August 10, 2025 • 25 mins
After experiencing the complexity of migrating to the U.S. “the right way,” comedian Felipe Torres Medina set out to write a book that was informative but also fun. His goal: to help “remove the weight around the subject of immigration.” The writer for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert published "America Let Me In," which breaks down the serpentine world of visas and legal migration—with a lot of laughs along the way. “Out of respect” for the horrors and challenges of being undocumented, Torres Medina doesn’t touch on those stories in his book. Listen to his conversation with Latino USA.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
Dear, let you know USA listener.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Before we start, you should know that if you want
to listen to this episode, add free. Just join and
you can join for as little as seven dollars a month.
Joining also gets you behind the scenes access and yes,
some cheese me So click the link in the episode
description and after you do that, then click play.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Let's go to the show.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
I'm sure you've heard this before. Immigrants should do things
the quote unquote right way.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
I wouldn't have a problem with it if they bother
doing it, but why can't they come to the US
the right the right way.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Chances are you've read this reply or a variation of
it a million times under the comment section of an
immigration story. I used to take the time to try
and explain the realities and myths behind that statement. As
an immigration reporter, I wanted to make it clear that
for a lot of people, there actually isn't a right
(01:19):
way avenue available, or that it's not easy even for
those with access to that road. But honestly, I'm tired.
Maybe you are too, so recently I've considered just posting
a link to this book.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
Welcome to America. Let me in a choose your immigration story.
This book will hopefully serve as the ultimate guide for
any person who's curious about what it's like to be
an immigrant who dares take on the daunting task of
leaving it all behind and moving to a country that
they picked.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
That's comedian and writer for The Lay Show with Stephen
Colbert Felipe Torres Mevina.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
That's the gist of immigrants, by and large, they choose
this place. And I believe there's no bigger active love
than willingly choosing something.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
He's reading an excerpt from his book called America Let
Me in a choose your own immigration story.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
I will also try to show many of the incredibly
complicated and challenging and expensive ways in which people try
to come here, which fulfills my true goal with this
book telling a bunch of stories about immigrants.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
For the last several years, Felippe has written about a
marriad of things, both lighthearted and serious issues, each wrapped
in layers of comedy. Millions of people have seen his
work on Colbert's show, which we all just found out
is coming to an end.
Speaker 6 (02:40):
Before we start the show, I want to let you
know something that I found out just last night. Next
year will be our last season. The network will be
ending the Late Show in May.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
While this may have seemed to come out of nowhere,
something happened a few weeks earlier that makes this cancelation
seem less random.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
The parent company of CBS agreed to pay sixteen million
dollars to settle a twenty billion dollar lawsuit brought by
President Donald Trump.
Speaker 6 (03:08):
On Friday, Donald Trump posted, I absolutely love that Colbert
got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
How dare you, sir?
Speaker 6 (03:22):
Would an untalented man be able to compose the following
satirical witticism godself?
Speaker 3 (03:29):
But Felipe isn't really focusing on the end right now.
There's still nearly a year of work to be done
at a place that he deeply values, and lots of
great things have come from his time on the show.
He hasn't just been a writer for the legendary late
night show. He's even been a guest on the couch with.
Speaker 6 (03:49):
Colbert now Here to discuss the lack of representation for
Hispanics on television.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
Is an Hispanic Felipe.
Speaker 6 (03:56):
Torres Medina, Felippe, come on out here, Felipe Torre Headina, everybody.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Have to see.
Speaker 6 (04:03):
So, Felipe, how do you feel about this lack of
Hispanic representation.
Speaker 5 (04:06):
Well, to put it in terms Hollywood wouldn't understand, it's
no bueno.
Speaker 6 (04:10):
So what what's should television do differently?
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Well, this shows up to a great start.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
You have a Hispanic on screen with you right now
who's not playing a criminal.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
How brave of me.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
But just days before the controversial news about the show's
cancelation roared across the internet. I'm met up with Phelipe
to talk about his book Immigration and the power of comedy.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
From media. It's let you know usay.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
I'm Maria Jojosam Today a conversation with comedian and writer
Philippe Dorries Medina.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
He breaks down his new book America Let Me In.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
He's also going to talk about his work as a
comedian who tackles difficult conversations, and we'll hear his take
on how humor can help us all cope with dark times.
Latino USA producer Juliata Martinelli is back and she's going
to continue her conversation now with writer Felippe Torres Medina.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
Felipe Dorres Medina, Welcome to Latino USA.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
Thanks for having me. I'm very excited to be here.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
You are a comedian, a comedy writer, and now a
book author. Earlier in the year you published America Let
Me In. It's this hilarious and educational choose your own
adventure book where you get to make choices and take
on different personas to experience as close as one can
get to at least just how complex it is to
(05:41):
quote unquote do it the right way. I have to
say personally, I've never seen a book about immigration quite
like this. I read the whole thing over a weekend
on vacation, and it's really centered in the comedy of
it all. So I want to know why I write
a book like this.
Speaker 5 (06:00):
The need to write it was a little bit the
only way I could express myself and the absurdity of
the system. I mean, the why is I'm an immigrant.
I came here, I went to grad school here, and
I was able to get an alien of extraordinary ability
VISA and one. And as a comedian, how do I
(06:22):
heighten it and how do I talk about it in
a way that is honest but still tries to pooke
fun at the things that are happening, Because even just
the name of that visa, Alien of extraordinary Ability is
already so absurd, right, it's so yeah, it almost sounds
like a joke.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
I would have paid to be a fly on the
wall when you had this conversation about what it means
to be an alien with extraordinary abilities. I mean, this
is a real thing. This is like the actual terms
that we're using for these visas.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
I'm not making that up, Like I didn't put that
in the book.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
That is the actual term that the government uses for
this visa.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
I'm originally from Colombia.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
From with that, and I moved to the States thirteen
years ago to go to school at Boston University. I
got a master's in screenwriting because I wanted to write comedy,
and then I moved to New York to pursue comedy
and I got this allenficx S ordinary Ability visa, which
was very helpful, but also like it's a very stressful
(07:27):
and complicated process. You have to have a huge body
of work, and you have to have like letters of
recommendation by like peers and like really impressive people in
your field who basically are sending letters to the government
saying this person's great and all that stuff definitely inspired
me and created this need for me to explain what
(07:48):
was happening to me, because I would talk to friends
in New York City who were progressive people who vote
for Bernie Sanders kind of people, and they wouldn't understand
what I was going through that they didn't know what
the system was. So people would be like, oh, but
you know, you came to school here, so like that's fine,
you can just get a job, right, And I'd have
(08:08):
to be like, no, have to do so many things,
you have no idea Like it seems like everyone has
opinions about immigration and has a lot of thoughts and
therefore or against or they like this or they don't
like that, but not a lot of people actually knows
what the system is. It's not as simple as you know.
Some people would have you think like, oh, just come
(08:30):
the right way, like my ancestors, right who came from
Italy or Poland or Ireland. Not to say that those
journeys weren't very difficult as well, but that path doesn't
exist anymore.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
In your book, you highlight so many different paths that
are taken by people in very different migratory situations. We're
talking about tech workers or HEB visas investor visas international students.
You really break down the complex and often very confusing
world of visas and legal migration, and listen. I really
(09:03):
enjoy the book. But I'm very curious if you've received
any criticism for the tone of the book, for the
comedy and the book, and if so, who and where
is that criticism coming from.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
I think for the most part, the reception has been
pretty positive. I think most people are excited to read
a book about or at least intrigued by the proposition
of reading a book about immigration that addresses the subject
through humor, and I try to do it through humor
with empathy. I obviously don't try to make fun of
the immigrants themselves or of the people who are struggling
(09:37):
so hard to come here. I will say, I think
the feedback I've heard from some people is that they
find it hard to find humor or be funny around
the stuff that's happening right now with the Trump administration
and the horrible things that they're doing now. Thankfully, the
(09:58):
book does not address irregular immigration and things that people
who are undocumented have to face because and I say
that very explicitly in the book. Those stories deserve a
little bit more respect than like the book that I
wanted to write can give them, because I wanted to
write a book that was humorism, that was jokey and
light to kind of like remove the weight around the
(10:20):
subject of immigration. There's this terming comedy called punching up
and punching down, And what you want to do with
comedy is to always be punching up. The jokes are
above you in status. That's why making fun of politicians
or the system, or even like when you're in school,
making fun of your chemistry teacher, you know that person
(10:43):
has a higher status than you. Whereas making fun of
people who are in a condition that is harder than yours,
people who are sick, that doesn't really feel like comedy
to me. It feels more like bullying. But I do
make fun of the government and like figures in popular media,
(11:04):
and I've heard some criticism of well meaning mostly like
older liberal people who are like I just don't find
any of this funny. I can't find any of this
funny because what's happening right now it's so awful and
so traumatic, and I totally understand that. But for me,
as a comedian and as I think a Latin person,
(11:24):
there is an element of having to face the horrors
with humor because it's the only way we can endure it.
You know, I grew up in Colombia in the nineties
and two thousands. That was like a very violent time
for our country that thankfully is getting better, and so
humor was always a huge part of growing up and
(11:45):
just the way that I lived in my country. It
was a way to endure and to go live through
the pain, and so to me, it was important to
address this thing through humor.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Coming up on Latino You, producer Julieta Martinelli continues her
conversation with comedy writer Filippe Dorris Medina. They dive into
why many people growing up in challenging circumstances seem to
have such a great appreciation for humor.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Stay with us, Yes, Hey, We're back.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Producer Julieta Martinelli picks up her conversation with comedy writer
Filippe Dorris Medina. He's going to be talking about his
new immigration book, which is both deathly serious and also
filled with humor.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
I've always thought that storytelling and humor is kind of
like a built in survival mechanism of sorts. Yeah, right, Like,
not just for Latinos, but I think for many cultures
where everyday life is kind of complicated. And this reminds
me of some thing in your book, in particular, around
the middle of the book, I flipped the page and
(13:04):
I came across a history of Colombia in our route,
and I thought, Okay, this is where Phelippe is going
to talk about all the challenges that have made Colombia
and so good at humor. But instead, in short, you
basically tell us Gori, Gabril, Geria Marguez. And it also
makes me think about these videos right going viral of
Mexico Machico, right where it's like the most crazy thing
(13:26):
you've ever seen, but also it's like the most regular
day in Latin America. So I guess I'm curious. You know,
you're a comedian, you're a comedy writer. Why do you
think that humor is such a deep part of our culture.
Speaker 5 (13:39):
I think it's the trait of humans who are facing uncertainty.
You know, the idea of gallows humor is very true.
And if you talk to anyone who has dealt with grief,
there is always that moment when they're talking about, you know,
the loss of a parent, the loss of a child. Like,
these moments are very sad, and you're there as a
(14:00):
family together and you're all very sad, and then one
of the members of the family makes a joke that's
like completely inappropriate, and obviously no one wants to say it,
but they say it, and it lifts the spell of
the grief for a second, you know, and you can
all relate in a human level. And I think that
(14:20):
it is a way to process the horrors and all
the horrors that can happen to humans because we have
to develop that muscle of humor to live in our countries,
to live in Columbia or in Mexico, where the reality
is stranger than fiction, and so we're always like trying
(14:42):
to find the fun and the levity. I don't want
to sound trite, but it is a form of hope,
I think, to be able to be in a dark
moment and just be able to still laugh as a
family and laugh as friends, have that shared moment of humanity.
Speaker 4 (15:01):
That is a laugh.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
I went through the legal process myself. It took a
long time. It was brutal, but there was also a
lot of lightheartedness around it. There's a sentence in your
book that I have right here that I highlighted. You wrote,
immigrants choose this place. And I believe there's no bigger
act of love than willingly choosing something. Then you go
(15:29):
on to make fun of people who say that their
dog chose them, which is hilarious. That really hit home.
But there's something really true and meaningful here right You're
kind of saying, I wasn't born here, I have no
real ties to this place. Actually, I'll have to leave
all my ties and everything that up until today has
(15:50):
meant something to me to come here where. Do you
think that the disconnect is the way that people see
immigrants the sort of rhetoric of we're here, Troy, We're
here to take advantage of the system, because that's not
what you're saying in this book.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Yeah, I think the disconnect is not to sound like
an old man, but it's like, maybe get off your phone,
you know, and go talk to a real immigrant, like
a real life person, because what I think is true.
And I've been lucky to be able to travel around
the country with this book Red State's, Blue States and
(16:30):
anything in between, and I think every American, even if
they have opinions that would be more on the conservative
side or who would agree that, like we need to
do something about all those immigrants, but not my friend
god Loos. Yeah, And I feel like ones you get
to that point and you realize you get to the
(16:52):
human level. Everyone's a little bit like but not them.
Obviously I'm not talking about them, and that is obviously
pretty hurtful and a horrible situation to find yourself in.
I think every immigrant has found themselves in that situation
where someone will be like, well, I'm obviously not talking
about you, and it's happened to me. I'm sure it's
happened to you, and it's a horrible situation to be in.
(17:14):
But I do think there is a truth in there
that at a human level, people like immigration and like immigrants.
Americans in general. Americans are very friendly people compared to
people in the rest of the world, and I think
that is the disconnect. The disconnect is the narratives that
are being pushed by the media and social media, conservative
(17:36):
news but also like left leaning news outlets who accept
the narratives imposed on immigration without questioning them and without
really looking for a human approach. When you see immigration
only as an abstraction, that's when you can create any
(17:56):
narrative you want. And I think that that's the danger,
and I think that that's the thing that this book
tries to do. By putting the reader in the stories
as the characters in the stories, It's like.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
No, no, you are the character.
Speaker 5 (18:08):
You're embodying this journey, and you're going to have to
be the immigrant so that you can understand a little
bit how mass that this is and maybe have that empathy,
like the next time you talk about immigration.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
We'll be right back. Stay with us. Yes, hey, we're back.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Producer Julietta Martinelli continues her conversation now with comedy writer
Philippe Torris.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Merina, you're a five time Emmy nominee Peabody winner for
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. I'm wondering, has there
ever been a topic you were like, Nope, we're not
going to go there, or is it more like, okay,
the news and immigration right now needs some sort of
punchy or sarcastic joke. I'm so curious, you know how
(19:11):
that's handled on these nightly shows, and I'm curious what
it is to be a Latino and an immigrant writing
comedy about these things that are happening on the daily.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
I mean it is a challenge sometimes because sometimes the
stories are very sad and hurts me sometimes to even
look into the abyss, you know, But I do think
it is it's great for these shows to have Latinos.
It's great for these shows to have any sort of
diversity in the writer's rooms. And the shows have gotten
(19:42):
a lot better overall about hiring more people of diverse backgrounds,
and that just gives you better ways to write comedy,
you know, even if it's not directly immigration related. I've
written stories about like that coup that happened in Peru
a couple of years ago before Dino or Lute became president.
Speaker 6 (20:02):
There's a big story out of Peru because yesterday Peru's
president was impeached and arrested after he tried to dissolve Congress.
So you can take immediate action against the president who
attacks Congress. I thought you hadn't dither about it for
two years until he has dinner with Nazis and then
still not do.
Speaker 5 (20:19):
Anything, and that stuff that I don't know that it
would have been on the show in the same way
if I hadn't been in that writer's room. Just adding
any sort of diversity to any room, be it immigrants
or Latinos or whatever, will bring new voices and new
perspectives and new ways to talk about stories. I have
(20:39):
been super lucky to be able to talk about very
like sad and horrible things about immigration, and it's been
done very artfully, I think, and very well. But I've
also been able to talk about stuff like last year
when those ads for Saturday Secuy Style from Chile went
viral online and I was upset with them because I
(21:01):
love Star Wars and also it was like a Latin beer,
and we ended up making it a huge runner in
our show. Like the beer kept coming back throughout the
whole show, not just the monologue there, Steven just kept
(21:28):
bringing out the beer.
Speaker 6 (21:29):
Chilean TV broadcast cut beer ads into Star Wars. But
you can all rest assured here at the Late Show,
we will never stoop to that kind of blatant product placement.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
Isn't that right, Lewis? That's right, Steve.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
Show.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
I felt very proud of it.
Speaker 5 (21:47):
I feel so lucky, and I feel like it's such
a privilege and such a benefit to all these shows
to have more diverse voices.
Speaker 4 (21:55):
It's so true.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
It's such an important part of representation, right, not only
to represent or try to and our hard times, but
also the things that make us laugh that we find
funny exactly. It's like, okay, you want me to be
watching this show like this is also for me. I
have one more question. I may a note of this.
When I first started reading the book, you make a joke.
I think it's in your intro that there will be
(22:18):
an America. Let me in choose your own karaoke song,
you know down the line. So I have to ask Felippe,
what is your go to karaoke song?
Speaker 5 (22:29):
Okay, here's the thing. If I'm doing karaoke, I think
this Mosito might be the winner if I'm doing it alone,
because I do all the parts, because you know, I
do the daddy yankee part, but I also do the loose,
funcy part.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
And I really like I have a lot of fun.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
And if we're doing karaoke with my friends who don't
speak Spanish, they're all like, oh my god, that's so cool.
But I will say a thing that I love to
do karaoke is do hips. Don't lie with my wife,
who's a much better singer than I am, and so
she will do the shakira parts and I will do
(23:14):
the white LeJean party.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
I thought you were going to say, she does the
singing and you do the hip shaking part.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
Also that yes, also that.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
Those are very good choices, universal choices for karaoke. Immigration
can be such a dense, difficult, dark topic. And I
got to tell you I not only learned, I took
notes and I also laughed the entire way. Felipe Torres, Merina,
author of America let me in. Thank you so so
(23:47):
much for being with us and Latino USA today. It's
been a privilege for us.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
Thank you so much for having me. It's been a
joy to be here.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
This episode was produced by Julia ta Martinelli. It was
edited by our managing editor Fernanda Echavari.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
It was mixed by J. J.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Carubin, with production assistants by Diego Perdomo. The Latino USA
team also includes Roxa Raguire, Julia Caruso, Jessica Ellis, Victori Estrada,
Renando Laos Junior, Stephanie Lebau, Andrea Lopez Crusado, Luis Luna
ri mar Marquez, Marta Martinez, Monica Morales, Garcia and Nancy Trujillo,
(24:34):
Penilee Ramirez and I are co executive producers and I'm
your host Mariaojosa. Latino USA is part of Iheart's Michael
Duda Podcast Network. Executive producers and iHeart Carleo Gomez and
Arlene Santana Join us again next time, dear listener. In
the meantime, I'll see you on all of our social media.
And remember, it's so easy to listen to this episode
(24:55):
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Asta aproxima.
Speaker 7 (25:17):
Latino USA is made possible in part by California Endowment
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The Anni E. Casey Foundation creates a brighter future for
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(25:39):
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Dear, let you know USA listener.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Before we start, you should know that if you want
to listen to this episode, add free. Just join and
you can join for as little as seven dollars a month.
Joining also gets you behind the scenes access and yes,
some cheese me So click the link in the episode
description and after you do that, then click play.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Let's go to the show.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
I'm sure you've heard this before. Immigrants should do things
the quote unquote right way.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
I wouldn't have a problem with it if they bother
doing it, but why can't they come to the US
the right the right way.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Chances are you've read this reply or a variation of
it a million times under the comment section of an
immigration story. I used to take the time to try
and explain the realities and myths behind that statement. As
an immigration reporter, I wanted to make it clear that
for a lot of people, there actually isn't a right
(01:19):
way avenue available, or that it's not easy even for
those with access to that road. But honestly, I'm tired.
Maybe you are too, so recently I've considered just posting
a link to this book.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
Welcome to America. Let me in a choose your immigration story.
This book will hopefully serve as the ultimate guide for
any person who's curious about what it's like to be
an immigrant who dares take on the daunting task of
leaving it all behind and moving to a country that
they picked.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
That's comedian and writer for The Lay Show with Stephen
Colbert Felipe Torres Mevina.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
That's the gist of immigrants, by and large, they choose
this place. And I believe there's no bigger active love
than willingly choosing something.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
He's reading an excerpt from his book called America Let
Me in a choose your own immigration story.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
I will also try to show many of the incredibly
complicated and challenging and expensive ways in which people try
to come here, which fulfills my true goal with this
book telling a bunch of stories about immigrants.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
For the last several years, Felippe has written about a
marriad of things, both lighthearted and serious issues, each wrapped
in layers of comedy. Millions of people have seen his
work on Colbert's show, which we all just found out
is coming to an end.
Speaker 6 (02:40):
Before we start the show, I want to let you
know something that I found out just last night. Next
year will be our last season. The network will be
ending the Late Show in May.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
While this may have seemed to come out of nowhere,
something happened a few weeks earlier that makes this cancelation
seem less random.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
The parent company of CBS agreed to pay sixteen million
dollars to settle a twenty billion dollar lawsuit brought by
President Donald Trump.
Speaker 6 (03:08):
On Friday, Donald Trump posted, I absolutely love that Colbert
got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
How dare you, sir?
Speaker 6 (03:22):
Would an untalented man be able to compose the following
satirical witticism godself?
Speaker 3 (03:29):
But Felipe isn't really focusing on the end right now.
There's still nearly a year of work to be done
at a place that he deeply values, and lots of
great things have come from his time on the show.
He hasn't just been a writer for the legendary late
night show. He's even been a guest on the couch with.
Speaker 6 (03:49):
Colbert now Here to discuss the lack of representation for
Hispanics on television.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
Is an Hispanic Felipe.
Speaker 6 (03:56):
Torres Medina, Felippe, come on out here, Felipe Torre Headina, everybody.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Have to see.
Speaker 6 (04:03):
So, Felipe, how do you feel about this lack of
Hispanic representation.
Speaker 5 (04:06):
Well, to put it in terms Hollywood wouldn't understand, it's
no bueno.
Speaker 6 (04:10):
So what what's should television do differently?
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Well, this shows up to a great start.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
You have a Hispanic on screen with you right now
who's not playing a criminal.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
How brave of me.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
But just days before the controversial news about the show's
cancelation roared across the internet. I'm met up with Phelipe
to talk about his book Immigration and the power of comedy.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
From media. It's let you know usay.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
I'm Maria Jojosam Today a conversation with comedian and writer
Philippe Dorries Medina.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
He breaks down his new book America Let Me In.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
He's also going to talk about his work as a
comedian who tackles difficult conversations, and we'll hear his take
on how humor can help us all cope with dark times.
Latino USA producer Juliata Martinelli is back and she's going
to continue her conversation now with writer Felippe Torres Medina.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
Felipe Dorres Medina, Welcome to Latino USA.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
Thanks for having me. I'm very excited to be here.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
You are a comedian, a comedy writer, and now a
book author. Earlier in the year you published America Let
Me In. It's this hilarious and educational choose your own
adventure book where you get to make choices and take
on different personas to experience as close as one can
get to at least just how complex it is to
(05:41):
quote unquote do it the right way. I have to
say personally, I've never seen a book about immigration quite
like this. I read the whole thing over a weekend
on vacation, and it's really centered in the comedy of
it all. So I want to know why I write
a book like this.
Speaker 5 (06:00):
The need to write it was a little bit the
only way I could express myself and the absurdity of
the system. I mean, the why is I'm an immigrant.
I came here, I went to grad school here, and
I was able to get an alien of extraordinary ability
VISA and one. And as a comedian, how do I
(06:22):
heighten it and how do I talk about it in
a way that is honest but still tries to pooke
fun at the things that are happening, Because even just
the name of that visa, Alien of extraordinary Ability is
already so absurd, right, it's so yeah, it almost sounds
like a joke.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
I would have paid to be a fly on the
wall when you had this conversation about what it means
to be an alien with extraordinary abilities. I mean, this
is a real thing. This is like the actual terms
that we're using for these visas.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
I'm not making that up, Like I didn't put that
in the book.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
That is the actual term that the government uses for
this visa.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
I'm originally from Colombia.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
From with that, and I moved to the States thirteen
years ago to go to school at Boston University. I
got a master's in screenwriting because I wanted to write comedy,
and then I moved to New York to pursue comedy
and I got this allenficx S ordinary Ability visa, which
was very helpful, but also like it's a very stressful
(07:27):
and complicated process. You have to have a huge body
of work, and you have to have like letters of
recommendation by like peers and like really impressive people in
your field who basically are sending letters to the government
saying this person's great and all that stuff definitely inspired
me and created this need for me to explain what
(07:48):
was happening to me, because I would talk to friends
in New York City who were progressive people who vote
for Bernie Sanders kind of people, and they wouldn't understand
what I was going through that they didn't know what
the system was. So people would be like, oh, but
you know, you came to school here, so like that's fine,
you can just get a job, right, And I'd have
(08:08):
to be like, no, have to do so many things,
you have no idea Like it seems like everyone has
opinions about immigration and has a lot of thoughts and
therefore or against or they like this or they don't
like that, but not a lot of people actually knows
what the system is. It's not as simple as you know.
Some people would have you think like, oh, just come
(08:30):
the right way, like my ancestors, right who came from
Italy or Poland or Ireland. Not to say that those
journeys weren't very difficult as well, but that path doesn't
exist anymore.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
In your book, you highlight so many different paths that
are taken by people in very different migratory situations. We're
talking about tech workers or HEB visas investor visas international students.
You really break down the complex and often very confusing
world of visas and legal migration, and listen. I really
(09:03):
enjoy the book. But I'm very curious if you've received
any criticism for the tone of the book, for the
comedy and the book, and if so, who and where
is that criticism coming from.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
I think for the most part, the reception has been
pretty positive. I think most people are excited to read
a book about or at least intrigued by the proposition
of reading a book about immigration that addresses the subject
through humor, and I try to do it through humor
with empathy. I obviously don't try to make fun of
the immigrants themselves or of the people who are struggling
(09:37):
so hard to come here. I will say, I think
the feedback I've heard from some people is that they
find it hard to find humor or be funny around
the stuff that's happening right now with the Trump administration
and the horrible things that they're doing now. Thankfully, the
(09:58):
book does not address irregular immigration and things that people
who are undocumented have to face because and I say
that very explicitly in the book. Those stories deserve a
little bit more respect than like the book that I
wanted to write can give them, because I wanted to
write a book that was humorism, that was jokey and
light to kind of like remove the weight around the
(10:20):
subject of immigration. There's this terming comedy called punching up
and punching down, And what you want to do with
comedy is to always be punching up. The jokes are
above you in status. That's why making fun of politicians
or the system, or even like when you're in school,
making fun of your chemistry teacher, you know that person
(10:43):
has a higher status than you. Whereas making fun of
people who are in a condition that is harder than yours,
people who are sick, that doesn't really feel like comedy
to me. It feels more like bullying. But I do
make fun of the government and like figures in popular media,
(11:04):
and I've heard some criticism of well meaning mostly like
older liberal people who are like I just don't find
any of this funny. I can't find any of this
funny because what's happening right now it's so awful and
so traumatic, and I totally understand that. But for me,
as a comedian and as I think a Latin person,
(11:24):
there is an element of having to face the horrors
with humor because it's the only way we can endure it.
You know, I grew up in Colombia in the nineties
and two thousands. That was like a very violent time
for our country that thankfully is getting better, and so
humor was always a huge part of growing up and
(11:45):
just the way that I lived in my country. It
was a way to endure and to go live through
the pain, and so to me, it was important to
address this thing through humor.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Coming up on Latino You, producer Julieta Martinelli continues her
conversation with comedy writer Filippe Dorris Medina. They dive into
why many people growing up in challenging circumstances seem to
have such a great appreciation for humor.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
Stay with us, Yes, Hey, We're back.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Producer Julieta Martinelli picks up her conversation with comedy writer
Filippe Dorris Medina. He's going to be talking about his
new immigration book, which is both deathly serious and also
filled with humor.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
I've always thought that storytelling and humor is kind of
like a built in survival mechanism of sorts. Yeah, right, Like,
not just for Latinos, but I think for many cultures
where everyday life is kind of complicated. And this reminds
me of some thing in your book, in particular, around
the middle of the book, I flipped the page and
(13:04):
I came across a history of Colombia in our route,
and I thought, Okay, this is where Phelippe is going
to talk about all the challenges that have made Colombia
and so good at humor. But instead, in short, you
basically tell us Gori, Gabril, Geria Marguez. And it also
makes me think about these videos right going viral of
Mexico Machico, right where it's like the most crazy thing
(13:26):
you've ever seen, but also it's like the most regular
day in Latin America. So I guess I'm curious. You know,
you're a comedian, you're a comedy writer. Why do you
think that humor is such a deep part of our culture.
Speaker 5 (13:39):
I think it's the trait of humans who are facing uncertainty.
You know, the idea of gallows humor is very true.
And if you talk to anyone who has dealt with grief,
there is always that moment when they're talking about, you know,
the loss of a parent, the loss of a child. Like,
these moments are very sad, and you're there as a
(14:00):
family together and you're all very sad, and then one
of the members of the family makes a joke that's
like completely inappropriate, and obviously no one wants to say it,
but they say it, and it lifts the spell of
the grief for a second, you know, and you can
all relate in a human level. And I think that
(14:20):
it is a way to process the horrors and all
the horrors that can happen to humans because we have
to develop that muscle of humor to live in our countries,
to live in Columbia or in Mexico, where the reality
is stranger than fiction, and so we're always like trying
(14:42):
to find the fun and the levity. I don't want
to sound trite, but it is a form of hope,
I think, to be able to be in a dark
moment and just be able to still laugh as a
family and laugh as friends, have that shared moment of humanity.
Speaker 4 (15:01):
That is a laugh.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
I went through the legal process myself. It took a
long time. It was brutal, but there was also a
lot of lightheartedness around it. There's a sentence in your
book that I have right here that I highlighted. You wrote,
immigrants choose this place. And I believe there's no bigger
act of love than willingly choosing something. Then you go
(15:29):
on to make fun of people who say that their
dog chose them, which is hilarious. That really hit home.
But there's something really true and meaningful here right You're
kind of saying, I wasn't born here, I have no
real ties to this place. Actually, I'll have to leave
all my ties and everything that up until today has
(15:50):
meant something to me to come here where. Do you
think that the disconnect is the way that people see
immigrants the sort of rhetoric of we're here, Troy, We're
here to take advantage of the system, because that's not
what you're saying in this book.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
Yeah, I think the disconnect is not to sound like
an old man, but it's like, maybe get off your phone,
you know, and go talk to a real immigrant, like
a real life person, because what I think is true.
And I've been lucky to be able to travel around
the country with this book Red State's, Blue States and
(16:30):
anything in between, and I think every American, even if
they have opinions that would be more on the conservative
side or who would agree that, like we need to
do something about all those immigrants, but not my friend
god Loos. Yeah, And I feel like ones you get
to that point and you realize you get to the
(16:52):
human level. Everyone's a little bit like but not them.
Obviously I'm not talking about them, and that is obviously
pretty hurtful and a horrible situation to find yourself in.
I think every immigrant has found themselves in that situation
where someone will be like, well, I'm obviously not talking
about you, and it's happened to me. I'm sure it's
happened to you, and it's a horrible situation to be in.
(17:14):
But I do think there is a truth in there
that at a human level, people like immigration and like immigrants.
Americans in general. Americans are very friendly people compared to
people in the rest of the world, and I think
that is the disconnect. The disconnect is the narratives that
are being pushed by the media and social media, conservative
(17:36):
news but also like left leaning news outlets who accept
the narratives imposed on immigration without questioning them and without
really looking for a human approach. When you see immigration
only as an abstraction, that's when you can create any
(17:56):
narrative you want. And I think that that's the danger,
and I think that that's the thing that this book
tries to do. By putting the reader in the stories
as the characters in the stories, It's like.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
No, no, you are the character.
Speaker 5 (18:08):
You're embodying this journey, and you're going to have to
be the immigrant so that you can understand a little
bit how mass that this is and maybe have that empathy,
like the next time you talk about immigration.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
We'll be right back. Stay with us. Yes, hey, we're back.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Producer Julietta Martinelli continues her conversation now with comedy writer
Philippe Torris.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Merina, you're a five time Emmy nominee Peabody winner for
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. I'm wondering, has there
ever been a topic you were like, Nope, we're not
going to go there, or is it more like, okay,
the news and immigration right now needs some sort of
punchy or sarcastic joke. I'm so curious, you know how
(19:11):
that's handled on these nightly shows, and I'm curious what
it is to be a Latino and an immigrant writing
comedy about these things that are happening on the daily.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
I mean it is a challenge sometimes because sometimes the
stories are very sad and hurts me sometimes to even
look into the abyss, you know, But I do think
it is it's great for these shows to have Latinos.
It's great for these shows to have any sort of
diversity in the writer's rooms. And the shows have gotten
(19:42):
a lot better overall about hiring more people of diverse backgrounds,
and that just gives you better ways to write comedy,
you know, even if it's not directly immigration related. I've
written stories about like that coup that happened in Peru
a couple of years ago before Dino or Lute became president.
Speaker 6 (20:02):
There's a big story out of Peru because yesterday Peru's
president was impeached and arrested after he tried to dissolve Congress.
So you can take immediate action against the president who
attacks Congress. I thought you hadn't dither about it for
two years until he has dinner with Nazis and then
still not do.
Speaker 5 (20:19):
Anything, and that stuff that I don't know that it
would have been on the show in the same way
if I hadn't been in that writer's room. Just adding
any sort of diversity to any room, be it immigrants
or Latinos or whatever, will bring new voices and new
perspectives and new ways to talk about stories. I have
(20:39):
been super lucky to be able to talk about very
like sad and horrible things about immigration, and it's been
done very artfully, I think, and very well. But I've
also been able to talk about stuff like last year
when those ads for Saturday Secuy Style from Chile went
viral online and I was upset with them because I
(21:01):
love Star Wars and also it was like a Latin beer,
and we ended up making it a huge runner in
our show. Like the beer kept coming back throughout the
whole show, not just the monologue there, Steven just kept
(21:28):
bringing out the beer.
Speaker 6 (21:29):
Chilean TV broadcast cut beer ads into Star Wars. But
you can all rest assured here at the Late Show,
we will never stoop to that kind of blatant product placement.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
Isn't that right, Lewis? That's right, Steve.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
Show.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
I felt very proud of it.
Speaker 5 (21:47):
I feel so lucky, and I feel like it's such
a privilege and such a benefit to all these shows
to have more diverse voices.
Speaker 4 (21:55):
It's so true.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
It's such an important part of representation, right, not only
to represent or try to and our hard times, but
also the things that make us laugh that we find
funny exactly. It's like, okay, you want me to be
watching this show like this is also for me. I
have one more question. I may a note of this.
When I first started reading the book, you make a joke.
I think it's in your intro that there will be
(22:18):
an America. Let me in choose your own karaoke song,
you know down the line. So I have to ask Felippe,
what is your go to karaoke song?
Speaker 5 (22:29):
Okay, here's the thing. If I'm doing karaoke, I think
this Mosito might be the winner if I'm doing it alone,
because I do all the parts, because you know, I
do the daddy yankee part, but I also do the loose,
funcy part.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
And I really like I have a lot of fun.
Speaker 5 (22:51):
And if we're doing karaoke with my friends who don't
speak Spanish, they're all like, oh my god, that's so cool.
But I will say a thing that I love to
do karaoke is do hips. Don't lie with my wife,
who's a much better singer than I am, and so
she will do the shakira parts and I will do
(23:14):
the white LeJean party.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
I thought you were going to say, she does the
singing and you do the hip shaking part.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
Also that yes, also that.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
Those are very good choices, universal choices for karaoke. Immigration
can be such a dense, difficult, dark topic. And I
got to tell you I not only learned, I took
notes and I also laughed the entire way. Felipe Torres, Merina,
author of America let me in. Thank you so so
(23:47):
much for being with us and Latino USA today. It's
been a privilege for us.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
Thank you so much for having me. It's been a
joy to be here.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
This episode was produced by Julia ta Martinelli. It was
edited by our managing editor Fernanda Echavari.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
It was mixed by J. J.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Carubin, with production assistants by Diego Perdomo. The Latino USA
team also includes Roxa Raguire, Julia Caruso, Jessica Ellis, Victori Estrada,
Renando Laos Junior, Stephanie Lebau, Andrea Lopez Crusado, Luis Luna
ri mar Marquez, Marta Martinez, Monica Morales, Garcia and Nancy Trujillo,
(24:34):
Penilee Ramirez and I are co executive producers and I'm
your host Mariaojosa. Latino USA is part of Iheart's Michael
Duda Podcast Network. Executive producers and iHeart Carleo Gomez and
Arlene Santana Join us again next time, dear listener. In
the meantime, I'll see you on all of our social media.
And remember, it's so easy to listen to this episode
(24:55):
without listening to the ads. All you need to do
is join Futuro Plus. Also you get bts behind the
scenes and cheez may so join Futuro Plus. It's so easy,
so financially available to all of us. Thanks again, and
Asta aproxima.
Speaker 7 (25:17):
Latino USA is made possible in part by California Endowment
building a strong state by improving the health of all Californians.
The Anni E. Casey Foundation creates a brighter future for
the nation's children by strengthening families, building greater economic opportunity,
and transforming communities, and funding for Latino USA is Coverage
(25:39):
of a culture of health is made possible in part
by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,
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