You know we love a good laugh and our latest guest is a pro at dishing them out! This week’s guest is stand up comedian, writer, producer actress and more, Aida Rodriguez. She’s the first Latina with an hour long comedy special on HBO Max and after this interview, we know exactly why she deserves it. From being “unhoused” with her children to shooting her comedy special during two hurricanes, talks about why we need to continue to lift up Latinx creators and why we don’t always have to be victims but can be victors. We also talk about funny moments, serious moments and she also reminds us that unless we have a healthy mental headspace, we will not see success in our lives. Aida has so many great projects coming down the pipeline (starting with her special that’s out on HBOMax now); she is serious, funny and a seriously funny mama that we will absolutely be having on the show again soon!
More about Aida Rodriguez: Aida Rodriguez is a Comedian, Writer, and Actor. Lauded by Esquire Magazine as “raucously funny,” she has become a favorite with fans and critics alike. With her first hour standup special set to premiere, her own TV series in development, both at HBO Max, and a deal for an animated series with ITV, Aida is bound for the comedy stratosphere.
In November 2021, Aida’s first hour standup special Fighting Words premiered on HBO Max. In the special, the comedian takes to the stage to address today’s audiences about cancel-culture and the social issues of the day, not just because they’re ripped from the headlines, but because they are in the pages torn out of her personal life. Additionally, Rodriguez is developing her own half hour comedy series with HBO Max based on her own incredible life story, which includes surviving two kidnappings, sexual abuse, and a period of homelessness. Co-written and Executive Produced by Rodriguez, Chris Case (Showtime’s Flatbush Misdemeanors) and Nastaran Dibai (Netflix’s Dear White People), the project examines the struggle of a comedian (Rodriguez) who is trying to kick start a career while raising two very different teenagers on her own over multiple time zones. It is an uplifting story of survival and triumph in the face of a darkly funny Miami inner-city upbringing, where she learned skills that allowed her to thrive and endure. In addition to her HBO Max projects, she is developing an animated series with ITV.
In 2020, Aida headlined the HBO LatinX standup special Entrenos while also appearing in Showtime’s Shaquille O'Neal Presents: All Star Comedy Jam, one of only four women to have performed on the series in its 15 seasons. Prior to that, she had her own half hour special on Netflix’s hit comedy series They Ready, Executive Produced by Tiffany Haddish and Wanda Sykes. In reviews Decider gushed that the special “will have you laughing, crying and begging for more” and Esquire Magazine declared “This is Rodriguez's genius—using comedy to turn pain into progress, to give voice to the voiceless, and to laugh instead of cry.”
In addition to her TV projects, Aida was handpicked by director Taylor Hackford for his feature film “The Comedian” starring Robert De Niro. She is also the five-time host of PBS’ Imagen Awards, which recognizes and rewards creative excellence of Latinos in television and film. She is a guest writer for Buzzfeed as well as a regular Commentator on the popular online progressive political talk show The Young Turks. Rodriguez hosts her own podcast, Truth Serum, which is an interactive weekly wrap up show covering the week’s hottest topics, where inclusivity and diversity are a standard, not an initiative.
A longtime favorite on the standup circuit, Aida was a finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing and has been featured on several comedy fan-favorite TV series, including Comedy Central’s This Week at the Comedy Cellar, HBO’s Pause with Sam Jay, and TBS’ Tournament of Laughs. She tours the country performing her distinct brand of poignant and insightful comedy to sold out audiences, inviting her longtime fans to laugh hard, think hard, and feel hard.
Our Conversation with Aida
New Year’s Resolutions
All about Aida
How she got started in stand up comedy
Aida’s HBOMax special - Fighting Words
Her joke writing process
Where Aida finds her strength
Trauma Bonding and Mental Health
Pick or tip of the week
Paulina is late to the game but glue dots! They are so great for crafts because she stick everywhere and come off. She used them this week for the girl's’ Valentine’s Day crafts and they used them last year for their sister Liz’s bachelorette party.
In case you didn’t know, Bricia loves coffee. She and her husband stumbled upon Mariposa Coffee Company in Yosemite last year and now have a subscription. Every morning she grinds fresh beans and puts them in her french press. She gets the Mariposa Morning blend and Mariposa Blueberry and she loves them both!
LINKS
For more information go to www.FunnyAida.com
Follow Aida on Instagram and Twitter - @FunnyAida
Aida and her children recommend the book, Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty
