Al Madrigal : A Comedian You Should Know

The ‘Comedian You Should Know’ series highlights funny people performing in San Francisco.   We start off with Al Madrigal, a SF native & Daily Show with Jon Stewart regular,  Performing standup at Cobb’s Comedy Club May 22 – 24th

He’s been called Jon Stewart’s ‘secret latino weapon‘ and the “Senior Latino Corespondent” on Comedy Central’s Daily Show.  He’s creating an all-comedian owned podcast network called All Things Comedy with fellow front man Bill Burr.  Bill describes it as a comedian co-op where, “everyone owns their podcast, and nobody gets fucked-over”.  A platform for independent artists without regulation or middlemen?  We like it.

Recently Madrigal put out a special called ‘Half Like Me‘, it’s about being half-white and half-Mexican and his quest to stop being called a “Pocho” by less ‘americanized’ latinos. They, unlike Madrigal, actually speak Spanish and don’t “drive a Prius or live in a col-de-sac”.  Madrigal travels all over North  America on his “Pocho Quest” conducting hilarious interviews and recreating cultural stereotypes in that self-deprecating and introspective style that we love to laugh at.

He hails from the Sunset District in SF, we saw him at Cobb’s Comedy club in SF last year in order to make sure he was still hilarious live.  Ladies and Gentlemen, our comedian you should know: Al Madrigal

Where exactly are you from:
The Inner Sunset, 15th between Irving and Judah

What was your first job?
I was a busboy at a place called Eats on 2nd and Clement. I remember two things about that job: the cook sold drugs and looked like MC Hammer with a black tooth and they had amazing Ricotta pancakes.

Worst experience on the road?
I’ve been chased. I’ve cried in motel rooms. Hopped fences with my jacket over my head…there’s too many to narrow it down to one. If people come to the shows at Cobb’s I’ll make sure to include one of my favorite horror stories that involves all of the above.

How old were you when you did your first set, and how did it go?
Old, 28. It went okay but I cheated and went up as a character. I was disappointed even though I did well for my first time. The second set was the one that got me hooked.

Where do you perform regularly?
I’m a regular at a couple clubs in LA. Mainly the Comedy Store.

What is Jon Stewart like off camera?
Super cool, he’s a comic like myself so it’s always easy for any of us to get together and trade road stories. Jon is no different. He makes a lot more money than most of us.

What’s going to happen to the Daily Show?
It’ll change hosts in August.

Do you have a favorite 1 liner?
Are you having a good time Sir/Maam? Tell your face.

What’s your favorite joke in your set right now?
My shrimp story…I’ve been building around it for a year. New special will be called “Shrimpin’ Aint Easy”

Let’s play ‘Marry, Bang, Kill.’ The game where you have to choose who you would you marry, who would you have a one night stand with, and who would you murder…

Let’s not.

 Come on Al! Here are the 3 names (feel free to explain why if you like)
1. Jimmy Fallon
2. David Letterman
3. Stephen Colbert

These guys are all super talented, what they are able to do nightly is ridiculous. I lean towards Colbert because he’s the only guy I really know out of this bunch. Kimmel and Conan are also killing it.

Who’s a performer you’re embarrassed to like?
Ha. I love The Outfield and Nick Jonas. I’m way too old to be embarrassed. At some point you need to stop caring.

Your Top 5 Comedians of all time?
Chappelle, Bill Burr, Patton Oswalt, George Carlin, Jerry Seinfeld

Have anything coming up (besides Cobbs this May)?
Super busy. More Daily Show, sold a movie and a couple TV shows so I need to write my ass off. Continuing to work on allthingscomedy.com

He’s at Cobb’s Comedy club this coming May 22th-24th.

Get your tickets for Al Madrigal  Kevin Camia & Matt Lieb at Cobbs here:

AL MADRIGAL
with Kevin Camia and Matt Lieb
Fri, May 22, 8:00 & 10:15pm, Tickets $25
Sat, May 23, 7:30 & 9:45pm, Tickets $25
Sun., May 24, 7:30pm, Tickets $25

Cobb’s Comedy Club
915 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94133
Tel: (415) 928-4320