HPA Talent has signed New York-based stand-up comedian, digital creator, and entrepreneur Alexis Carabaño for management, the company announced on October 8, 2026. The signing signals a strategic move to broaden Carabaño's reach beyond the comedy stage, leveraging his diverse background in business and entertainment. This development matters because it reflects a broader shift in the entertainment industry, where performers who can build communities, create content, and develop original concepts are increasingly prized over traditional stand-up alone.
Carabaño's path to comedy is unconventional. Before dedicating himself 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 began developing his stand-up career by hosting comedy shows inside his own restaurant, a grassroots approach that eventually led to significant opportunities. He later won a national comedy competition for English-speaking Latin American performers through HBO Latino and appeared on the HBO/Max special "Entre Nos: The Winners." He has since performed throughout New York City and most recently opened for comedian Marcello Hernandez.
In addition to his performance career, Carabaño is the founder of St. Marks Comedy Club, a speakeasy-style venue in New York City's East Village. He has also 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. These ventures illustrate how Carabaño has already built a multifaceted brand that extends beyond the stage, positioning him for broader opportunities.
Paris D'Jon, CEO of HPA Talent, emphasized the multifaceted nature of Carabaño's appeal. "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," D'Jon said. "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."
D'Jon added that the modern comedy landscape demands more than traditional stand-up. "Comedy today is much bigger than simply walking on stage with a microphone," he said. "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." This perspective underscores why the signing is significant: it represents a bet on a new model of comedic success that integrates business acumen, digital savvy, and live entertainment.
Under the new management 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. Carabaño expressed enthusiasm about the partnership. "I'm excited to have HPA in my corner as I enter this new chapter," he said. "I actually started stand-up by hosting shows inside my own restaurant, which eventually led to some incredible opportunities. For a long time, I was apprehensive about signing with a manager or agent, but 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 underscores a growing trend in the entertainment industry where multi-hyphenate talents are valued for their ability to engage audiences across platforms, and it positions Carabaño for broader national exposure. For New York's comedy and business communities, this partnership highlights how entrepreneurial skills and diverse experience can fuel success in entertainment, potentially inspiring others to blend their passions with strategic management.
