Legitimate Kid - by Aida Rodriguez

About the Book

Book Synopsis

"Aida Rodriguez is part of the next wave of talented comedic storytellers that I dreamt about when I was trying to break down barriers in the industry. Besides being a fierce Latina powerhouse, she's FUNNY AS HELL! So buy this book. No really, BUY THIS BOOK!!! I don't want any problems, ya heard?!"--John Leguizamo, Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor, writer, and producer

A poignant and moving memoir-in-essays from stand-up comedian Aida Rodriguez on the power of overcoming hardship and transforming pain into laughter.

Aida Rodriguez has, to put it mildly, lived a whirlwind life. Her rags-to-riches story is mind-blowing: She was kidnapped as a child by her mother in the Dominican Republic and brought to the US. She was later kidnapped again by her grandmother and uncle and moved from New York to Florida. As an adult, she ended a difficult marriage and endured homelessness with her children in Los Angeles. But through it all she never lost her sense of humor.

Born with a wonderful wit and an irrepressible spirit, Aida used her gifts and worked tirelessly, turning tragedy and pain into biting comedy that takes on everything from misogyny and racism to social media and news headlines. She eventually released a hit HBO Max special, which led to multiple development deals--success that won her a nationwide audience, opened doors, and helped her expand the way Latinos are represented in comedy.

In this, her highly anticipated first book, Aida charts her many ups and downs. From personal setbacks to career highs and everything in between, Legitimate Kid is endearing, shocking, and ultimately life-affirming.

Review Quotes

"Rodriguez . . . brings heart and humor to universal issues such as race, motherhood and survival, often through the lens of Latinx experiences." -- Los Angeles Times

"Aida Rodriguez is part of the next wave of talented comedic storytellers that I dreamt about when I was trying to break down barriers in the industry. Besides being a fierce Latina powerhouse, she's FUNNY AS HELL! So buy this book. No really, BUY THIS BOOK!!! I don't want any problems, ya heard?!" -- John Leguizamo, Emmy- and Tony Award-winning actor, writer, and producer

"Funny doesn't come easy. Sometimes funny comes from humiliation, heartbreak, and a lifetime of hard knocks. Sometimes it rises like a phoenix from the ashes. Legitimate Kid is a tribute to Aida's comedic art--to her ability to dig down, bring up the pain, and transform it magically, mercifully into stories that lighten the load. This is a book that confronts not only the question of 'illegitimate' birth, but also the larger question of social legitimacy, of one's place in a heartless caste system, of the business of being a Latina. It will stay with you for a very long time." -- Marie Arana, author of American Chica, Bolívar, Silver, Sword, and Stone, and the forthcoming LatinoLand

"Legitimate Kid is a significant book for the culture. It speaks to those in society who feel ostracized and marginalized by America's institutions that are designed to maintain the status quo. The book demonstrates how Aida evolved into a frontline warrior in the fight to legitimize and raise the value of African Americans, Latino Americans, and Afro-Latino Americans. She speaks truth in such a transparent and courageous way about the challenges within her community and the importance of holding each other accountable, while making us laugh along the way. I know, without a doubt, readers will love this memoir." -- Ben Crump, Civil Rights Attorney and author of Open Season

"Aida's journey will inspire you not only to conquer your goals but your fears. What a delight it was to emerge myself in Legitimate Kid." -- Julissa Arce, author of You Sound Like a White Girl