Paul Rodriguez, Sr. (born January 19, 1955) is a

Mexican-American Mexican Americans ( es, mexicano-estadounidenses, , or ) are Americans of full or partial Mexican heritage. In 2019, Mexican Americans comprised 11.3% of the US population and 61.5% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexica ...

actor and stand-up comedian.

Early life

Paul Rodriguez was born in Culiacan,

Sinaloa Sinaloa (), officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sinaloa), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is d ...

, to Mexican agriculture ranchers. His family migrated to

Compton Compton may refer to: Places Canada * Compton (electoral district), a former Quebec federal electoral district * Compton (provincial electoral district), a former Quebec provincial electoral district now part of Mégantic-Compton * Compton, Que ...

, California, where Rodriguez enlisted in the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

and was stationed in

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...

and in

Duluth, Minnesota , settlement_type = City , nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior), Zenith City , motto = , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: urban Duluth skyline; Minnesota ...

. Rodriguez was first assigned to Lackland AFB after completing training at Shepard AFB, both in Texas. A1C Rodriguez worked in a Communications Center as a 29130 and had a Top Secret security clearance. He won

Tops in Blue Tops in Blue was a touring performance ensemble made up of active duty members of the United States Air Force formed in 1953. For 63 years, Tops in Blue traveled to more than 20 countries to perform more than 120 times each year for airmen and fam ...

Career

Television

Rodriguez first appeared in '' a.k.a. Pablo'', a 1984 sitcom produced by

Embassy Television ELP Communications (formerly known as T.A.T. Communications Company, Embassy Television, Embassy Telecommunications, and Embassy Communications) was an American television production company that originally began in 1974. History Beginning EL ...

for

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

, but the show was canceled after six episodes. He was regular cast member of the 1988 sitcom ''

Trial and Error Trial and error is a fundamental method of problem-solving characterized by repeated, varied attempts which are continued until success, or until the practicer stops trying. According to W.H. Thorpe, the term was devised by C. Lloyd Morgan (1 ...

'', but it was cancelled after only three episodes aired. Later in the same year he replaced

Bob Eubanks Robert Leland Eubanks (born January 8, 1938) is an American disc jockey, television personality and game show host, best known for hosting the game show ''The Newlywed Game'' on and off since 1966. He also hosted the successful revamp version of ...

as host of ''

The Newlywed Game ''The Newlywed Game'' is an American television game show that puts newly married couples against each other in a series of revealing question rounds to determine how well the spouses know or do not know each other. The program, originally create ...

'' for a season (which was renamed ''The Newlywed Game Starring Paul Rodriguez'' and also during his tenure as host, the

doo-wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...

hit "The Book of Love" (The Monotones song) by

The Monotones The Monotones were a six-member American doo-wop vocal group in the 1950s. They are considered a one-hit wonder, as their only hit single was " The Book of Love", which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1958. Biography The Monotones ...

was used as its theme song). ''El Show de Paul Rodriguez'' was on

Univision Univision () is an American Spanish-language free-to-air television network owned by TelevisaUnivision. It is the United States' largest provider of Spanish-language content. The network's programming is aimed at the Latino public and includes ...

from March 2, 1990, to January 1, 1993. From 2010 to 2011, Rodriguez hosted two seasons and 40 episodes of the

MTV Tr3́s MTV Tres (taken from the Spanish word for the number three ''tres'', stylized as tr3s, with an acute accent over the '3') is an American owned by Paramount Media Networks, a subsidiary of Paramount Global. The channel is targeted toward biling ...

comedy home video series ''Mis Videos Locos''. The reality show features video footage of Latino people from various countries who are filmed by devices like surveillance cameras and mobile phones.

Film

Rodriguez has appeared in several feature films, such as

The Whoopee Boys ''The Whoopee Boys'' is a 1986 American comedy film directed by John Byrum and starring Michael O'Keefe and Paul Rodriguez. It was made by the writers and the producers of the 1984 hit film ''Revenge of the Nerds''. Plot Two dim-witted New York ...

with

Michael O'Keefe Michael O'Keefe (born Raymond Peter O'Keefe, Jr.; April 24, 1955) is an American actor, known for his roles as Danny Noonan in ''Caddyshack'', Ben Meechum in ''The Great Santini,'' for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Bes ...

Denholm Elliott Denholm Mitchell Elliott, (31 May 1922 – 6 October 1992) was an English actor, with more than 125 film and television credits. His well-known roles include the abortionist in ''Alfie'' (1966), Marcus Brody in ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' (1981 ...

and

Marsha Warfield Marsha Francine Warfield (born March 5, 1954) is an American actress and comedian. She grew up on Chicago's South Side, graduating from Calumet High School. She is best known for her 1986–92 role of Roz Russell on the Top 10 rated NBC sitcom ...

, '' Blood Work'' with

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Doll ...

, ''

D.C. Cab ''D.C. Cab'' (also known as ''Street Fleet'') is a 1983 American comedy film written and directed by Joel Schumacher, based on a story by Topper Carew and Schumacher, and starring Max Gail, Adam Baldwin, Mr. T, Charlie Barnett, Gary Busey, Mar ...

'', '' Born in East L.A.'', ''

Tortilla Soup Tortilla soup ( es, sopa de tortilla) is a traditional Mexican soup made of fried corn tortilla pieces, submerged into a broth of tomato, garlic, onion, and ''chile de árbol'' and epazote. It is served with pieces of pasilla chiles, chicharr� ...

'', ''

Rat Race A rat race is an endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit. The phrase equates humans to rats attempting to earn a reward such as cheese, in vain. It may also refer to a competitive struggle to get ahead financially or routinely. The term is ...

'', and ''

Ali ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...

'', and has also performed voiceover roles for ''

King of the Hill ''King of the Hill'' is an American animated sitcom created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It aired its original non-syndicated run from January 12, 1997, to September 13, 2009, and centers on the Hills, an Am ...

'', ''

Dora the Explorer ''Dora the Explorer'' is an American children's animated television series and multimedia franchise created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh Valdes and Eric Weiner that premiered on Nickelodeon on August 14, 2000, went on hiatus on June 5, 20 ...

'', and ''

Beverly Hills Chihuahua ''Beverly Hills Chihuahua'' is a 2008 American comedy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures, the first in the ''Beverly Hills Chihuahua'' series. It is directed by Raja Gosnell and was released on October 3, 2008. The films stars Piper Perabo, Ja ...

''. Rodriguez has worked in other roles in the film industry: he directed and starred in the film ''

A Million to Juan ''A Million to Juan'' is a 1994 romantic comedy film starring comedian Paul Rodriguez. It was also his directorial debut. The story is a modern spin on Mark Twain's 1893 story "The Million Pound Bank Note". Plot Alejandro Lopez narrates the ev ...

'', and he produced and appeared in the 2002 comedy film '' The Original Latin Kings of Comedy''. In 2009, the stand up Comedy Special ''Paul Rodriguez: Comedy Rehab,'' produced and hosted by Rodriguez was released. ''Paul Rodriguez: Just for the Record'', which documents a live performance was released in 2011. In May 2021, Rodriguez made his debut on

A Million Little Things ''A Million Little Things'' is an American family drama television series created by DJ Nash for ABC. Produced by ABC Signature and Kapital Entertainment, it features an ensemble cast including David Giuntoli, Grace Park, Romany Malco, Christi ...

as Gary's Dad. He re-united with

Jeff Valdez Jeff Valdez (born January 31, 1956) is an American producer, writer, and studio executive who created the category of Latino Programming in English. The films and TV shows written and produced by Valdez have been syndicated in more than 40 countri ...

, creator of the Latino Laugh Festival as host of the second annual HA! Comedy Festival, which will air on

HBO Max HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Netw ...

. According to

Deadline Hollywood ''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. The site is updated several times a day, with ...

, he is expected to appear in the dark comedy feature film ''The Immortalist'' which was scheduled to be released in November 2021. It also features

Franco Nero Francesco Clemente Giuseppe Sparanero (born 23 November 1941), known professionally as Franco Nero, is an Italian actor, producer, and director. His breakthrough role was as the title character in the Spaghetti Western film '' Django'' (1966), ...

Sherilyn Fenn Sherilyn Fenn (born Sheryl Ann Fenn; February 1, 1965) is an American actress and author. She came to attention for her performance as Audrey Horne on the television series ''Twin Peaks'' (1990–1991, 2017) for which she was nominated for a Go ...

Aries Spears Aries Spears (born April 3, 1975) is an American stand-up comedian and actor from New Jersey. Spears was a regular on Fox's sketch comedy series ''MADtv'', appearing in 198 episodes, making him the second longest-serving cast member on the sho ...

, and Jeff DuJardin.

Awards

In 2004

Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy programming ...

ranked him at No. 74 on its list of the "100 Greatest Standups of all Time." Rodriguez was acknowledged with the "Humanitarian of the Year Award" by the City of Fresno for his work in the area of water conservation.

Company owner

Rodriguez is a part-owner of the

Laugh Factory Laugh Factory is a chain of comedy clubs in the United States. The chain is owned by Laugh Factory Inc., and the founder and current chief executive is Jamie Masada. Endurance record The Laugh Factory keeps track of an endurance record fo ...

comedy venue in

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California Hollywood is a neighborhood in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a metonymy, shorthand reference for the Cinema of the United States, U.S. film industry and the people associated with i ...

, U.S., where comedian/actor

Michael Richards Michael Anthony Richards (born July 24, 1949) is an American actor, writer, television producer, and comedian best known for playing Cosmo Kramer on the television sitcom '' Seinfeld''. He began his career as a stand-up comedian, first enterin ...

was filmed in a highly publicized on-stage rant against two black male hecklers. When asked about Richards's repeated use of the word "

nigger In the English language, the word ''nigger'' is an ethnic slur used against black people, especially African Americans. Starting in the late 1990s, references to ''nigger'' have been progressively replaced by the euphemism , notably in cases ...

", Rodriguez said, "Once the word comes out of your mouth and you don't happen to be African American, then you have a whole lot of explaining to do." Rodriguez also has an interest in farming and owns operations in California's Central Valley.

Charity work

Rodriguez is known for his charity work, and many of his comedy specials cover serious issues that are of concern to the Latino community. He has performed for several

Comic Relief Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. Definition Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episo ...

charity specials and in 1995 he performed a television special live from

San Quentin State Prison San Quentin State Prison (SQ) is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men, located north of San Francisco in the unincorporated place of San Quentin in Marin County. Opened in July 1852, San Quentin is the ...

. He is the chairman of the California Latino Water Coalition, a group that campaigns to draw attention to California's dire water situation and was influential in enacting the California Water Bond Measure.

Politics

Rodriguez has been a vocal and active supporter of the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

. In 2010 he endorsed Republican

Meg Whitman Margaret Cushing Whitman (born August 4, 1956) is the US ambassador to Kenya, an American business executive and former gubernatorial candidate for California. She is a board member of Procter & Gamble and General Motors. Whitman was previously ...

during her campaign against Jerry Brown to become governor of California. Rodriguez calls himself a "closeted Republican" but voted for

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

in 2008. He endorsed Republican candidate

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...

during the

2012 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January: E ...

and recorded a radio promotion in Spanish for Romney's campaign. He also collaborated with former governor of California

Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, film producer, businessman, retired professional bodybuilder and politician who served as the 38th governor of California between 2003 and 2011. ''Time'' ...

as part of his work with the California Latino Water Coalition. In 2018, Rodriguez announced that he supports many of the policies of

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

Personal life

Rodriguez's son

Paul Rodriguez Jr. Paul Martin Rodriguez Jr. (born December 31, 1984), also known by his nickname P-Rod, is an American professional street skateboarder, actor, rapper, and recording artist. Rodriguez has won a total of eight medals at the X Games, four of them gol ...

is a professional

skateboarder Skateboarding is an action sport originating in the United States that involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard, as well as a recreational activity, an art form, an entertainment industry job, and a method of transportation. S ...

(also known as "P-Rod").

Discography

*1986: ''You're in America now, speak Spanish'' *1997: ''Cheese 'n' macaroni''

Filmography

Awards and nominations

ALMA Award The American Latino Media Arts Award or ALMA Award, formerly known as Latin Oscars Award, is an award highlighting the best Hispanic and Latino Americans, American Latino contributions to music, television, and film. The awards promote fair and ...

*1999: Nominated, "Outstanding Performance by an Individual or Act in a Variety or Comedy Special"''Comic Relief VIII'' *2002: Nominated, "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture"''Tortilla Soup''

Imagen Awards The Imagen Awards are administered by the Imagen Foundation, an organization dedicated to "encouraging and recognizing the positive portrayals of Latinos in film, Latinos in the entertainment industry." To be considered for an Imagen Award, a medi ...

*2009: Nominated, "Best Supporting Actor/Feature Film"''Beverly Hills Chihuahua'' NCLR Bravo Awards *1996: Won, "Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Variety or Music Series/Special"''Latino Laugh Festival''

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rodriguez, Paul 1955 births Living people American male comedians American male film actors American male television actors American male voice actors American male rappers American male singers American game show hosts Mexican male comedians Mexican male film actors Mexican male television actors Mexican male voice actors Mexican game show hosts Mexican male rappers Mexican male singers California Republicans Hispanic and Latino American male actors Hispanic and Latino American rappers Male actors from Sinaloa United States Air Force airmen People from Culiacán Virgin Records artists Male actors from Los Angeles Rappers from Los Angeles Mexican emigrants to the United States Comedians from California Rappers from California Singers from California 20th-century American comedians 21st-century American comedians Naturalized citizens of the United States