Aida Rodriguez
Rodriguez in 2007
Born	Aida Margarita Parada Rodriguez (1977-08-29)August 29, 1977 (age 48) Boston,Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Comedian, actress
Years active	2007–present
Spouse	'Omar Ellison (divorced)
Website	funnyaida.com

Aida Margarita Parada Rodriguez (born August 29, 1977) is an American comedian ofPuerto Rican/Dominican descent^[1] who is best known for her appearance as a contestant on the eighth season ofLast Comic Standing and as a commentator onThe Young Turks. She is also an actress, producer, writer, and podcaster.^[2][3]

Rodriguez was born inBoston,Massachusetts and taken to theDominican Republic shortly afterward. As a child, her motherkidnapped her from her father in the Dominican Republic, and brought her to the U.S.^[4] Her grandmother and uncle would later abduct her from her mother's home in New York and bring her to Florida, in an attempt to protect her from her mother's boyfriend.^[4] Her uncle was later murdered in a hate crime.^[4] She attendedFlorida State University where she met her future husband'Omar Ellison. She studied English and law, but left before graduating after she became pregnant.^[5] She was recruited by modeling agencyIMG.^{[citation needed]} She and Ellison later divorced.^[5]

Rodriguez moved toLos Angeles in the early 2000s with her two children after her divorce from Ellison.^[5][6] After a bout withanorexia and a divorce, she turned to comedy for healing.^{[citation needed]} For a time, she and her children were homeless and lived out of a car.^[4][6][7]

Rodriguez attempts to transform painful episodes of her life into comedy material, while also addressing difficult issues such as misogyny and racism.^[4]

She was a top ten finalist in the eighth season of NBC'sLast Comic Standing (2014), but was eliminated in the seventh episode of the season after losing a head-to-head showdown against Rod Man (who ultimately won the LCS title). She finished in a tie for ninth place.^{[citation needed]}

Rodriguez is a five-time host of theImagen Awards, which recognizes "the positive portrayal and creative excellence of Latinos and Latino cultures on screen".^[8]

Through the stand-up comedy circuit, Rodriguez metTiffany Haddish, who has proven a long-time friend and a strong advocate for women of color comics.^[3] In August 2019, Rodriguez was featured in the comedy anthology seriesTiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready on Netflix.^[6] She was one of six featured comedians, each given a half-hour comedy special.

Currently, Rodriguez appears as a co-host ofThe Young Turks online platform.^[9]

In collaboration withHBO Max, Rodriguez released her debut hour-long comedy special on November 4, 2021. Throughout the special, she speaks on issues in today's world and relates them to her personal life.

In October 2023, Rodriguez signed theArtists4Ceasefire open letter to presidentJoe Biden, calling for a ceasefire of the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.^[10]

• Official website
• Aida Rodriguez atIMDb

• 1977 births
• Living people
• Actresses from Boston
• Comedians from Boston
• Female models from Massachusetts
• American stand-up comedians
• American political commentators
• American women comedians
• American actresses of Puerto Rican descent
• American people of Dominican Republic descent
• American expatriates in the Dominican Republic
• Puerto Rican female models
• Hispanic and Latino American female models
• The Young Turks people
• 20th-century American women
• 21st-century American women
• 21st-century American comedians
• Hispanic and Latino American women comedians
• Hispanic and Latino American comedians

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