Meet Jacob Calle | Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jacob Calle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jacob, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
House Party Comedy is a non profit project I do in Houston and in Los Angeles where 100% of all proceeds of the comedy shows go to endangered wildlife such as pangolins and to women in education and science who live in Africa. With Peace Sisters for every $40 you donate a women will be able to attend school for a year. As for the pangolins, the proceeds go into rehabilitation, medicine, and research. Out in Los Angeles The shows are ran out of The Comedy Store on Sunset and in my living room here in Houston in Midtown.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
You might make small waves at first, but don’t allow that to deter you from always starting out big. Always go large. I’ve never been one to allow myself to grow. Instead, I’ll wear the largest shoes and figure out how to walk in them. Hell, perhaps in the end you’re not only walking in them, but dancing.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I really enjoy taking my friends out on the kayaks or my canoe down Buffalo Bayou. I’ll start at Belt Way 8 near Westheimer and float into downtown. Here you’ll witness the quiet side of Houston as the trees begin to take over and you forget that you’re in Houston as you lose sight of buildings. You’ll see large Texas spiny soft shell turtles along with 6 foot long alligator gar surfacing the water as you float through. I’ve seen armadillos at the banks, coyotes, frolicking otters, beaver, and even the pileated woodpecker, which belong to the Piciformes that get mistaken for the extinct ivory-billed woodpecker. Ill time my trip to where I meet Waugh Bridge at dusk. Here I watch the hawks strategically locate their bodies for the best spot to hunt the bats. The night crowned herons will be in near by trees near the bridge swooping in at the bats pulling them out of the crevices. It’s a lot of wildlife action with hundreds of thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats who emerge out into the city to devour 2-3 tons of insects a night. This is the perfect day for me. After that, clean up and head to Notsuoh for a quirky evening of what could be defined as Dadaism at its finest with art decor. Get high, play a game of chess and then head to Secret Group for some comedy. Stay away from the trendy spots. Forget about the water wall near the Galleria or whatever Houston calls “touristy” because Houston is not a town made for visitors. Go live like a local and take a walk through Rice University and visit the Fondren Library or have a drink at Valhalla on campus. See what free event Miller Outdoor is producing. Go to the opera or ballet. Go see a play at Rec Room which is something I can not convey enough.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The list is endless. African Pangolin Working Group, Nicci Wright and all the women at Johannesburg Wildlife Vet, Kathleen Hanna and Tees For Togo who introduced me to Peace Sisters. In my world, there are no borders. Mike Bona at the Los Angeles Zoo for giving me the opportunity to become their talent buyer for events. JD Karpicke of Row 7 Films for giving House Party Comedy a brand new angle with the new comedy special that we just shot. Without any of these people, House Party Comedy would not exist.

Website: www.row7films.com

Instagram: @jacobcalle

Image Credits
House Party Comedy: Waldo Rodas Two person: Chris Calle