“Are you a homosexual?” That was the first thing comedian Ruben Rabasa heard when he arrived in America. “Are you a communist?” was next. He had a pretty rough welcome. Rabasa wants people to have a better one on their next summer trip to Miami.
“In 1980, I came back [to Miami] because that’s where my people are,” Rabasa said. “I love the water, the water in New York and California was too cold, so Miami was great.”
Learn Rabasa’s tips for an unforgettable (and safe) time in the 305. You don’t want to make the same mistakes he did. Trust me.
“In Cuba, I almost got hit by a shark,” Rabasa said. “ I like to swim out.”
First, see the renowned Cuban jokester before you land. He has airplane flicks that will bring Miami to your cramped seat like “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and “Thelma.” But you need to download some of his best work before you take off.
Tim Robinson’s Netflix series “I Think You Should Leave” showed Rabasa to the world as Focus Group Man #1. His character’s obsession with a small, stinky car that has a wheel which stays in the car instead of flying out made Robinson the straight man for once.
Seeing Focus Group Man #1 can get you prepared for Miami natives. Finding a Focus Group Man #1 at South Beach is easy. Taking him to a great Cuban restaurant is harder. Especially if you don’t know your French like Rabasa.
“When you hear the name of the Cuban restaurant, ‘Versailles,’ I thought it was French,” Rabasa said. “Then I went to another one that said ‘Romeu,’ I thought it was Italian, it’s Cuban food.”
Easy mistake. But there’s no joke when it comes to their ropa vieja and pollo a la plancha. Their ventanita is Rabasa’s window into his home. Now, he’s working to move that window into theaters.
He’s taking his one-man show that premiered in 2022 at GableStage, “Rubenology: The Making of an American Legend,” to the next level. Rabasa is building a crew to adapt a different comedy script, “They Fall in Love With the Moon,” that further expands on the immigrant experience of diving into a new world.
With Coral Gables fans young and old rushing to their seats for “Rubenology,” Rabasea knows Miamians will feel seen in. He works to make “They Fall in Love With the Moon” another reminder about why cities like Miami are one of a kind.
Stay up-to-date on Rabasa’s projects and laugh out loud sketches to see the most of the sunny city. He makes them speak to every heart and language.
“No matter what you do, you can always translate everything,” Rabasa said.
Enjoy Miami and experience everything, Rabasa-style.