Paisa Perspective: Frank Martínez – Comic

Frank Martínez is a stand-up comedian in Medellín. He has performed in several places in the city and various times in Bogotá, representing his hometown in the well-known television show Los Comediantes de la Noche.

He performs regularly at the local comedy bar Underground during their comedy nights, every other Thursday at 8 p.m.

He has constant Twitter activity and can be contacted at frankelflaco1@gmail.com

Favorite Restaurants

La Pastizzería. Sometimes I have lunch at Berlín. I am not much of a restaurant person. I’m a little awkward when it comes to being waited on, so I don’t eat out too much.

Nightlife

I like rock so I like going to Octavia. La Octava on Thursdays because there aren’t as many people. Berlín is one I really like. Blue, and Underground, of course.

Hobbies

Movies, a lot of movies. I like artsy films but not when it’s exaggerated. I’m not interested in the most surprising Ukranian film but I like artsy. I like drama a lot, I’m a crier. I like commercial films. I’ll be honest, I don’t watch a lot of Colombian films or listen to a lot of Colombian music.

Recreational Activities

I jog on Saturdays and during the week I take out my bike by Las Palmas.

Paisa Culture

The humor that we handle here is something that makes me proud. Good humor and niceness makes us stand out a lot more than the stories about Paisas always taking advantage or getting the upper hand in business.

I think a Paisa can be better identified by being welcoming and nice than any of those other things.

About Medellín

The people are awesome. In midst of the trouble and the problems we have, the city makes for a great lifestyle. It’s not too expensive, I think, and people make the most of it.

Someone coming from outside feels welcome, but you don’t even have to be foreign to feel that way, even between paisas we treat each other really well.

“Pueblear”

What we call Pueblear is to go to towns in Antioquia. That’s what I’d recommend for someone that’s visiting.

Jardín is like a postcard, it’s so beautiful. Visiting towns is essential. It’s important for tourists to get out of Poblado. Personally, that’s my type of plan.

Favorite Comedians

From here, Ricardo Quevedo. Also of my friends that makes me laugh until I cry named Germán Castellanos, he’s from Bucaramanga, and a guy they call “Bar”, from Bogotá. He’s really, really, really good.

From outside the country, undeniably Bill Hicks, Chris Rock who is like a machine gun live. Seinfeld’s observations kill me, he’s not hilarious but it’s one of those things that you think “why didn’t I think of that?”

Foreign Humor

There is a huge difference between, for example, American humor and Colombian humor. I love that American humor has a bit of a social emphasis to it.

It’s not just about being funny to make people laugh, it’s making people see things that they thought were normal in a different way. Making them ask themselves things. Americans do it perfectly but Colombians aren’t there yet.

Comedians here don’t have the prestige and the influence they have in other places. It’s about making people laugh but creating discomfort about social matters that makes people want to change for the better.

His Journey as a Comedian

Before I would tie random jokes together into an act. Eventually I learned to fixate on an endpoint and let myself get there naturally.

Sometimes I do get off topic, but I get back to it naturally and it’s still funny. There is no script I’m strictly following.

I take the audience somewhere with some observations and I make them enjoy the ride, making it sound natural, believable.

That’s what I think is the hardest part about comedy, making it believable.