Very Caliente

My Lane Is Everything - Sports, Identity & Refusing the Box with Pablo Alsina

Episode Summary

Jennie flips the mic and makes Pablo the guest on his own show, without telling him first. He traces the whole arc: youngest of three in a house full of talent, the high school senior voice audition he only took as a dare, a kicking career at Florida that an injury ended, and the pivot to covering games instead of playing them. World Series play by play, the Super Bowl sideline at 28-3, and friendships with players like Todd Gurley that taught him to cover the human, not the number on the back. He unpacks being told to pick a lane, being told to split his English and Spanish reels, and being too something for every box LA tried to put him in. Closes with a rapid fire round and the line that sums him up.

Episode Notes

Very Caliente

Hosts: Pablo Alsina & Jennie López

EP 032 - My Lane Is Everything - Sports, Identity & Refusing the Box with Pablo Alsina

Summary

Jennie flips the mic and makes Pablo the guest on his own show, without telling him first. He traces the whole arc: youngest of three in a house full of talent, the high school senior voice audition he only took as a dare, a kicking career at Florida that an injury ended, and the pivot to covering games instead of playing them. World Series play by play, the Super Bowl sideline at 28-3, and friendships with players like Todd Gurley that taught him to cover the human, not the number on the back. He unpacks being told to pick a lane, being told to split his English and Spanish reels, and being too something for every box LA tried to put him in. Closes with a rapid fire round and the line that sums him up.

Main Topics

• Jennie’s surprise: Pablo as the guest on his own show
• The senior voice audition he only took as a dare
• Kicking for Florida, the injury, and the pivot to sports journalism
• Covering the human, not the number on the back
• What fans never see: trades, no-trade clauses, and playing through pain
• Rituals, superstition, and the “it” factor that cannot be copied
• Tom Brady at halftime, 28-3, and knowing the comeback was coming
• Teaching himself Spanish and landing an anchor job in Mexico
• The agent who said split your English and Spanish reels
• Refusing to be pigeonholed, in LA casting and everywhere else
• Accents, and the difference between authentic and performed
• Why live TV and natural adrenaline are the easiest part of the job
• The one man play, the mannequin sketch, and the “I am Miami” t-shirt
• Beating your own low by making somebody else happy

Intriguing Quotes

"My lane is doing everything. I need to do everything." – Pablo Alsina

"If I’m going to fail, I’m at least going to fail doing absolutely everything." – Pablo Alsina

"I cover the human, not just the number on the back." – Pablo Alsina

"They speak two languages, you only speak one." – Pablo Alsina

"The best way to beat depression is with a smile and cheering somebody else up." – Pablo Alsina

"If you fail doing 20 things you love, it’s better than if you succeed doing one thing you hate." – Pablo Alsina

Key Moments

• [00:53] - The surprise: Pablo is today’s guest
• [02:00] - Youngest of three, and the fight for eyes on him
• [02:32] - The senior voice audition he only took as a dare
• [03:20] - From wanting to be a kicker to calling the World Series
• [04:35] - Venezuela, Argentina, Miami, LA, and refusing the box
• [05:51] - What fans never see behind the superstar
• [08:03] - Covering the human, not the number on the back
• [10:06] - Rituals, blue pens, and the “it” factor
• [10:55] - Tom Brady, 28-3, and knowing the comeback was on
• [12:25] - Teaching himself Spanish and anchoring in Mexico
• [13:02] - The agent who said split your reels
• [15:17] - Accents, authenticity, and fake ones on television
• [16:26] - Why live TV and adrenaline are the easy part
• [18:18] - The “I am Miami” t-shirt he designed himself
• [18:54] - The one man play and the mannequin sketch
• [19:20] - Beating your own low by lifting somebody else
• [20:12] - Rapid fire round
• [21:49] - His sister Verónica, the reason for both careers

Notable Guests / Resources

• Pablo Alsina, broadcaster, actor, TV personality and co-host of Very Caliente
• Find Pablo on Instagram @PabloAlsina. He replies to every message
• Jennie López, speaker, author, and co-host of Very Caliente
• Intentional Unicorn, Jennie López’s bestselling book

Special Announcements

• Very Caliente is coming up on its one year anniversary. Pablo wants to mark it by taking the show to a club, with live music and people dancing.