers to who he is and what we can build," D'Jon said. "He's funny, he understands business and social media, and most importantly, he knows how to connect with an audience. We see opportunities for Alexis well beyond the stand-up stage, including touring, television, digital content, brand partnerships, hosting, sports, lifestyle and entertainment."
D'Jon also emphasized the evolving nature of comedy as a career. "Comedy today is much bigger than simply walking on stage with a microphone," he added. "The comedians who can build communities, create content, host, work with brands and develop original concepts have tremendous opportunities. Alexis already has many of those pieces in place. Our job now is to connect the dots."
Under the new management relationship, HPA Talent will work with Carabaño to expand his stand-up career across touring, television, digital media, brand partnerships, hosting, and other entertainment opportunities. Carabaño has also begun developing comedy concepts that connect his work to soccer culture, including "Juggling Jokes," a live event combining stand-up comedy, professional athletes, soccer culture, games, and freestyle entertainment.
Carabaño expressed enthusiasm about the partnership. "I'm excited to have HPA in my corner as I enter this new chapter," he said. "I actually started stand-up by hosting shows inside my own restaurant, which eventually led to some incredible opportunities. For a long time, I was apprehensive about signing with a manager or agent, but Paris and his team made me feel both comfortable and confident about fully immersing myself in entertainment. With their experience and track record, I'm excited about what we can build together and ready to put the same energy I've poured into my businesses into building the Alexis Carabaño brand."
Carabaño continues to perform regularly throughout New York City while developing new comedy, digital, and live entertainment projects. The signing highlights a growing trend in the entertainment industry: talent with entrepreneurial and digital skills are increasingly sought after for their ability to create and manage their own brands. For HPA Talent, adding Carabaño to its roster strengthens its presence in the comedy and lifestyle space, while for Carabaño, the partnership could accelerate his transition from local favorite to national presence. The deal also underscores the value of diverse experience in comedy, as Carabaño's restaurant background and business acumen may open doors to brand partnerships and hosting roles that go beyond traditional stand-up.
