Paul Rodriguez (actor)

Paul Rodriguez, Sr. (born January 19, 1955[1]) is a Mexican-American stand-up comedian and actor.
== Early life ==
Paul Rodriguez was born in Culiacan, Sinaloa, to Mexican agriculture ranchers.[1]His family later migrated to Compton, California, where Rodriguez enlisted in the United States Air Force and was subsequently stationed in Uruguay and Duluth, Minnesota.
== Career ==
=== Television ===
He first appeared in a.k.a. Pablo, a sitcom produced by Embassy Television for ABC, but the show was canceled after six episodes. In 1988 Rodriguez replaced Bob Eubanks as host of The Newlywed Game and lasted one season before cancellation. During his tenure as host, the show began using the 1958 song "The Book of Love", by The Monotones, as a theme song.[citation needed] He later hosted a Friday nighttime television show called El Show de Paul Rodriguez that was broadcast on Univision from March 2, 1990 to January 1, 1993.[citation needed]
From 2010 to 2011, Rodriguez hosted two seasons of the MTV Tr3́s comedy home video series Mis Videos Locos. The reality show features video footage of Latino people from various countries who are filmed by devices such as surveillance cameras and mobile phones.
=== Film ===
Rodriguez has appeared in several feature films, such as Blood Work with Clint Eastwood, D.C. Cab, Born in East L.A., Tortilla Soup, Rat Race, and Ali, and has also performed voiceover roles for King of the Hill, Dora the Explorer, and Beverly Hills Chihuahua. Rodriguez has also undertaken other roles in the film industry: He directed and starred in the film A Million to Juan, and he produced and appeared in the 2002 comedy film The Original Latin Kings of Comedy.[citation needed]
In 2009 the Paul Rodriguez: Comedy Rehab movie featured a night of Latino comedy that is hosted by Rodriguez[3] and Paul Rodriguez: Just for the Record, which documents a live performance by the comedian, was released in 2011.[4]
== Awards ==
In 2004 Comedy Central ranked him at #74 on its list of the "100 Greatest Standups of all Time."[5] Rodriguez was acknowledged with the "Humanitarian of the Year Award" by the City of Fresno for his work in the area of water conservation.[6]
== Company owner ==
Rodriguez is a part-owner of the Laugh Factory comedy venue in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., where comedian/actor Michael Richards was filmed as he engaged in a highly publicized on-stage rant against two black male hecklers.[7] Of Richards' repeated use of the n-word, 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."[8] 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 Rodriguez's comedy specials cover serious issues that are of concern to the Latino community. He has performed for several Comic Relief charity specials and, in 1995, he performed a comedy television special that was broadcast live from San Quentin State Prison. 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 the enactment of the California Water Bond Measure.[9]
== Politics ==
Rodriguez has been a vocal and active supporter of the Republican Party. In 2010 Rodriguez endorsed Republican Meg Whitman during her campaign against Jerry Brown to become governor of California.[10] Rodriguez then endorsed Republican candidate Mitt Romney during the 2012 presidential election and recorded a radio promotion in Spanish for Romney's campaign.[11]Rodriguez also collaborated with former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger as part of his work with the California Latino Water Coalition.[10]
== Personal life ==
Rodriguez's son Paul Rodriguez Jr. is a professional skateboarder (also known as "P-Rod").[12][13]
== Discography ==
* 1986: You're in America now, speak Spanish
* 1997: Cheese 'n' macaroni
== Filmography ==
Film
Year	Film 	Role 	Other notes
1983	D.C. Cab 	Xavier 	
1986	Quicksilver 	Hector Rodriguez 	
1986	The Whoopee Boys 	Barney Benar 	
1986	Miracles 	Juan 	
1987	Born in East L.A. 	Javier 	
1993	Made in America 	Jose 	
1994	A Million to Juan 	Juan Lopez 	Director
1994	Rhythm Thief 	Eladio 	
1995	Rough Magic 	Diego 	
1998	Melting Pot 	Gustavo Alvarez 	
2000	Price of Glory 	Pepe 	
2000	Mambo Café 	Gustavo Alvarez 	
2000	G-Men From Hell 	Winiford 'Weenie Man'	
2001	Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles 	Diego 	
2001	Tortilla Soup 	Orlando Castillo 	
2001	Rat Race 	Taxi Driver 	
2001	The Shipment 	Jose Garcia 	
2001	Ali 	Dr. Ferdie Pacheco 	
2002	Blood Work 	Det. Ronaldo Arrango 	
2002	Back by Midnight 	Next Week 	
2002	Time Changer 	Eddie Martinez 	
2003	Chasing Papi 	Costas Delgado 	Uncredited Role
2003	Baadasssss! 	Jose Garcia 	
2004	A Cinderella Story 	Bobby 	
2005	The World's Fastest Indian 	Fernando 	
2006	Cloud 9 	Mr. Wong 	
2006	Swap Meet 	Councilmen Gonzales 	
2006	Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen	Cupid 	Voice Role
Direct-to-Video Release
2007	One Long Night 	Poncho 	
2008	Vicious Circle 	Professor 	
2008	Beverly Hills Chihuahua 	Chico 	Voice Role
2009	Lonely Street 	Det. Romero 	
2009	Porndogs: The Adventures of Sadie 	Bato 	Voice Role
2009	The Deported 	Ernesto 	
2010	Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore 	Crazy Carlito 	
2016	El Americano: The Movie[14] 	El Divino 	Voice Role
Post-production
Television
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
1983 	Gloria 	Jerry 	Episode: An Uncredited Woman
1984 	a.k.a. Pablo 	Paul Rivera 	6 episodes
1986 	Hardesty House 	 	
1986 	Tall Tales & Legends 	Julio 	Episode: Ponce de Leon
1986 	The Golden Girls 	Ramone 	Episode: Vacation
1988–1989	Trial and Error 	Tony Rivera 	8 episodes
1988–1989	The Newlywed Game 	Himself 	
1990 	Grand Slam 	Pedro Gomez 	8 episodes
1991 	Hi Honey - I'm Dead 	Ralph (The Angel) 	TV-Movie
1991 	Great Performances 	Satanas 	Episode: La Pastorela
1995 	Live in San Quentin, Paul Rodriguez 	Himself 	Live TV-Special
1995 	The Eddie Files 	Construction Worker 	Episode: Geometry - Invasion of the Polygons
1995 	Touched by an Angel 	Ben Rivera 	Episode: Trust
1995-1997	Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child	Jesse the jester/Gilbert/Tizoc	Episode: Sleeping Beauty/The Fisherman and his Wife/The Shoemaker and the Elves
1996 	Latino Laugh Festival 	Himself 	Live TV-Special
1998 	King of the Hill 	Jacinto 	Episode: Three Days of the Kahndo
2000 	Ready to Run 	T.J. 	Voice Role
TV-Movie
2000–2001	Resurrection Blvd. 	Paulie 	4 episodes
2002 	American Family 	Flaco 	Episode: Mexican Revolution
2003 	The Twilight Zone 	Rosas 	Episode: Tagged
2003 	The Proud Family 	Limo Driver 	Voice Role
Episode: Adventures in BeBe-Sitting
2003 	Dora the Explorer 	Leon, the Circus Lion 	Voice Role
Episode: Leon, the Circus Lion
2005 	The Buzz on Maggie 	Julio's Father 	Voice Role
Episode: Lunchlady
2005 	Zatch Bell 	Teenager, Various Voices 	1 episode
2010–2012	Mis Videos Locos 	Himself 	40 episodes for MTV Tr3s
== Awards and nominations ==
ALMA Award
* 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
* 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