What a lucky thing for a boy named Andy Cortez.

The Kinda Funny frontman has carved out a niche for himself in the Twitch world by playing video games for his fans, and he's looking to continue his upward trend with his sharp wit, raised-eyebrow attitude and improvisational comedic talent that would wow Saturday Night Live.

"Comedy, for me, is a form of escapism. It's a way to laugh away the pain and get away from whatever you're going through in your life. A lot of people have been that for me. I never thought I'd be in a place now where I would be that person for people," he said in a phone interview with Lifewire.

Cortez was born and raised in the small border town of Pharr, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley. He comes from a proud Mexican-American family and notes that his parents worked hard to provide for him growing up, while also nurturing his creative dreams and interests, something the streamer says wasn’t common in the region.