2022 Moontower Just For Laughs Comedy Festival Series
The Moontower Comedy Festival has returned in 2022 under the umbrella of Just For Laughs and blessed us with 10 days of comedy, film, live podcast, and afterparties. Comedy Wham is featuring our favorite conversations from this year's festival. Enjoy!
It’s always special when you get to sit down with a guest again and really catch up rather than just get acquainted. It’s especially nice when that guest is indelibly tied to such wonderful memories. For me that guest is Rojo Perez. He is such an integral part of my early Moontower Comedy Festival experiences and memories, as well as one of our first interview guests from the festival. But enough about me! Five years after our first interview with Perez, we reunited at the Driskill Bar to find out how he’s changed.
Here’s the remarkable thing about Rojo Perez, though … he hasn’t changed. Grown, yes … evolved, absolutely, but at his core Perez is still the warm, kind, true-to-himself comedian that Comedy Wham fell in love with five years ago. Now, about that evolution.
I think I’ve gotten much more comfortable in trusting what I think is funny is funny.
Rojo Perez
When we sat down with Perez five years ago, he was ten years into comedy and very self-aware about his comedy and what he wanted. He had done Just For Laughs and had several television credits already, but he was much more structured in his word-for-word writing process. He also jokingly gave out his phone number on the podcast for gigs. Today, fifteen years into the business, we find him a little more relaxed in his process, and he’s keeping that phone number a little closer to the vest. Perez says, “I think I’ve gotten much more comfortable in trusting [that] what I think is funny is funny.”
Not long after that Moontower in 2017, Perez started touring with Tone Bell and soon late-night television came calling. Four months after we interviewed him, he got the call from TBS’ Conan. I distinctly remember watching his set like a proud cousin; he killed it. He also did the wonderful special HBO’s Entre Nos: Spot On, which is a must-see (proud cousin again).
Perez was actually getting quite busy just as the world was forced to take a break. The pandemic slowed everything to a halt in New York City, where Perez is still based. The comedian took advantage of the break, though (with the exception of some online shows), returning to his family in Puerto Rico. Despite the tragic circumstances, the time home was a much-needed respite from the “rat-race” that his busy industry career had become. Not even aware how needed the hiatus was, Perez returned refreshed with a lighter voice in his writing.
That break also taught Perez how to be selective in saying yes and how to better navigate the “rat-race” to maintain joy in his work. One of those “yeses” came in the form of his debut album Words, a hilarious window into his life, family, and Benny (you just have to listen). Another major yes came in 2021, when network television called. Perez was the first comic back in-studio following the pandemic shutdown for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Back from his break and and already armed with experience in late-night television, Perez brought a more relaxed presence to the show. The result is something you need to listen to Valerie’s interview to hear for yourself; I got chills.
You’re not gonna hear me do accents. We laugh, we laugh together, we’re not laughing at.
Rojo Perez
While Perez no longer writes all his sets down, he does focus on the nuance of his performance and how very subtle changes in body language and pacing can land a joke so differently. Hearing these nuances described reminded me of why I love comedy, and even more, why I love hearing comedians discuss the artform. Rojo Perez has evolved to that next level where he can analyze a set and tell you exactly what hits, what doesn’t, and why … that’s what I’m talking about.
We’ve talked about the evolution of Rojo Perez, but remember how I said he hasn’t changed? Perez still maintains at his core that while he is a proud Puerto Rican and wears it more on his sleeve, he will never trade that culture for cheap laughs. Perez maintains, “You’re not gonna hear me do accents. We laugh; we laugh together; we’re not laughing at.” While he doesn’t avoid his heritage on stage, Perez adds, “I think I’ve gotten much more comfortable in my skin, so I know how to talk about it now. I know exactly what I’m trying to put forward.” He’s true to himself, and that’s why we love Rojo Perez. Listen to our interview now to fall in love with him for yourself, and don’t forget to listen to his album Words, now available on all streaming platforms.
Follow Rojo
Rojo can be seen and heard:
- Album — Words (2021)
- TV Appearances
- Conan
- Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
- HBO’s Entre Nos