Say What You Mean with Aida Rodriguez is a podcast about exploring the power of the word, or lack thereof. Join Aida Rodriguez and her guests as they discuss moments in their lives where they wished they had spoken up and said what needed to be said but were paralyzed by fear or that daunting lack of clarity.
Aida Rodriguez: Aida is a writer/performer, comedian, and actor. Lauded by Esquire Magazine as “raucously funny,” she has become a favorite with fans and critics alike. With her first-hour stand-up special released in late 2021 and her own TV series in development, both at HBOMax, She is bound for the comedy stratosphere.
Rodriguez moved to Los Angeles in the early 2000s with her two children after her divorce from Ellison. After a bout with anorexia and a divorce, she turned to comedy for healing. For a time, she and her children were homeless and lived out of a car. She is a five-time host of the Imagen Awards, which recognizes “the positive portrayal and creative excellence of Latinos and Latino cultures on screen”
She made her TV debut in NBC’s Last Comic Standing in 2014 where she departed among the top 10 finalists for Season 8.
Rodriguez was a featured comic in Netflix’s Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready—a comedy anthology series from longtime friend Haddish—HBO Max’s Entre Nos: Part 1, and Showtime’s Shaquille O’Neal Presents: All-Star Comedy Jam, among other specials.
On the feature side, she was handpicked to appear in the 2016 film The Comedy starring Robert DeNiro by director Taylor Hackford.
This episode of Say What You Mean features host Aida Rodriguez in conversation with her longtime friend, stand-up comedian, writer, and producer Vanessa Graddick. The two discuss their experiences in the comedy industry, their close personal bond, and the challenges of speaking up for oneself.
Checkout previous episodes on Say What You Mean w/ Aida Rodriguez HERE
