Maria Acosta, known as the Mambo Queen of Comedy says, “We as Latinas, demand a lot from our men. They need to take care of us, be good to us, help us, be the bread winner, love us, spoil us, make us feel special. We see them as strong, loyal, our protectors, courageous ---- warriors. Especially my husband, he was raised in El Salvador, in a war. He’s such a warrior. I love that about him!”

I'm beginning to feel that the least this Latino warrior deserves is a warm, home-cooked meal of pupusas, the Salvadorean staple food. Does this Cuban Diva cook pupusas? Read: the real test. She laughs. “No, I haven’t. I know I should but…. Oh my…. I should- right?” She comes to her own defense, “His mother showed me how to cook Salvadorian pollo guisao. I cook that for him!”

So how does the typical “Macho Man” see us --- la mujer latina? “Many of our men want us to nurture them and baby them. And that’s were the controversy begins. To make it work, we, as independent career-minded, Latina women, have to realize that it’s not all about independence. It’s really about finding balance.”

How does Maria Costa find balance if she is already working on the movie production of ‘Macho Men’? “I’m still struggling with balance. But I’m very excited about the movie. I’m currently busy at the computer typing away the last details of the screenplay.”

Not to mention the DVD of the play is about to be released, and the she has a recurring role on ABCs Ugly Betty. A movie, a DVD, TV, interviews, photo shoots, - Read: DIVA - no wonder her poor man is still waiting for some home-cooked pupusas!

The Imagen Award Winning (2007) Maria Costa, has quite a bit to say about her man. In fact, she wrote a whole comedy on him! Macho Men and the Women Who Love Them is a collection of comedic characters who put their two cents to help the main character, an independent career-driven Latina woman, deal with her new found traditional, Latino man- Read: Macho Man! This comedy was performed in the Kodak Theater, making Maria Costa the first Latina to have a show on the famed stage.

Macho Men and the Women Who Love Them was created thanks to Costa’s personal experience. She explains, “The inspiration behind it was actually my husband. When we first met he expected for me to cook and clean, be nurturing and caring …. But ALL the time. And me, well, I had my career, I was independent, I’m an actress, very driven and dedicated to my acting career. I’m the type to work, work, work! Everything was either my way or no way!”

I’m not so sure how a typical, traditional Latino man would deal with such independence, and get-out-of-my-way attitude. Maria Costa candidly explains, “It was a heated relationship, at times tumultuous…”

What does ‘was’ mean? Does he help you now with the cooking? “Yes. He does his share of the cooking now. We had to find compromise. I, myself had to find compromise. We both had to learn to live in each other’s world.”

I asked her, if she had a choice which would she chose: a typical Latino “macho man” , or a modern American man. Read: Gringo! Under no uncertain terms, she said, “I’ve already made my choice!”