Cesar Chavez Plants the Seeds of Comedic Success

Hispanic Entrepreneur Scott Montoya, El Rey of comedy, learned all things are possible at an early age

We’re all the product of our experiences and those who inspire us. This is a story about Scott Montoya’s, the achievements of his Hispanic business and the roots of inspiration through the years.

It was 1970 in Keene, Calif. The 11-year-old boy was hiking with a friend from the school bus stop after the 10-mile bus ride from Tehachapi. They where just above the Pacific Railroad tracks within the United Farmers Workers’ (UFW) headquarters, “Nuestra Señora De La Paz.” The duo walked up on a man beside the dirt road along the tracks. He was leaning over the hood of his truck looking through what appeared to be a riflescope.

He didn’t notice the kids coming up behind as he was fixated on the home of Cesar Chavez, the leader of the UFW. The man was sighting on the home and seemed to be ready to shoot! Finally hearing the kids come upon him, the man quickly got in his getaway truck and stormed off. As good fortune would have it, Chavez was not in La Paz on that day.

Sometime later it was confirmed that the same man, who was detained by the Kern County Sheriff in Arvin some 30 miles away, had planned to assassinate Chavez. This is the childhood the now King of Comedy Scott Montoya and his family lived in La Paz.

In the late ’60s as a kid, he marched with his Mexican-American father and his Irish-Welsh mother (with his younger brother in tow) side by side in rallies with Chavez and Dolores Huerta. Scott was fortunate enough to have met Robert F. Kennedy when his mother ran the Kennedy for President campaign office in San Jose, Calif. For Christmas one year in La Paz, Anthony Quinn dressed up as Santa Claus for the kids as he handed out donated presents. Scott played catch with visiting celebrities including Jane Fonda, George Takei and James Doohan of “Star Trek.”