The National Comedy Center in Jamestown is getting a bit "fluffy."
The comedy center has unveiled a new exhibit featuring the 1957 Volkswagen bus from a record-setting show in Los Angeles by internationally renowned comedian Gabriella Iglesias, also known by his nickname, "Fluffy."
Having a full center dedicated to all types of comedy is rare, but important, Iglesias said.
"This is as close to a comedy Hall of Fame, as close to anything that I've ever seen that highlights and just celebrates comedy," he said. "There's been different types of venues that had their little wing of, 'oh, this is comedy,' but to have an entire facility that's dedicated to that is incredible."
Being able to expand the space with the new exhibit shows Iglesias's popularity, to sell out Dodgers Stadium in Los Angles for a comedy show. But it also demonstrates the domino effect with how the faces of comedy impact one another, and how that can carry over to the public, National Comedy Center Executive Director Journey Gunderson said.
"While we're known as one of the most immersive and interactive experiences anywhere in the museum world, those artifacts also have the DNA of the greats of all time, and they make people feel something," she said. "We don't just display artifacts for fun. It's really about, 'what story does this piece tell?'"
Seeing how the center and the city embrace Jamestown native Lucille Ball was part of what has convinced Iglesias to collaborate on an exhibit.
"The comedy center is here in Jamestown, New York, home of Lucille Ball, which is one of the comedy greats," he said. "So I feel like the fact that they put the museum here to honor her is, it's nice."
Iglesias's visit to the comedy center isn't the first time he's made the trip to Jamestown in recent years, as he also visited the city for a show in 2023.
