Years ago, there was a show called House of Buggin’. And on it was John Leguizamo, the comedian and comic actor. He had this bit where he’d be a radical Hispanic — a gang-leader type. More like an extreme political activist. And he and his compadres had a tag line: “La Raza,” uttered in a jive, somewhat menacing, slightly crazed way. “La Raza!” they’d say.

John, or his character, would do such things as call up prominent Hispanics — Edward J. Olmos, let’s say. And he’d say, “Edward J. Olmos! We know you’re Hispanic! Don’t try to deny it!” And Olmos — or the voice pretending to be Olmos — would say, “Well, of course I’m Hispanic. Everybody knows that.” Then John, looking abashed and annoyed, would say, “Well, don’t you forget it!”

I have not thought of that tag line, La Raza!, in some years. But in all the readin’ and writin’ I’ve been doing on our next Supreme Court justice — it has been coming back to me.

The point of this little post? Boy, it would be nice to see that video, from House of Buggin’. My Internet searches — not the most virtuosic — have come up with nothing. Does anyone have this sketch, or these sketches, in a vault?

La Raza!

P.S. When my niece was little, we called her “Bug” or “Buggie,” and still do, sometimes. I used to refer to her house as “the House of Buggin’.” (Is that TMI — too much information?)

UPDATE: Needless to say, readers came through in waves and spades. For videos, please see two posts up.