He’s a Fresno State grad and Netflix star. Here’s what he says about city and its food
A Fresno State graduate who has had some success in Hollywood talked about his time in Fresno on a popular food podcast released Thursday, but not all of his time in town was apparently memorable.
Actor and comedian Carlos Santos, who was featured in two seasons of “Gentefied” on Netflix, was the guest in the latest episode of Doughboys.
The Fresno State graduate joined hosts Nick Wiger and Mike Mitchell to review Smashburger, a chain that originated in Denver that has locations in Southern California.
Originally from Puerto Rico, Santos said he ended up at Fresno State by chance, but had fond memories of college. He said he attended about 15 years ago, and got a bachelor’s in theater arts.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said on the podcast. “It was such a weird way to go from Puerto Rico to Fresno ... but it really worked out. I switched over to theater arts, I started doing stand-up, I got into improv. Everything happened in Fresno.”
Santos admittedly spent much of his time in the school’s dorms, he said.
The hosts routinely ask their guests about regional favorites from their hometowns or favorite restaurants from where they lived before they get into the reviews.
But, when the hosts asked Santos about the food scene in Fresno, he remembered Wendy’s and Taco Bell, not mentioning any local spots.
“It was your typical fast food situation. It really wasn’t that different. I think I was just exposed to different types of pizza places,” he said on the podcast. “For the most part, it was Wendy’s, Taco Bell (or) from the dining facilities.”
“I had better access to Mexican food for sure,” he said. “Fresno had some good Mexican joints.”
That news may be a relief for a town that loves its tacos and has seen a bump in food trucks that offer new options for foodies, but Fresno fans may wonder why he didn’t pull any specific eateries.
Is it possible Santos never got oxtail from Chef Paul’s, special fried chicken from Pete’s Teriyaki or kebab at Mediterranean Grill & Cafe? That’s just the start of the list.
Was that Mexican food he ate from Taqueria El Premio Mayor, Don Pepe’s or Robertito’s? There are so many memorable taco shops.
Santos said he’s in a Blumhouse Productions movie expected to release this year called “There’s Something Wrong With the Children” and can be heard on the “Spanish Aquí Presents” podcast.
This story was originally published February 10, 2022 at 11:00 AM.
