HPA Talent has signed New York-based stand-up comedian, digital creator and entrepreneur Alexis Carabaño for management, a move that underscores how comedy careers are increasingly being built and monetized beyond the traditional stand-up stage. The announcement, made by the full-service sports and entertainment management company, places Carabaño alongside a roster that spans comedy, sports, music, digital media, lifestyle and entertainment.
Carabaño's path to comedy is unusual. Before turning fully to stand-up, he and his brother spent nearly two decades building VSPOT, a pioneering plant-based Latin restaurant concept in Brooklyn. He first developed his comedic voice by hosting shows inside his own restaurant, an experience that eventually led to a national comedy competition win for English-speaking Latin American performers through HBO Latino and an appearance on the HBO/Max special "Entre Nos: The Winners." He has continued performing throughout New York City and recently opened for comedian Marcello Hernandez. He is also the founder of St. Marks Comedy Club, a speakeasy-style venue in Manhattan's East Village.
The significance of the signing lies in the management company's explicit strategy to develop Carabaño across multiple verticals. "Alexis is exactly the type of talent we look for at HPA because there are multiple layers to who he is and what we can build," said Paris D'Jon, CEO of HPA Talent. "He's funny, he understands business and social media, and most importantly, he knows how to connect with an audience. We see opportunities for Alexis well beyond the stand-up stage, including touring, television, digital content, brand partnerships, hosting, sports, lifestyle and entertainment."
Carabaño has already begun developing comedy concepts that connect his work to soccer culture, including "Juggling Jokes," a live event combining stand-up comedy, professional athletes, soccer culture, games and freestyle entertainment. That project illustrates how comedians are increasingly expected to create original formats that can travel across live, digital and branded platforms.
"Comedy today is much bigger than simply walking on stage with a microphone," D'Jon added. "The comedians who can build communities, create content, host, work with brands and develop original concepts have tremendous opportunities. Alexis already has many of those pieces in place. Our job now is to connect the dots."
Under the new relationship, HPA Talent will work with Carabaño to expand his stand-up career across touring, television, digital media, brand partnerships, hosting and other entertainment opportunities. For an industry that has seen comedians become media entrepreneurs, the deal reflects a broader shift: management companies are no longer just booking gigs, but building brands.
Carabaño said he had been apprehensive about signing with a manager or agent for a long time. "I actually started stand-up by hosting shows inside my own restaurant, which eventually led to some incredible opportunities," he said. "Paris and his team made me feel both comfortable and confident about fully immersing myself in entertainment. With their experience and track record, I'm excited about what we can build together and ready to put the same energy I've poured into my businesses into building the Alexis Carabaño brand."
Carabaño continues to perform regularly throughout New York City while developing new comedy, digital and live entertainment projects. The signing matters because it shows how a comedian with a business background, a venue and a sports-adjacent concept can be positioned for growth in a market where audience connection and content creation are as valuable as stage time.
