Bits and Pieces: Diego Delgadillo
Some would say he's more handsome than Matt Rife. Others would add that he's one of the greatest rappers of all time. I think he's just a really silly and funny guy. Today's focus is on one of my good friends and favorite comics in the scene, Diego Delgadillo.
Diego Delgadillo is a charming and prominent young comic in the scene who quickly earned respect early on for his drive and ability to do stand-up before he was even allowed in clubs. Diego is 20 years old and has been doing stand-up for two years now. Since his start, he's become a popular figure in the San Diego scene for his story-based writing style and ability to work any room he's in front of. Along with stand-up, he also produces and hosts the very funny Take 4 Podcast with fellow comic Carlos Figueroa.
We went out to The Melt in the Gaslamp downtown with some other fellow comics after a night of doing some shows at Blarney's Irish Pub and The Madhouse Comedy Club. After dinner, we decided to do the interview and hit record at the table we were sitting at after everyone else left. The music was very loud, so we yelled a lot during this whole interview.
What's up?
"Hello!"
How was your day?
"It was fine. I'm going to spell my name for you so you have it…D-I-E-G-O D-E-L-G-A-D-I-L-L-O."
Thank you. How long have you been doing stand-up?
"I started September 13, 2021. That was the first open mic I ever did. It was at the Madhouse."
Were you of age?
"Definitely not! It was a whole thing. Initially, on my 18th birthday, for some reason, I thought you could start performing comedy at 18. So, on my 18th birthday, I googled all the clubs in San Diego where I could do an open mic, and all of them were 21+. But I found an email for Madhouse, so I emailed them and asked if I could do an open mic, and they said no. Then, when I started college, I was like, 'I'm just going to send them an email this time and not mention my name, and they'll put me on the list.' So I showed up and went to the door, and the door guy asked, 'Can I see ID?' and I go, 'About that, I'm 18, but I'm on the open mic list. Can I at least stand outside and hold my spot?' So he talked to the bartender, and they made me sit at a table right next to the door. The bartender eventually came over after about an hour and said, 'Hey man, it's kind of weird that you're there. Come and sit by me, and I'm going to watch you and make sure you don't get anything.' I waited, did my spot, and I crushed! Believe it or not-"
Did you really crush?
"I swear to god, I crushed! Because some bringer [A comic that brings a crowd] brought all his family members or whatever. I did two jokes I had written before, but I spent the whole set beforehand making fun of how bad the mic was. It was just bad. It was the greatest feeling I ever had. I didn't take a video, but I did take a selfie on stage."
That's such a great first-time comedy experience!
"Yeah, and if someone ever tells me 'stop doing stand-up,' I'll be like, 'f*** you, I was good from the jump!' I got offered a job the second I got off stage. Which sounds fake, I swear to god, but, at the time, I didn't understand the concept of Madhouse, where they just needed people to work the kitchen. They just needed people to be there. I didn't end up taking the job. It was like in the movies or what you hear about starting stand-up. I know it sounds cocky–but that night, I was like, 'I know what's happening, I've seen this before [laughs] I got this.' It was my first month of starting college, and I was like, 'I'm probably gonna be able to drop out next week; this is it; it's over.'"
That's so awesome. That's such a magical fairy tale of a way to start. Did that boost of confidence from the first show not only make you excited to do stand-up but also make you a better comic because you were already confident in your ability?
"I've never been not confident, and I know that sounds cocky, but- I've always been very aware of myself, and not to the point where I think I'm better than everybody or something. I know where I stand regarding the people around me, and I know where I stand in where I'm at or in what I'm doing. So there was never a reason for me to be [unconfident]. I never faltered, and I never wavered in what I was doing or what steps I was taking. There were definitely things I could have jumped more aggressively on, but I didn't have that opinion till I looked back retrospectively. [But] In the moment I was confident in whatever decisions I made."
What was it like the first time you bombed?
"I lowkey had a really bad set my second time around. I bombed and was like, 'Oh, that's what that's like? Even better, I'm ready then.' Because I knew if that's what that's like, and that didn't break me down, you can't stop me. I'm also delusional! Which is okay! But- I knew if that's as bad as it gets, you are not stopping me."
Did you ever hit a point even where you were like, "f**k this," or were you always super go-go-go?
"You have to be go-go-go. Growing up, I was really bad at a lot of things, so I know what it feels like to be bad at a lot of things. But I know this isn't bad. This feels so different. I know there's something in me that thinks artistically. Still, it pissed me off growing up because I wasn't good at drawing, I couldn't sing, I never really learned how to play an instrument, and I owned various instruments- I bought a trumpet at ten years old because I was convinced I was going to learn the trumpet!"
The thought of a little Diego holding a trumpet entered my mind here, and I couldn't stop thinking about how funny it was. Why did a 10-year-old want a trumpet?
"I always liked stand-up, I always wanted to do stand-up, and I knew the minute I could do it, I would. So when I did it and found out I was not even good at it, but aware and comfortable when doing it. I was like, I can't let this go. Why would I give up on the one thing I'm good at? I know I sound like an a**! But if you saw how bad I was at things, you would understand why I'm so aggressive talking about this now. I'm not afraid of learning, and I'm not afraid of being bad because I've been bad at things before."
Nowadays, since it's been something you've wanted your whole life, do you feel like it's a mission? Do you have to reach a certain point in your comedy career where you feel successful?
"It's a mission because I also have my foot in the alternative right now. The alternative is going to school and working at a normal job, and I hate every minute of it. I can see a version of me that would've liked it, but because I've had this taste of doing what I really want...It's like you give someone crack, and they're like, 'Oh, crack is cool.' Then, you're like, 'Here, smoke some weed.' They're going to be like, "The weed was alright, but the crack was way better than this." Why would anyone ever go to weed if they started with crack?"
Do you think you'd be bummed out if you went that other route?
"I'd kill myself! We are around sickos, crazies, deranged people every night. We see the most strange people in humanity. The people doing stand-up are ridiculous; the people who are in charge and wanna control comedy are even more ridiculous. So when we have to talk to normal people is like - I don't give a f**k what Harry Potter house you're in! I don't care! They also place personal value on how well they're doing at work, and it's like, this doesn't matter! We're creating a product at work that's taken for granted, and the world can go without. And I'm fine with creating a product that the world can go without, but on my terms. I wanna prove that I'm good at something."
Are you a Matt Rife fan?
"I get it. I respect him. I don't think everything he has came unearned."
Who do you think is more handsome than Matt Rife?
"I don't care about how handsome he is. I-"
I'm asking a question.
"I think I'm... more handsome than Matt Rife."
Where is a good place to start stand-up?
"I love The Madhouse with all my heart. It's the heart of San Diego stand-up. I know why a lot of people don't like it, but I personally love it. I think the reason people don't like it is what makes it good. People don't like adversity! People don't like bulls**t. But I think bulls**t is good! The things that make something bad are what make you better for being a part of it. I want people to start at a club because that's the most accurate idea of what stand-up will be like. Being around it is so important; you gotta force yourself."
So… you're a Hip-Hop head.
"I was a really big hip-hop head; that was my whole personality in High School. Hip-Hop. I had a hip-hop blog in high school called Fictional Relations!"
Were you a rapper at any point?
"[Laughs] You can definitely find raps that I've written. Okay, I for sure have one or two songs recorded out there. I have multiple beats made, and I have a sketch where I was pretending to be freestyling like I was freestyling badly, but...I was freestyling! Like, I was thinking, 'They're gonna think this is funny, but also they're gonna be like, he's pretty good.'"
You also have a "rhymes" section in your phone's notes app. Can we get your hardest bar to end the interview?
"Okay, this is a bad one. It's bad."
"I'm bad as these nasty cavities. The baddest b****es be grabbing me."
