Dominican-American Comedians Raise Latino Voting Awareness In New Parody

Michael Diaz and Oscar Martinez, better known as Juan Bago and O Face, have made a name for themselves for their hilarious spoofs of artists such as rapper Wiz Khalifa’s wildly popular ode to Pittsburgh “Black and Yellow” and Jay Z and Kanye West’s tune “In Paris.”

But this time around, like Rosario Dawson's Voto Latino Organization, the Dominican-American comedians are focused on “making politics sexy” and getting Latinos to vote using their latest parody of  last week’s presidential debate.

Diaz says that the video has already “brought on dialogue” from his peers and fellow neighbors in the Washington Heights sector of New York City, but it has also caught the attention of local community leaders.

“People are asking more 'OK, why aren’t Latinos voting ?'” Diaz told Fox News Latino. “When it comes down to it, people are just not going to show up because they think others will [vote].”

In the new spoof, Juan Bago and O Face are seen battling it out at a presidential debate, with striking similarities to last week's debate between President Barack Obama’s and GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

But it’s the kick at the end of the parody, with the third candidate, that Diaz says carries a very important message.

“Everyone complains and no one went out and voted. That’s why the bum wins at the end of the video,” said Diaz, adding that Latinos as a whole “should push and voice” the issues that matter to them.

“There are a lot Latinos involved but they are not registered," he said. "Locally especially."

In order to get their following to understand that this parody in particular has “a serious undertone,” Diaz said they took the role of being a politician very seriously.

“In this video we knew from the beginning that it wasn’t going to be so slapstick in your face comedy. There is a message behind it,” said Diaz.

“We knew for this we needed to step it up and give it that mood that you see,” he said adding that he went as far as getting rid of his beard, something he had not done since college.

The funnyman, actor, producer and businessman says he wants to lead by example and therefore has already become deeply involved in his community. He's part of Community Board 12 in Washington Heights.

“I’ve  realized that the most important votes are the local votes and not a lot people know who their local elected officials are," he said. "I don’t see myself involved in politics [in the future], but I do see myself involved with the issues. You  always have to give back.”