Her looks may scream sexy librarian, but you won’t need a book to tell you that this will be one of the funniest women you’ll ever meet. As part of We Own The Laughs.com’s Comedian of the Day, have a few laughs and get to know comedian Rhoda Ramone. The Lodi, CA native shares with us some of her favorite moments in stand-up comedy and lets us know how she owns the laughs.
Name: Rhoda Ramone
Hometown: Lodi, CA
Instagram/Twitter/Tik-Tok: @Rhoda_Ramone or @rhoda.ramone
Years in Comedy: 6
Haven’t we seen you somewhere before: Unfortunately not, please someone put me on TV. I am not telegenic but I promise I will get my mustache waxed beforehand!
Comedic Influences: Instead of naming off funny people that I love like Chris Rock, Patton Oswalt, or Lucille Ball, etc. and then kicking myself for forgetting someone or not choosing a list cool or subversive enough, I will say that I am usually influenced by any comedian who is fearless on stage and when I can tell that they love what they do.
Favorite Comedy Album: “Werewolves & Lollypops” by Patton Oswalt. This album is so funny and smart. I remember listening to it in the car with friends and once we got to our destination we turned off the engine and kept listening to it because we didn’t want to miss the next joke. It captures what was such a weird time of transition in our country but it is also full of personal reflections and moving on to the next chapter in life. As an Art History major, I will not laugh at Physics for Poets.
Favorite Comedy Special: “It’s Pimpin’ Pimpin’” by Katt Williams. This was a hard choice but without a doubt, it is the one I have watched, continue to quote, and still laugh about the most. When this special came out I worked at Rasputin Records and this DVD (remember those?) was flying off the shelf, we could not keep it in stock, it was that good. Katt Williams gives this raw, manic energy for an hour, the laughs per minute are ridiculous and he is saying some real, honest shit, it’s just * chef’s kiss*.
Favorite Comedy Movie: I would say a tie between Goodfellas and Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion. Both are hilarious movies which at the end of the day are really just about friendship.
Favorite Comedy TV Show: 30 Rock
Favorite Comedic Character: Liz Lemon
Favorite City to Perform In: Stockton, CA because I don’t have to drive far and I know where all the good food is.
Favorite Topics to Joke About: Myself
Favorite Type of Audience for a Comedy Show: Any type that shows up and just wants to laugh and have fun.
Favorite Comedy Club: Punchline San Francisco or Sacramento, but again I ain’t shit so, please book me!
How did you discover your passion for comedy:
My parents were strict and I wasn’t allowed to watch shows like the Simpsons or Melrose Place but I was allowed to watch In Living Color, which molded my young brain into realizing I could pretty much get away with saying whatever I wanted to so long as it was funny.
What do you remember most about your first time performing stand-up comedy:
I basically did a cool 5 minutes while having a panic attack and sounded like I was performing while exercising because I could not control my breathing. But then people still laughed and it was one of the best feelings ever.
How would you describe your comedic style:
Motown, meets mafia wife, meets childhood trauma.
Describe your process for comedic writing:
I like to go for long walks or runs and think about premises. Then I pick the one I like the best and chip away at molding it into a joke. I used to write it all down like a script but then I became too obsessed with getting every word right, so now I just make bullet points and flesh it out more as I perform it.
Describe the comedy scene in your area:
In my humble opinion, I think the 209 comedians are the shit. The scene itself requires a lot of comedy in unconventional spaces like coffee shops or restaurants because we don’t have much in the way of comedy clubs, but I think that is the fun part sometimes.
How do you judge success in the world of comedy:
Making something that makes people laugh but also inspires and challenges them. Success to me is continuously working toward hitting that mark and not resting on your laurels or adoration and maybe making some money and meeting Adam Driver.
Who are some of your comedic peers that you enjoy watching perform or inspire you personally and professionally:
The Deaf Puppies always crack me up and push everyone in their circle to be better. Kiry Shabazz, Ellis Rodriguez, and Emma Haney are people I always stay to watch as well.
What’s been your most memorable moment in comedy:
A few years ago I performed at a comedy competition and that particular set was when it all really clicked for me. I felt I had aligned my writing and performing after years of trying, got the crowd to trust me and I won. It was memorable because I felt like a real comedian for the first time.
What have you learned most from your failures in comedy:
I’d say most of the learning for me has come from the failures, isn’t it funny how life works like that? I think my attitude has improved about things, for instance, if I walked into a venue and felt like I was going to bomb I wouldn’t try very hard, which in hindsight was lame of me because I realized the crowd was just matching my energy. Now even when I am not sure how it is gonna go I try to give it my all because even if I do bomb at least I know I tried as opposed to being mad at myself for being lazy or indifferent.
How do people react towards you when they realize that you can make people laugh:
Usually shocked because I look like I am about to shhh you for talking too loud in a library.
Describe what it’s been like building a career in stand-up comedy:
Scary, exciting, exhausting, frustrating, etc.
If you could change one thing in the world of comedy, what would it be:
I am not the best at networking and you realize early on it is not just about being funny, it’s about other factors. So I guess some days I wish it would just be about stand-up and not about where you hang or who you know. I suppose that’s life in general though.
Best advice you’ve ever received from a comedian:
Look at every stage as an opportunity to play. Kids don’t look at a playground and think “what if the swings hurt my legs?” they think, “yes I get to go play!” and since I adopted that I have had a lot more fun.
If you were releasing a comedy special this week, what would it be called:
Spanx for the Memories.
Funniest encounter you’ve ever had with a celebrity:
Once I was walking down the street in San Francisco and a car pulled up that had the two guys from Flight of the Conchords in it. For whatever reason, I freaked out and walked away really fast without saying anything to them. Years later I tweeted the story and Jermaine Clement replied saying “you made the right choice” and it was the best day of my life.
Weirdest place you’ve ever performed any form of comedy:
In the basement of a church.
A Rhoda Ramone Fun Fact:
I have a tattoo on my shoulder that is a fat girl dressed like a bee. Yes, I can make it dance, no I am not a Blind Melon fan.
Where would you like your laughs to take you:
I really just want to keep performing all over the place. I haven’t got the chance to travel much and would love to see the world doing comedy. I’d love to write for TV and film as well, that’d be a pretty sweet opportunity.
What would you tell a potential comedian if they ask you how they can own the laughs:
The advice I usually give is 1. You will bomb, no you are not unique get over it, learn how to bomb. Then I tell them 2. People can be mean, try not to get too down about it. Once you make peace with those two things I think the rest is fairly manageable.
What are your thoughts on the future of comedy:
I honestly don’t know. Comedy is so much about the moment it is kind of hard to forecast. I just hope I get to keep being a part of it.
If you could write one episode for one classic TV sitcom which show would it be and give a brief detailed sentence on the episode:
Classic as in old or classic as in cannon?
If the first I would write an episode of I Love Lucy where Ricky’s family came to visit from Cuba and Lucy wants to get on everyone’s good side so decides to learn a Cuban song and ends up singing Bing Bang Bong because she thinks Sofia Loren is Latina.
If the other I would write an episode of Friday Night Lights where Eric gets pneumonia and has a fever dream about the Mexican librarian who just moved to Dillion making out with him and everyone 18 and over on his team (the Panthers and the Lions).
If you could choose 1 comedy club and 3 comedians to perform with on your perfect comedy show, how would it go:
The Comedy Cellar in New York. I’d chose Jean Carroll, Wanda Sykes, and Phyllis Diller since they were/are salty and stylish, like me.
What’s next for you:
Gonna eat a burrito for lunch, pretty jazzed about it.
Why should a person always laugh at life:
Because life and the world will always give you reasons to cry or be bitter. But, when you can clean up your eyeliner, put on some lipstick, and have a good laugh, it all becomes a lot more tolerable and sometimes even beautiful.
Watch a young Rhoda Ramone perform a rendition of Paula Abdul’s “Cold Hearted Snake”:
Follow Rhoda Ramone’s comedic journey on these social media websites:
Instagram/Twitter/Tik-Tok: @Rhoda_Ramone @Rhoda.Ramone
Youtube: Rhoda Ramone
