As he himself notes in the ensuing interview, Gabriel Iglesias has had to come a long way to success, overcoming stereotypes and labeling. For his hard work and drive, Iglesias, also known comically as "Fluffy," has placed himself in a position where he is virtually untouchable.

How untouchable? Untouchable enough that when Fuse networks asked him to work with them, he pitched the show and called most of the shots. The San Diego native of Mexican descent is kicking off his new show "Fluffy Breaks Even" on Oct. 1, but he had some time to talk to Latin Post about his inspiration and origins for the show, as well as how he views the industry's treatment of Latin Americans.

His credits include such TV shows as "I'm Not Fat... I'm Fluffy," "Premium Blend," "Comedy Central Presents," "Last Comic Standing," and "Live at Gotham," among others. He's also landed roles in such films as "The Fluffy Movie," "A Haunted House 2," "The Nut Job," "The Book of Life" and the two "Magic Mike" films.

Latin Post: What has been your experience of working with Fuse on "Fluffy Break Even"?

Gabriel Iglesias: Let me tell you. Fuse has been bending over backwards to make sure that creatively I get to do the show that I want to do. They have been super supportive and amazing to work with. I can't say enough good things about Fuse. Compared to other networks that I've worked with, they have been the most accommodating and helpful.

LP: What was the inspiration for the show? Who came up with the idea?

GI: It was all me. I'll take full credit on that one. I came up with the idea in December 2012. I told my agent that I always wanted a food show. They asked me what my twist was, and I told them that we would go out, eat, but then we would have to burn it off. We would have to be responsible for what we eat. I burned off 100 pounds, and I'm not saying that I'm skinny, but I sure don't want to gain it all back either.

LP: So how did you get the network to join in on this?

GI: They wanted to do some projects with me for a while. There was already a relationship, and then we talked it over. They loved the idea. The fact that we bring fans into the show and there is a lot of interaction was a big hit with them.

LP: What do you mean by fan interaction?

GI: When we go out to eat we don't just go on Yelp. I tweet fans. So when I pull into Denver, I put out a tweet and ask for place to eat that is not the norm. And my phone blows up. People are trying to tell me where to go. Whatever name pops up the most is where we go. And the same thing goes for workouts. We ask for places to work out besides a regular gym. We get suggestions to go rope climbing or a UFC gym or even flipping tires. All of these random workouts. Even pushing trucks.

LP: Martin Moreno and Rick Gutierrez are both working on the show. At what point did you look to bring them on board? Why did you want them along with you on this ride?

GI: They are always on the road with me. I have been friends with them for over 15 years. Rick was my roommate for two years, and I have been on the road with Martin for 17 years. He's been my MC. It's a natural organic fit. These are the people constantly on the road together. There is no acting or casting going on here. All the people involved are real people.

LP: What are the particular challenges of putting together a show like this?

GI: Having a camera crew takes time to get used to. They are always in your face. Sometimes that makes you want to shut down a bit and you censor yourself. We just had to learn to trust the people around us and get to the point where we are just like the Kardashians. Whatever we say is what we say, and we do what we do. That was really hard especially with Ricky because sometimes he says things where I think that he will get me arrested or even banned from TV. Fortunately we have good editors.

LP: What do you hope audiences take away from "Fluffy Breaks Even"?

GI: It's a fun show but one big thing I want is for people to see that you can indulge a little, but you have to be responsible. There is a certain level of accountability. I was 400-plus pounds. I'm down 100 pounds. I don't want to go on a strict diet of stuff that makes me a miserable person. I want to still go out and have a good meal, but at the same time, I need to find a way to balance that. So if you want to have a steak and potatoes, the next day you have to get your butt in a gym or something to counterbalance it.

LP: So let's switch gears a bit. There was a recent study from the USC Annenberg School for Journalism that revealed that Latin Americans are still the most underrepresented minority in Hollywood. How do you respond to this, especially working in the industry today?

GI: I think that nowadays Hollywood is actually kind of missing the point these days. They are trying to find a Latino voice to use out there instead of finding who is most qualified for the job. Do you know what I mean? Don't just cast someone because they are Latino. Cast them because they are good at what they do. If they are not creative or talented, then don't put them out there.

If I get a sitcom, I don't want to get one because I'm brown. I want to get it because I have a good writing staff, because I'm funny and I'm going to put a good product out there. I think it is one of those things where the doors need to be open, but don't just put people there to put them there and fill a quota. That doesn't help the situation. In fact it might make it worse. Don't affirmative action the whole thing. Don't put a "Fernandez" in the writing staff because you're afraid that people will be upset if you don't. Put him there because he's good. I don't want a handout. I worked hard to be where I am. I know they will catch up eventually.

LP: So is this a situation where the talent is not there?

GI: No there is a lot of talent that has not been given the opportunity. The thing is that they are not looking for the quality. They are just trying to get whoever they can get quickly. That was my greatest challenge in this business.

LP: Can you elaborate on that?

GI: It was hard for people to just see me as a comedian. An entertainer. The Latino thing became the big issue. People thought I was a funny Latino comedian. I would respond that I was a good comedian who happens to be Latino. For me a "Latino Comedian" is someone who can only perform in front of Latinos. I can perform in front of everyone.

LP: Were people that quick to label you at the start of your career?

GI: I was labeled from day one. I was either the fat comic or the brown comic. I would say, "Well what about the funny comic? Why can't I be that one?" I would even settle for family comic.

LP: Is that still an issue or have you gotten over it?

GI: I am very fortunate and have overcome most of it. There is still a little bit out there. My resume does a lot of talking for me these days. It's not as bad as it was.

When I performed in Saudi Arabia, they didn't call me a Latino because there are no Latin Americans in Saudi Arabia. They called me the American comic. And I said to myself, "How is it possible that I had to come all the way to Saudi Arabia to be considered an American comic?"