Glide Into Fame

Montrose Rollerblader celebrates glide into next round of America's Got Talent

You may have have noticed him rollerblading around Montrose in a Spandex jumpsuit with bedazzled inline skates, but now Juan Carlos is getting national attention. The YouTube sensation hit the big screen on NBC’s America’s Got Talent in an encore performance Tuesday night and about 50 friends and fans joined him at Phoenicia's MKT Bar for a viewing party that turned into a big celebration.

His smile filled the room as he proudly rollerbladed around the downtown restaurant in a tight black Spandex jumpsuit, often striking a pose and waving to fans. They stopped him constantly to congratulate him on his performance and ask him to pose for selfies. He gave each of them a huge hug, and for some lucky fans, even a kiss on the cheek.

“My experience on the show was better than I ever expected,” Juan Carlos exclaimed. "The only thing I was nervous about going on the show was leaving my little dog Heidi at home.”

"I am so grateful that all of these people came out tonight to support me, it truly means a lot," he told CultureMap.

Since he was a teenager, Carlos has loved to entertain people and make them laugh. But his life changed after a producer for America's Got Talent saw a story about him in Houstonia magazine and contacted him to try out for the show.

During his audition appearance, which was originally telecast Sunday night, he won over the judges as soon as he stepped onstage in a glittery red Spandex suit. (He designs his costumes, making sure sure each glittery bead is glued on to perfection.) "I would like to give you an award already for best entrance," judge Howard Stern said.

After his performance to "These Boots are Made for Walkin'," though, Stern was not as complimentary, but the shock jock was overruled by the other judges who voted to send Juan Carlos to the next round in Las Vegas later in the seasons.

“My experience on the show was better than I ever expected,” Juan Carlos exclaimed. "The only thing I was nervous about going on the show was leaving my little dog Heidi at home.”

From starting out with an old flip phone and a pair of homemade sparkling roller blades, Carlos now has over 1,900 likes on his Facebook fan page and more than 136,000 views on his YouTube video audition from the show since Sunday. A previous YouTube video of him dancing to the Chris Brown song, "Look at me Now," has received more than 800,000 views.

At the viewing party, fans and friends jumped up and cheered throughout his performance. The 49-year-old rollerblader/dancer was smiling broadly while watching himself on TV.

“He has this magnetic love about him. He is inspiring, he makes you smile and he is a good dancer. He is the whole package," said Carolyn Casey Figueroa, his friend and fan.

"His personality is so addicting, you just can’t get enough of him and you just can't help but fall in love him," said his close friend and neighbor Theresa Hildreth. “ If you’re having a bad day and you run into Juan Carlos, you’re no longer having a bad day any more.”

As the night came to a close, fans and friends enjoyed a cake with "We ♥ our Montrose Roller Blade Dancer" written in icing and signed a "Best of Luck" banner. Juan Carlos blew kisses while striking one of his sassy poses to the crowd as his friends and fans cheered.

Juan Carlos at MKT Bar.

Courtesy photo.

Juan Carlos at MKT Bar.

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stadium switcheroo

Houston's NRG Stadium returns to reliable original name

Courtesy of NRG

NRG Stadium will return to its original name this fall.

Everything old is new again, they say. That’s about to be particularly true for a much-loved Houston venue.

NRG announced today that NRG Stadium and the surrounding buildings that make up NRG Park will be renamed Reliant Stadium and Reliant Park. The change takes effect this August, coinciding with the Houston Texans’ – and the stadium’s – 25th anniversary.

The change has already been approved by the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation.

“Houston is Reliant’s home, and a name Texans know and trust,” said Brad Bentley, head of NRG Consumer and Reliant. “For more than two decades, Reliant has powered the moments that bring our community together—from the Texans’ first game and hosting two Super Bowls to every unforgettable RodeoHouston performance in between. Fans have told us what this place means to them. For many, it’s always been Reliant Stadium. We heard them loud and clear. Reliant Stadium is back.”

Those fans have been particularly vocal. Recent survey results show 90 percent of Houston-area customers support the return to the Reliant Stadium name. When the arena made its debut in 2002, it carried the name Reliant Stadium. It was renamed NRG in 2014 following that company’s acquisition of Reliant’s consumer business.

Current NRG signage is already coming down, as the city prepares to transition to “Houston Stadium” ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Prior to the August renaming, several of the stadium’s partners are cheering the move.

"As a founding partner of the team, Reliant has been a part of our Houston Texans family from the very beginning," said Mike Tomon, Houston Texans president. "Reliant Stadium has been our home since our first game in 2002 and we can't wait to celebrate 25 seasons of Texans football back where it all began."

Tomon noted that the team’s connection to the Houston community is deeper and more extensive than its home turf in the stadium. The Texas are responsible for a variety of community initiatives, including the Scholarships for Champions Program, which has recognized and awarded scholarships to deserving student-athletes across the greater Houston area over the last two decades.

Another scholarship-granting organization, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, is also synonymous with Reliant Park.

"For more than two decades, Reliant Stadium, Reliant Center, and Reliant Arena have been at the heart of everything we do, serving as the home of our livestock and horse events and the heartbeat of RodeoHouston,” said Chris Boleman, president and CEO, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. "These venues are more than just a name; they represent a feeling, a tradition, and a shared experience we’re incredibly proud to call home.”

NRG Stadium isn't the only Houston sports arena to get a rebrand. Last year, the Houston Astros changed the name of Minute Maid Park to Daikin Park, thank to a naming rights agreement with HVAC manufacturer Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc.

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