Carlos Hernandez won a golden ticket to Hollywood, and though his ride on the “American Idol” TV show this season didn’t last long, the comedian raised in Miami Lakes is building a career with his Yurisbel character.
Yurisbel is a high energy Cuban immigrant who wears knockoff Versace shirts, ripped jeans and ropes of gold chains.
He sounds like he gargles with espresso and his enthusiasm for life makes everyone smile.
“Yurisbel is an elevated version of me,” Hernandez said.
Since his national television debut, Hernandez, 26, who lives in Pembroke Pines, has left internet technology work behind and expanded his gigs beyond performing at comedy clubs and hosting parties.
He’s worked Yurisbel onto the Tik Tok, Twitter and Facebook social media platforms, sells video messages for $35 on the Cameo celebrity website and on April 20, released a tribute music video, “Mi Abuelita” (My Grandmother) on YouTube.
In the video, while singing about his love for his grandmother Carmen Lopez who lives in Cuba (“she’s still there, she’s not dead,” he jokes), girls dressed as grannies in housecoats twerk and dance around him.
Hernandez also appears as himself as a host on Only in Dade, which is on all social media sites and presents party scenes, Miami slices of life and mayhem, living up to its motto “the good, the bad, the funny.”
Hernandez’s audition as Yurisbel late last year for “American Idol” charmed the show’s judges.
Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan enjoyed Yurisbel’s enthusiastic rendition of Pitbull’s “Fireball,” which was punctuated by hip thrusts.
Bryan danced with Yurisbel, while Richie called him a “mascot of fun” and someone who was needed during these weary times.
Katy Perry didn’t vote to advance Yurisbel in the singing competition but nicknamed him the “Cuban Cookie Monster” for his deep, gravelly voice. Hernandez wasn’t deterred and playfully imitated the Sesame Street character for her. “I started as an improv actor, so this is the ultimate improvisation that I’ve ever done in my life, going on national television as a character,” Hernandez said in a soft voice that sounds nothing like Yurisbel.
Hernandez grew up in the Shoma homes neighborhood near Palm Springs North.
He was born in Cuba, arrived in South Florida when he was 11 and attended Lawton Chiles Middle School.
“I spent time at Main Street to go on dates, and when I was there, it was Johnny Rockets (a diner) and then the movie theater,” Hernandez said.
There were soccer games
at Optimist Park and attending Mass at Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church, too.
“I did community hours there, assisting with CCD (religious education classes),” Hernandez said.
Before graduating Miami Lakes Educational Center in 2012, where his major was internet technology, he took Lisa McDonald’s drama class.
“I am so excited for Carlos and the success he is just beginning to discover,” McDonald said in March while on professional leave from the school.
“I don’t think I taught Carlos anything,” McDonald said. “He was just able to access something inside of him that maybe he hadn’t accessed before.”
About Hernandez’s nimble- ness during the “American Idol” audition, turning Perry’s negative response into winning a chance to compete on the show, McDonald said, “The unwritten rule of improv is whatever your partner brings to the scene, you take it and build on it. It’s not some- thing I taught him. He seems to be fearless.”
She said of Hernandez’s ability to make people happy, which Richie picked up on, “He brought that to class. Carlos is every intelligent and has a great sense of humor and that’s inherent to who he is as a person. He was a pleasure to have as a student.” Count Miami Lakes Councilman Jeffrey Rodriguez as a fan, too.
At the March 6 ribbon cutting at Chela’s Beer Garden, Rodriguez and Mayor Manny Cid, Councilman Tony Fernandez and Cid’s assistant, Joseph Sosa, congratulated Yurisbel on his burgeoning showbiz success.
“We came up with the idea
of giving him the cow, one of those squishy toys, signed by the town council,” Rodriguez said. “We thought it was a fun thing to recognize him.”
It was their first meeting.
“He’s playing a character but he’s obviously a comedian who is trying to make it, and we want to encourage that.”
During the cow presentation, Yurisbel thanked the officials and said, “Miami Lakes is representative of a cow. A cow, what it does
it brings milk to everybody,
it brings joy to everybody. And that’s what I want to be for this town. That’s what I want to be for this country. That’s what I want to be for this world.”
After that ambitious speech he blew kisses and with his signature hip thrusts, cracked up the officials.
“We didn’t know what he was going to say, which made it even funnier,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said he related to the “Mi Abuela” music video, during which Yurisbel praises his grandmother’s coffee, life lessons and strength.
“It was hilarious and everything he says, he’s talking about my grandmother,” Rodriguez said. “I shared that with all my friends.”
Hernandez as Yurisbel is killing it, in comedian parlance.
“I’m bringing joy to people and making them laugh and have fun and dance and have a good time,” Hernandez said.
On Instagram, you can find Yurisbel and Carlos Hernandez