Steven Michael Quezada
A stand-up comic turned beloved TV agent who leveraged his fame to launch a political career in his home state of New Mexico.
Born 1963 (age 63)·American comedian, actor and politician·Birthday: February 15·Baby Boomers
Biography
Steven Michael Quezada's journey is a classic American hustle, moving from the comedy club circuit to a defining television role and into the civic arena. Born and raised in Albuquerque, his early grind as a stand-up comedian forged a sharp, observational wit. That foundation served him perfectly when he landed the part of DEA Agent Steven Gomez on 'Breaking Bad,' a character whose grounded, everyman decency provided crucial ballast to the series' moral chaos. The global success of the show made his face familiar, but Quezada redirected that spotlight back to his community. He became a fixture in New Mexico's cultural and political life, winning a seat on the Albuquerque Public Schools board and advocating for local arts and education. Never leaving his comedic roots, he continues to perform and even opened his own comedy club, blending entertainment with entrepreneurship in his home state.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Steven was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Steven Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Steven's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed DEA Agent Steven Gomez across two critically acclaimed series, 'Breaking Bad' and 'Better Call Saul.'
- Elected to the Albuquerque Board of Education in 2017, serving a four-year term.
- Released a stand-up comedy special, 'The New Mexican,' on Amazon Prime Video in 2022.
- Opened Quezada's Comedy Club and Cantina in New Mexico's Santa Ana Star Casino in 2023.
Did You Know?
He was a regular performer at George Lopez's Punchliner Comedy Club on Carnival cruise ships.
His 'Breaking Bad' role was originally written for only a few episodes but was expanded due to audience and producer response.
He is a graduate of the University of New Mexico.
“You can take the kid out of Albuquerque, but you can't take Albuquerque out of the kid.”
