Let Roz Hernandez Judge Drag Race!

This week, we’re highlighting 24 talented writers and performers for Vulture’s annual list “The Comedians You Should and Will Know.” Our goal is to introduce a wider audience to the talent that has the comedy community and industry buzzing. (You can read more about our methodology at the link above.) We asked the comedians on the list to answer a series of questions about their work, performing, goals for the future, and more. Next up is Roz Hernandez.

Tell us a story from your childhood that you think might explain why you ended up becoming a comedian.
Sometimes when my family would eat spaghetti, I would secretly take one of the noodles out and slurp off all the sauce. So like a plain noodle. And I would tie one end in a knot. Are you still with me? When no one was looking, I would put the noodle in one of my nostrils (knot side) and then fake sneeze really dramatically. When I would remove my hands from my nose, my family would see a long noodle dangling from my nose and then I would gaslight them: “What? Is something on my face?!” I’m going to dust that one off next time I go on an Olive Garden date.

If you were immortalized as a cartoon character, what would your outfit be?
Fashion is a big part of my performance style. I tend to wear a lot of color and razzle-dazzle, so probably a short colorful dress with a bold pattern and Swarovskis all over, an ostrich-feather boa, Lucite rings, hoop earrings, and go-go boots.

What’s your proudest moment/achievement of your comedy career so far?
I’ll say being included in the recent Netflix documentary Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution. It is such a beautiful film by Page Hurwitz, and I’m honored to be a part of the conversation of LGBTQ+ stand-up comedy. Transgender comedians don’t have a long history in the media, and I am so proud to be one of the first of many to bring our voices to the masses. I also got to host a stand-up show before the world premiere of the film at Tribeca, and my No. 1 stand-up idol Margaret Cho was on the lineup with me.

Which comedian’s career trajectory would you most like to follow?
I’m really inspired by Nicole Byer’s trajectory. I want to host TV shows, podcasts, act, tour as a stand-up for the girls and the gays. OMG, and be a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race — that’s like my biggest dream these days.

Tell us everything about your worst show ever. (This can involve venue, audience, other acts on the lineup, anything!)
I used to present as a drag queen with a big wig and the whole shebang. I hosted a monthly show in the smaller room of a venue with two stages. I couldn’t even sell those tickets, but for a while, Joe Rogan would sell out the big room and the people who couldn’t get tickets to see him would come to my show instead. I learned that people who want to see Joe Rogan but didn’t get their tickets in time are not my demographic.

What have you learned about your own joke-writing process that you didn’t know when you started?
You don’t have to sit down at a computer and write shitty jokes every day. I feel like I heard older comedians say to do that, and I’d get frustrated because my mind does that work like that. Now I just try to live life and take notes of funny thoughts and experiences, and then I usually just think about how to make them funnier as I drive around town.

What’s the biggest financial hurdle you’ve encountered since becoming a comedian?
Not having rich parents.

At the end of the movie 8 Mile, Eminem’s character, B-Rabbit, starts his final battle rap by dissing himself so the person he’s battling has nothing left to attack. How would you roast yourself so the other person would have nothing to say?
I mean, I’ve always been a big fan of this method. I’m very aware of the fact that I was born male, I’m six-foot-one, I’m a lot to take in. So I always make jokes about the way I present. I love it.

When it comes to your comedy opinions — about material, performing, audience, trends you want to kill/revive, the industry, etc. — what hill will you die on?
It’s time for transgender women to be the ones making jokes about transgender women on major platforms.

What is the best comedy advice, and then the worst comedy advice, you’ve ever received?
Best: Get good in a smaller market before moving to a big city. I ignored this when I started in L.A. doing stand-up in 2013 and have regretted it at times because it is really hard to undo first impressions.

Worst: Try to appeal to everyone.