Laugh Track: Anthony Padilla
By Jonathan McNamara
In his teen years, celebrated director George Lucas wanted to be a drag racer when he grew up. Fate had other plans however, as the young Lucas found himself in a terrible car crash shortly after his high school graduation that made him think twice about his career choice.
Sometimes the universe gently pushes you in the right direction; other times it uses a sledge hammer.
Local comedian Anthony Padilla knows this only too well. He moved to Phoenix from Albuquerque during the baseball off season to pursue his dream of becoming a pro ball player. By the time try-outs rolled back around, Padilla was dealing with a shoulder injury that would take over two years of rehabilitation to get over.
Padilla found the silver lining of his debilitating setback when he got into writing. He started with a monthly sports column called In the Zone published in Grand Season magazine. Eventually, writing would lead to thoughts of acting and finally writing comedy as a way to bridge his two interests.
In an industry where many get their start before they are legally allowed to tip their wait staff, Padilla jumped in just before turning 28 years old.
“For me, not starting until I was almost 28 actually, I’ve already seen life a little bit and I feel like I can handle situations a little differently. I feel like I learn things a little bit quicker,” he said.
