HPA Talent has signed New York-based stand-up comedian, digital creator and entrepreneur Alexis Carabaño for management, a move that underscores the growing demand for entertainers who can operate across comedy, business and digital media. The announcement, made by the full-service sports and entertainment management company, positions Carabaño for expansion beyond the stand-up stage into touring, television, digital content, brand partnerships, hosting and other entertainment opportunities.
Carabaño's appeal lies in his unusual background. Before committing fully to comedy, he and his brother spent nearly two decades building VSPOT, a pioneering plant-based Latin restaurant concept in Brooklyn. He first developed his stand-up career by hosting comedy shows inside his own restaurant, an experience that gave him early insight into audience building and event production. He later 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 continued performing 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.
For HPA Talent, the signing reflects a broader shift in how comedy careers are built. "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," said Paris D'Jon, CEO of HPA Talent. "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 added that the modern comedy landscape rewards performers who can do more than deliver a set. "Comedy today is much bigger than simply walking on stage with a microphone," he said. "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."
Carabaño has also begun developing comedy concepts tied to soccer culture, including "Juggling Jokes," a live event combining stand-up comedy, professional athletes, soccer culture, games and freestyle entertainment. That project illustrates how comedians are increasingly creating their own intellectual property rather than relying solely on traditional gatekeepers.
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. For Carabaño, the partnership marks a deliberate step toward building a scalable personal brand. "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. His trajectory suggests that the next generation of comedy stars may be defined less by a single breakthrough than by their ability to blend live performance, entrepreneurship and digital engagement into a cohesive career.
