When Justin Peters is staring someone dead in the eyes, everything else kind of stops. The 45-year-old journalist, comedian, and author, apparently, has always had a gift for listening and for holding an audience’s attention.
Since December 2023, his wit, curiosity, and compassion have been a driving force of the “Salud and Happy Days” series at the Commodore in Ybor City, a space he co-founded earlier that year. The show’s title is a nod to a commercial for Tampa’s long-shuttered Valencia Garden restaurant. During the performance, Peters interviews notable Tampeños before unleashing improv comedians to act out what comes out in the onstage chat. The presentation is one-of-a-kind in the Bay area and has become a staple for natives and newcomers alike.
About 100 days ago, Peters had to stop in his tracks, too…