One of the most well-known names in standup comedy over the past 40 years, Paul Rodriguez, was arrested on a drug charge in Burbank on Friday night, police confirmed to KTLA.
According to Burbank Police Department Sgt. Stephen Turner, Rodriguez was a passenger in a car that was stopped for vehicle code violations around 7:30 p.m.; the exact location of the traffic stop was not disclosed.
During the investigation, officers discovered narcotics in the car, Sgt. Turner said, which led to Rodriguez’s arrest.
Rodriguez, 70, was booked at the Burbank Police Jail for narcotics possession and later released with a citation to appear in court on April 25, Sgt. Turner elaborated.
Comedian Paul Rodriguez performs at The Ice House Comedy Club on September 15, 2024 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Michael S. Schwartz/Getty Images)
Speaking with TMZ after his arrest, Rodriguez said the car was his, but he was asleep in the passenger seat when he and his friend were pulled over. He alleged that a “Caucasian” officer was on a “power trip” and slapped him awake.
Rodriguez, who was born in Mexico and raised in East Los Angeles, got his start in the industry while working as a doorman at The Comedy Club in Hollywood, according to his IMDb page. He got his break as an opening act at various shows and went on to appear as a warm-up comic on Norman Lear’s short-lived “Gloria” sitcom in 1982.
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He eventually gained fame with “El Show de Paul Rodriguez” and began directing in 1994 with “A Million to Juan” before starring in several 2000s movies, including “Blood Work” and “The World’s Fastest Indian.”
Rodriguez’s son, also named Paul and known as “P-Rod,” is a professional skateboarder who won eight medals in street skateboarding at the X Games between 2003 and 2013, including four golds.
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