Al Madrigal
Encyclopedia
Alessandro Liborio "Al" Madrigal (born July 4, 1971) is an American
stand-up comedian and actor
. Perhaps best known for co-starring in the CBS
prime-time situation comedies Gary Unmarried
with Jay Mohr
and Welcome to the Captain
with Jeffrey Tambor
and Raquel Welch
, he is also a regular sketch performer on The Late Late Show
with Craig Ferguson
and appears on other network shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live
. He recently became a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. A fixture on the stand-up comedy
circuit, he is among the most prominent members of the Latino
community to achieve recognition in the mainstream U.S. comedy scene.
, Madrigal grew up in the city's Inner Sunset District
, where his neighbors included future comedians Mike Pritchard
, Margaret Cho
and the Meehan Brothers. He attended St. Ignatius College Preparatory
High School where he was salutatorian
for the class of 1989. He then attended the University of San Francisco
, but left the school two credits shy of receiving a degree. Madrigal worked for 10 years in a human resources staffing agency run by his family. In 1998, he decided to pursue a full-time career in comedy.
s, both as a solo performer and as a member of the sketch group Fresh Robots, which he co-founded. In 2002, he enjoyed his first major exposure in two comedy festivals: Sketchfest in San Francisco, as part of Fresh Robots, and the "New Faces" showcase of the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal
.
In 2003, Madrigal successfully auditioned for a starring role on The Ortegas, a comedy series for the Fox Network. The series, which was based on the BBC
comedy The Kumars at No. 42
, cast Madrigal as the son of a Mexican American
family in California who hosts a TV talk show from a studio he operates in the backyard of his parents' home. However, the network dropped the series from its schedule before broadcasting any of its six filmed episodes.
Comedy Central featured his stand up in their animated series Shorties Watchin' Shorties
. Madrigal won a jury award in 2004 for best stand-up comedian at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival
in Aspen, Colorado
. After winning the award, he signed a talent holding deal with CBS
. However, he would not appear on a CBS until January 2008, when he was cast as a building attendant named Jesus in the CBS comedy Welcome to the Captain
. The series was cancelled after six episodes.
Madrigal was the star of a 2005 Comedy Central
special, and has been a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live
and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
. He co-starred in the CBS series Gary Unmarried
(originally titled Project Gary), which debuted on CBS in September 2008. He appeared on The Tonight Show
with Conan O'Brien
on July 8, 2009. He appeared again on Conan's new TBS Show Conan on May 10, 2011. It was announced on May 17, 2011, that he would be joining The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
stand-up comedian and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. Perhaps best known for co-starring in the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
prime-time situation comedies Gary Unmarried
Gary Unmarried
Gary Unmarried was an American sitcom created by Ed Yeager, which ran on CBS from September 24, 2008 to March 17, 2010. The series focuses on a recently divorced couple sharing custody of their kids while starting new relationships...
with Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr is an American actor and stand up comedian. He is known for his role as Professor Rick Payne in the TV series Ghost Whisperer, the title role in the CBS sitcom Gary Unmarried, which ran from 2008 to 2010, and the back-stabbing sports agent Bob Sugar in Jerry Maguire.-Early life:Mohr was...
and Welcome to the Captain
Welcome to The Captain
Welcome to The Captain is an American television comedy created, executive produced and directed by John Hamburg. Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen also serve as executive producers...
with Jeffrey Tambor
Jeffrey Tambor
Jeffrey Michael Tambor is an American actor, perhaps best known for his roles as George Bluth Sr. and Oscar Bluth on Arrested Development and Hank Kingsley on The Larry Sanders Show.-Early life:...
and Raquel Welch
Raquel Welch
Jo Raquel Tejada , better known as Raquel Welch, is an American actress, author and sex symbol. Welch came to attention as a "new-star" on the 20th Century-Fox lot in the mid-1960s. She posed iconically in a animal skin bikini for the British-release One Million Years B.C. , for which she may be...
, he is also a regular sketch performer on The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show, sometimes referred to as The Late Late, or in some cases by the acronym LLS, is the world's longest-running chat show by the same broadcaster and the official flagship television programme of Irish broadcasting company RTÉ...
with Craig Ferguson
Craig Ferguson
Craig Ferguson is a Scottish American television host, stand-up comedian, writer, actor, director, author, and producer. He is the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, an Emmy Award-nominated, Peabody Award-winning late-night talk show that airs on CBS...
and appears on other network shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
. He recently became a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. A fixture on the stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
circuit, he is among the most prominent members of the Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
community to achieve recognition in the mainstream U.S. comedy scene.
Early life
A native of San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, Madrigal grew up in the city's Inner Sunset District
Sunset District, San Francisco, California
The Sunset District is a large neighborhood in the west-central part of San Francisco, California, United States.-Location:The Sunset District is the largest district within the city of San Francisco. Golden Gate Park forms the neighborhood's northern border, and the Pacific Ocean forms its...
, where his neighbors included future comedians Mike Pritchard
Mike Pritchard
Michael Robert Pritchard is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the 1st round of the 1991 NFL Draft. A 5'10", 193 lbs. wide receiver from the University of Colorado, Pritchard played in nine NFL seasons from 1991 to 1999...
, Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho is an American comedian, fashion designer, actress, author, and recording artist. Cho is best known for her stand-up routines, through which she critiques social and political problems, especially those pertaining to race and sexuality. She has also directed and appeared in music...
and the Meehan Brothers. He attended St. Ignatius College Preparatory
St. Ignatius College Preparatory
St. Ignatius College Preparatory is a preparatory school in the Jesuit tradition serving the San Francisco Bay Area since 1855. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco, in the Sunset District of San Francisco, St. Ignatius is one of the oldest secondary schools in the U.S. state...
High School where he was salutatorian
Salutatorian
Salutatorian is an academic title given, in the United States and Canada, to the second highest graduate of the entire graduating class of a specific discipline. Only the valedictorian is ranked higher. This honor is traditionally based on grade point average and number of credits taken, but...
for the class of 1989. He then attended the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
, but left the school two credits shy of receiving a degree. Madrigal worked for 10 years in a human resources staffing agency run by his family. In 1998, he decided to pursue a full-time career in comedy.
Comedy career
Madrigal appeared in San Francisco's comedy clubComedy club
A comedy club is a venue, typically a nightclub, bar, or restaurant where people watch or listen to performances, including stand-up comedians, improvisational comedians, impersonators, magicians, ventriloquists and other comedy acts...
s, both as a solo performer and as a member of the sketch group Fresh Robots, which he co-founded. In 2002, he enjoyed his first major exposure in two comedy festivals: Sketchfest in San Francisco, as part of Fresh Robots, and the "New Faces" showcase of the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
In 2003, Madrigal successfully auditioned for a starring role on The Ortegas, a comedy series for the Fox Network. The series, which was based on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
comedy The Kumars at No. 42
The Kumars at No. 42
The Kumars at No. 42 was a British television show. It won an International Emmy in 2002 and in 2003. It ran for seven series totalling 53 episodes.-Plot:...
, cast Madrigal as the son of a Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
family in California who hosts a TV talk show from a studio he operates in the backyard of his parents' home. However, the network dropped the series from its schedule before broadcasting any of its six filmed episodes.
Comedy Central featured his stand up in their animated series Shorties Watchin' Shorties
Shorties Watchin' Shorties
Shorties Watchin' Shorties was a television show broadcast on Comedy Central that is now on DVD. The show is made up of various short animated clips with audio from comedians' stand up routines. It also features two "shorties," a pair of babies voiced by Nick DiPaolo and Patrice O'Neal who watch...
. Madrigal won a jury award in 2004 for best stand-up comedian at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival
U.S. Comedy Arts Festival
The Comedy Festival, formerly known as the US Comedy Arts Festival, is a comedy festival held each year in Las Vegas, Nevada. From its 1985 inception to 2007, it was held annually at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, Colorado...
in Aspen, Colorado
Aspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
. After winning the award, he signed a talent holding deal with CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. However, he would not appear on a CBS until January 2008, when he was cast as a building attendant named Jesus in the CBS comedy Welcome to the Captain
Welcome to The Captain
Welcome to The Captain is an American television comedy created, executive produced and directed by John Hamburg. Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen also serve as executive producers...
. The series was cancelled after six episodes.
Madrigal was the star of a 2005 Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
special, and has been a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is a Peabody Award-winning American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson. Ferguson, the third regular host of the Late Late Show franchise, follows Late Show with David Letterman in the CBS late-night lineup...
. He co-starred in the CBS series Gary Unmarried
Gary Unmarried
Gary Unmarried was an American sitcom created by Ed Yeager, which ran on CBS from September 24, 2008 to March 17, 2010. The series focuses on a recently divorced couple sharing custody of their kids while starting new relationships...
(originally titled Project Gary), which debuted on CBS in September 2008. He appeared on The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
with Conan O'Brien
Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
on July 8, 2009. He appeared again on Conan's new TBS Show Conan on May 10, 2011. It was announced on May 17, 2011, that he would be joining The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.