It was just past midnight on Wednesday, but the party was still in full flourish for Carlos Mencia. The veteran comic had taken over the karaoke show at Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, where he performs in residency and is back again Thursday.
Wearing black Adidas sweat pants and a “Star Wars” stormtrooper T-shirt, Mencia moved around the room, mic in hand, singing along to the Backstreet Boys, “Tell me why, ain’t nothin’ but a heartache. Tell me why, ain’t nothing but a mistaaaaake …”
Mencia seemed to be making up for lost time after doing time. He had just been released from jail in Van Nuys, California, on Monday morning after posting a $50,000 bond after being arrested Thursday at his home in L.A. The former “Mind of Mencia” star has been charged with tax evasion, allegedly owing the state of California $300,000 in back taxes from 2019 to ‘24.
Mencia arrived on the Strip just before the 9:30 p.m. show. After being introduced by featured comic Gabe Lopez, Mencia cut to the chase about his still-fresh incarceration. He had written 20 minutes of new material specific to this incident.
“I got arrested by the f——- franchise tax board police,” Mencia said in his opening bit for the near-capacity crowd at the Linq Promenade club. “I didn’t even know they had police. I swear, in my head, I expected guys to show up with little calculators and a visor.”
After being jailed, the 58-year-old comic said, “So now I’m freaking out, right? Like everybody else, I’m going, ‘What the f— have I ever done to deserve all the s— that I’ve gotten? I became the poster boy for joke stealing, and now I’m the poster boy for not paying taxes.”
Mencia said while he was locked up, he noticed a video camera showing him as he used the toilet (navigating his personal hygiene with no toilet paper provided, in a pretty gross retelling). The comic said he noticed a small video camera overhead. He was concerned that footage from inside the jail would reach the public.
“Dude, if there’s a Joe Rogan fan in there, it’s gonna come out,” Mencia said. This was a reference to his long-ago feud with Rogan, who jumped into Mencia’s set at the Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip in L.A. in 2007, accusing Mencia of being a “joke thief.”
Mencia is alleged to have earned $8.7 million in income over the six-year period for which he owes the state of California. He told the crowd he had lent $4 million to his family over the years, including his 11 sisters, six brothers, and 78 nephews and nieces.
“But now that they found out that I owe all these taxes, nobody’s asking me for money anymore,” Mencia said. “How awesome is that?”
Mencia said just after the show, he is restricted in what he can say publicly about the case because “there are attorneys involved.” He was eager to kick off the karaoke party, which he hosts after all of his shows at Kimmel’s Club.
On Monday, Mencia’s attorney, Dana Cole, entered a plea of not guilty to the 12 felony counts of personal and corporate tax evasion. Mencia, whose birth name is Ned Holness, is due back in court Aug. 14. If convicted of all counts, the comic faces 11 years, four months in prison.
At the time of his arrest, Mencia had been booked to headline a four-show gig at the Improv comedy club in Irvine over the weekend. Mencia’s attorney said the comedian lost $40,000 as a result.
According to reporting from Courthouse News Service, Cole said, “He missed Father’s Day, sitting in jail. Whether that was calculated, I don’t know.” The attorney emphasized that Mencia would have “would have willingly paid to the Franchise Tax Board” the money lost over the weekend “to start to pay back any taxes owed.”
The prosecution comes out of a new division set up by California District Attorney Nathan Hochman to prosecute tax cheats. In a news release, Hochman said of Mencia’s arrest, “Today we are sending a message to the tax scofflaws that it is no longer business as usual in Los Angeles County – the days of a free pass for failing to file returns and pay taxes are over.”
Cole countered, “They wanted to make a splash, and they made a splash.”
In his first show since the incident, Mencia thanked his audience, a larger-than-usual turnout for a Wednesday show.
“I don’t know how many of you came here to support me, or to see what f—— up s—- I might say,” Mencia said. “I don’t know which one it is, but I will forever be grateful. And for those of you that thought this is gonna get to Carlos, it’s not. I’m never gonna stop entertaining you, never gonna stop being funny for you, never gonna stop being the voice, ever. So let’s finish this show, go downstairs and have some more fun.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.