Buzz Belmondo
Buzz Belmondo is the stage name of actor, comedian, film maker, film producer and writer Lorenzo Matawaran. It is also a persona created by Matawaran from his days in improvisational and stand-up comedy. Born on February 20, in San Francisco, California of Luis and EFFIE Matawaran, a Filipino immigrant couple, he grew up in the North Beach Housing Projects not far from Fisherman's Wharf. As a child, he had the reputation of being “the cut-up of the guys” from his neighborhood. Former member of street-gang "The Majestics", a group that also produced artist Harry Louie and Teamster Union Official Joe Benny Agulair.
In the mid-1960s, Buzz served a tour of duty in Vietnam assigned to the Signal Corp. He was honorably discharged from the Army in 1967 under circumstances that have never been made public in this country. He held the rank of sergeant.
After going to see a friend’s performance in an improv troupe, Matawaran was invited to join an improv class. He went on from that class to performing at halftime during local high school basketball games, but it was his decision to try the open-mike night in a church basement that opened doors for him professionally. Soon Matawaran was performing at comedy clubs throughout San Francisco, in particular the Holy City Zoo where he was one of the lead players, along with Robin Williams, Jose Simon, and Joe Sharky, in the group Papaya Juice. He eventually headed for Los Angeles and a club called Igby's. While there as the Emcee, he was spotted by a casting scout from The Joan Rivers Show. In his days on the short-lived talk show, Matawaran, in the persona of Belmondo, would schmooze with Joan, telling fake gossip about Hollywood stars.
Buzz soon caught the interest of television producers, landing a recurring role on the syndicated sitcom, Out of This World, with co-stars Donna Pescow and Maureen Flannigan. Buzz feuded famously with Joe Alaskey on the set of Out of This World to the point where the two would not film scenes together. Any scene in which both of them appear in the same frame from the second season on was filmed using trick photography .
He went on to land roles and appearances in Baywatch, Comedy Break with Mack and Jamie, Chip and Pepper's Cartoon Madness, Carl Bradley Presents", and other shows. He has also appeared in some films includingThe Big Fall,Underground,The Dakota Kid'', Fashion Victim,and others.
Currently his projects include collaboration with Davey Stump and Gil Crasner on the parody/spoof of the 1950s paranoia film, They Might be Us.
He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Kathy and son Matt (a member of a LA band "We Are Lions")
Trivia
- Third cousin of former Major League Baseball Pitcher Juan Marichal.
- Table Placement enthusiast.
- Voted best all-round comedy duo (Carl and Buzz)at Edinburg Comedy Festival (2003)
- Is lactose tolerant.
- Has a cameo in Madonna's Papa Don't Preach video.
- Was a four-year letterman in track and field in highschool.
- One of the few friends of former TV Network Executive Carl Bradley.
- Carl and Buzz are the first ever "TagTeam Champions" of the Championship Comedy organization that combines professional wrestling and standup comedy. They defeated the Young Bucks: Tom Vrab and Yak in a knock-down drag-out verbal slugfest to win the title belts at The World Famous Improv in Ontario, CA on September 19th 2007.
- Infamously involved in a 1988 brawl at Jerry's Famous Deli with Steve Allen.
- Named cats after his favorite football team (the San Francisco 49ers) and his favorite show on television is ''WWE Monday Night Raw".