Freddy Soto
Encyclopedia
Alfred Soto, Jr. was an American comedian
, writer
and actor
. His stand-up comedy
act focused primarily on his upbringing in a Mexican American household. Soto's death at age 35 was attributed to a mixture of alcohol
, fentanyl, a very potent opioid
(morphine
-like substance), and alprazolam
, also known as Xanax, a sedative
benzodiazepine
anti-anxiety medication
.
to Mexican American
parents. Soto moved to Los Angeles, California
around 1990 and worked as a limousine
driver for comedian Richard Pryor
. He later worked as a doorman at The Comedy Store
in West Hollywood, California
. Before long, Soto was headlining comedy club
s across the country.
In 2000, a situation comedy
was developed starring Soto. In 2001 and 2002, Soto toured as part of "The Three Amigos" with Carlos Mencia
and Pablo Francisco
. He had his own comedy specials on Home Box Office
and Comedy Central Presents
and had guest shots on The Tonight Show
with Jay Leno
and The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
. In 2004, Soto had a role in the movie Spanglish
starring Adam Sandler
.
in Los Angeles. Just hours after the performance, he died in his sleep at a friend's house. More than four months later, El Paso's KFOX-TV
announced the coroner's determination that Soto died from a mixture of alcohol, Xanax
and fentanyl. He is survived by his wife, Cory, and a 3-year old daughter, Cruz.
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. His stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
act focused primarily on his upbringing in a Mexican American household. Soto's death at age 35 was attributed to a mixture of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
, fentanyl, a very potent opioid
Opioid
An opioid is a psychoactive chemical that works by binding to opioid receptors, which are found principally in the central and peripheral nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract...
(morphine
Morphine
Morphine is a potent opiate analgesic medication and is considered to be the prototypical opioid. It was first isolated in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, first distributed by same in 1817, and first commercially sold by Merck in 1827, which at the time was a single small chemists' shop. It was more...
-like substance), and alprazolam
Alprazolam
Alprazolam is a short-acting anxiolytic of the benzodiazepine class of psychoactive drugs. Alprazolam, like other benzodiazepines, binds to specific sites on the GABAA gamma-amino-butyric acid receptor...
, also known as Xanax, a sedative
Sedative
A sedative or tranquilizer is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement....
benzodiazepine
Benzodiazepine
A benzodiazepine is a psychoactive drug whose core chemical structure is the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring...
anti-anxiety medication
Anxiolytic
An anxiolytic is a drug used for the treatment of anxiety, and its related psychological and physical symptoms...
.
Life & career
He was born in El Paso, TexasEl Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
to Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
parents. Soto moved to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
around 1990 and worked as a limousine
Limousine
A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
driver for comedian Richard Pryor
Richard Pryor
Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor was an American stand-up comedian, actor, social critic, writer and MC. Pryor was known for uncompromising examinations of racism and topical contemporary issues, which employed colorful vulgarities, and profanity, as well as racial epithets...
. He later worked as a doorman at The Comedy Store
The Comedy Store
The Comedy Store is a comedy club located in West Hollywood, California, at 8433 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip. It has a sister comedy club in La Jolla, San Diego, California.-History:...
in West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
. Before long, Soto was headlining comedy club
Comedy club
A comedy club is a venue, typically a nightclub, bar, or restaurant where people watch or listen to performances, including stand-up comedians, improvisational comedians, impersonators, magicians, ventriloquists and other comedy acts...
s across the country.
In 2000, a situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
was developed starring Soto. In 2001 and 2002, Soto toured as part of "The Three Amigos" with Carlos Mencia
Carlos Mencia
Carlos Mencia , born Ned Arnel Mencia, is a Honduran-born American comedian, writer, and actor. His style of comedy is often political and involves issues of race, culture, criminal justice, and social class...
and Pablo Francisco
Pablo Francisco
Pablo Ridson Francisco is an American stand-up comedian of Chilean origin. He started his career doing improv in Tempe, Arizona.-Career:...
. He had his own comedy specials on Home Box Office
Home Box Office
HBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...
and Comedy Central Presents
Comedy Central Presents
Comedy Central Presents is a half-hour long stand-up show that features various stand-up comedians in each episode.-DVDs:Starting in 2008, Comedy Central started releasing "Best of" compilation DVDs, with uncensored audio...
and had guest shots on The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
with Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
and The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
Craig Kilborn
Craig Kilborn is an American actor and talk show host. He was the original host of The Daily Show, a former anchor on ESPN's SportsCenter, and Tom Snyder's successor on CBS' The Late Late Show. On June 28, 2010, he launched The Kilborn File after a six-year absence from television...
. In 2004, Soto had a role in the movie Spanglish
Spanglish (film)
Spanglish is a 2004 American comedy-drama film written and directed by James L. Brooks, and starring Adam Sandler, Paz Vega, and Téa Leoni. It was released in the United States on December 17, 2004 by Columbia Pictures and by Gracie Films, and in other countries over the first several months of...
starring Adam Sandler
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
.
Death
On July 10, 2005, Soto performed at The Laugh FactoryThe Laugh Factory
The Laugh Factory is a world famous comedy club located at 8001 on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, California.-History:In 1979, after a dispute over club owners refusing to pay comedians, a then 16 year old Jamie Masada recognized the need for a new venue for comedians to perform...
in Los Angeles. Just hours after the performance, he died in his sleep at a friend's house. More than four months later, El Paso's KFOX-TV
KFOX-TV
KFOX-TV is a Fox affiliated television station based in El Paso, Texas. It broadcasts its digital signal on channel 15. It is owned by Cox Enterprises. Its transmitter is located in El Paso and it is also aired on cable channel 8 and HD channel 870.-History:...
announced the coroner's determination that Soto died from a mixture of alcohol, Xanax
Alprazolam
Alprazolam is a short-acting anxiolytic of the benzodiazepine class of psychoactive drugs. Alprazolam, like other benzodiazepines, binds to specific sites on the GABAA gamma-amino-butyric acid receptor...
and fentanyl. He is survived by his wife, Cory, and a 3-year old daughter, Cruz.