Paul (I) Rodriguez filmography and biography
Date of birth: 19 January 1955, Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico
Paul (I) Rodriguez biography
Friendly as all get-out, Latino stand-up comic Paul Rodriguez was born
in Mexico but raised in East Los Angeles. After finishing his military
service, he went to college on the GI bill with the idea of becoming an
attorney, but developed an interest in comedy while taking elective
courses. He honed his stand-up act at L.A.'s famous The Comedy Store
while working as a doorman there, and got his break as an opening act
for others at various concerts and universities and as a warm-up comic
on Norman Lear's short-lived sitcom Gloria
starring Sally Struthers (I).
Lear was so impressed that he wrote and developed a sitcom specifically
for Paul entitled a.k.a. Pablo, which caught the
public's eye only briefly. Other comedy series followed, however,
including Trial and Error and
Grand Slam, and a few movies also came his way with
D.C. Cab and Born in East L.A.. Sticking to
his Latino roots as the basis for his comedy, he has made an appealing
crossover hit. He broke through the talk show venue with "El Show de
Paul Rodriguez", which had a four-year run, and branched out into
directing with the film A Million to Juan, which he also
co-wrote and starred in. More recently, he appeared with
Paul Hogan (I) in Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles
and had an atypical role in director Clint Eastwood's
Blood Work as an arrogant, smarmy police detective. More
recently, he has been visible (good or bad) in
A Cinderella Story,
The Worlds Fastest Indian and Cloud 9.
He also executive-produced and starred in the comedy concert film
The Original Latin Kings of Comedy. He has been seen
everywhere on cable comedy showcases, including
Paul Rodriguez: Behind Bars (1991) (TV),
Crossing White Lines,
Paul Rodriguez Live!: I Need the Couch (1986) (TV) and
Loco Slam, all of which have helped him to become one
of the best and best known Hispanic comics in the US. These days, Paul
is known for his tireless charity work, which includes strong, avid
support for the National Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Farm Aid, Leukemia
Telethon, Project Literacy, and Housing Now, among many others.
Paul (I) Rodriguez trivia
- Formerly stationed in Iceland; Duluth, Minnesota; and the Phillipines as
a Communications Officer in the Air Force
- He appeared in the music video and sang in the choir on the song "Voices
That Care."
- Claimed to be a member of the Compton Varrio Setentas street gang when
he was a teenager.
- During his live show in San Quentin, Rodriguez found several childhood
friends with whom he grew up in Compton.
- Moved with his family to Compton a month before the Watts riots.
- Paul began helping the El Centro Police Activites Leage in raising
money, back in the mid 90s. He would donate his time and his talent for
the annual 'Fiesta De Loco's' comedy show. The money raised would go to
help keep the Imperial Valley youths off the streets and out of gangs,
by giving them a recreation facility to play games and hang out. To
Paul's surprise, on January 22nd 2005, before his performance, The city
of El Centro announced that January 22nd will be named "Paul Rodriguez
Day", due to his great yearly contributions in donating his talents to
raise money to. Paul went on to tell the story about how his career
started and the struggles of growing up segueing into his comedy bit
for the night.
- Close friend of Richard Jeni.
- Chairman of the California Latino Water Coalition.
- Rushed to a Washington, D.C. hospital on October 1, 2009 complaining of
severe abdominal pain.
- His son, Paul Rodriguez (V) is a professional skateboarder won
the gold medal in the 2004 X Games Skateboard Street Competition.
Paul (I) Rodriguez quotes
- Latinos are black, white, brown, beige. What does that say about our
ancestors? We'll sleep with anybody!
- It is my belief that Latinos in show business have to be self sufficient
and creative while aggressively attempting to penetrate post-mogul
Hollywood. Self- starting is becoming the path to serious studio
support.
- Hunting is not a sport. In a sport, both sides should know they're in
the game.