Here's how multi-talented comic Bill Santiago starts his bio: "Bill Santiago is the first born of at least four children. He became a standup after narrowly escaping a career in journalism, facing the fact that as a comedian he was funny, but as a reporter he was a joke. It’s been said he was born to Puerto Rican immigrants, which is technically untrue, as Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, although he’s got an uncle who was once deported to the Bronx."
Santiago IS multi-talented! He's a comedian, author, actor, television host and commentator. While connecting solidly with his Latino fans, Santiago is just as popular for his savvy mainstream material, reminiscent of George Carlin and Jerry Seinfeld, and showcasing Santiago's journalistic roots, obsessions with language, and keen insights on everything from cats to politics to religion to life and death to Facebook. His routines draw on his Puerto Rican roots for observations about all ethnicities and cultures across the Latino spectrum with comedy that’s smart, energetic and bold. "It’s non-devisive, equal opportunity humor," says Santiago.
With the premiere of his first television special, "Comedy Central Presents: Bill Santiago," Santiago won over fans nationwide with his dead-on observations about Spanglish ("twice the vocabulary, half the grammar!") and his beloved catchphrase "¡Porque Because¡" which led to his first book,
Pardon My Spanglish ¡Porque Because¡. The book is now being used at universities and high schools across the country to stimulate discussions about identity, language and and multiculturalism. Santiago also does lectures based on the book and is currently working with Bruce Helford (George Lopez Show, Bernie Mac Show, Drew Carey Show) to develop a television show based on the book.
Santiago's other television credits include appearances on Craig Ferguson, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Premium Blend, Chelsea Lately, Good Morning America Now, ABC News, NBC TV Visiones, BBC World, CNN, CNN en Español, and NPR's Latino USA. Santiago's second half-hour special for Showtime LOL aired in 2011. He also had the honor of hosting the Latin Grammy's Man of the Year Award ceremonies, honoring Juan Luis Guerra ("the tallest Dominican he ever met").
Santiago has released a comedy DVD,
I Could Care Less, and the uproariously funny CD
Chit Chat Jedi, both recorded live at the ACME Comedy Company, in Minneapolis MN.
He also still dabbles in journalism having penned regular columns for Mother Jones magazine online and currently as a Huffington Post Latino Voices blogger. He contributes regularly to newspapers including the
New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Boston Globe and
Philadelphia Inquirer.
In addition to general stand-up and lectures, Bill's shows include:
Spanglish 101: A Total Immersion Comedic Excursion into Latino USA (Laughs for Latinos and the Latino Curious)
In this show, Santiago surveys the full sweep of Latino expression in the United States. Fusing a journalist’s rigorous curiosity and a stand-up comic’s satiric instincts, the routine serves as a vehicle to address the realities of, and misunderstandings about, life in Latino USA.
The Funny of (Latin) Dance
Santiago's hit dance humor show melds standup monologue and Latin dance for a interactive evening in which audience members are invited to hop up on stage with Santiago, to dance for him, with him and be interviewed about their dance experiences. (Note: This show requires three musicians and one dancer as part of the cast.)
