Today we’d like to introduce you to Alegre Ramos.
Hi Alegre, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always had a lot to say. My mom has a video of me at five where I keep waving at the camera and saying, “But I have six more songs to sing!” as she politely tries to shoo me away so my younger brother could have a turn. *Sigh* Fortunately, I’m a bit more self-aware these days and I always strive to get off whatever stage I’m standing on before the audience is tired of listening to me.
Hi, I’m Chinagona and I’m a comedian.
I’m also a corporate trainer who goes by the name Alegre Ramos, but she’s not as interesting as me. She talks about things like productivity and time management and habit formation (boooooring…)
I talk about things like being an LA native and the correct way to pronounce our streets like Cahuenga (the “h” is silent!), what it’s like growing up with a Chinese-Hawaiian mother and a Mexican-American father (the food was great, the sex ed was nonexistent), and how I wasn’t quite thinking it through when I decided to become a mom at 36 because now I’m going through menopause as my kiddo goes through puberty (bad idea!).
Like I said, I have a lot to say. I guess I always have. In high school I was the captain of the speech and debate team but that’s only because I was its only member. The drama teacher said she thought I’d be good at it and I was! It was so fun; I was a team of one and I never missed a contest. At one tournament I was exposed to Abbott and Costello’s iconic “Who’s on First” sketch which got me interested in comedy. In the late-1900s (I’m old!) when I was in my 20s, I decided to try my hand at stand-up, but I didn’t love the scene so I went to business school (as one does).
In business school, I would be chosen last if the team project didn’t involve a presentation, but if it involved speaking, I was a first round draft pick, baby! That’s when I realized I could still speak on stages, I’d just have to talk about my boring…I mean, productive topics. I actually LOVE leading corporate trainings because after comedy, brain science is my second passion and there have been a lot of interesting developments in that area in the last fifteen years.
A few years back, I saw the incredibly talented Bobbie Oliver — owner of Tao Comedy in Koreatown — perform and I realized that the stand-up world had changed a lot while I’d been away. Thank you streaming! So I decided to get back into it and that’s where I am now.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Um, no. Didn’t you read my intro? (nervous laughter)
But seriously, of course there were struggles. LIFE. IS. STRUGGLE. I talk about this a lot in my corporate training. I believe the whole point of life is to become your best self, and the only way that happens is by being challenged.
Now that I’m in my 50s, I try to think of life’s hardships not just as a lesson to learn but also as challenges to be overcome. Like leveling-up in a video game. What if we thought about setbacks as opportunities to level-up? Isn’t that more fun?
When I was in my 20s, part of why I didn’t pursue comedy seriously was because I didn’t like the scene. I didn’t feel welcomed. Now that I’m in my 50s, I’m helping to create those welcoming places, not just for myself, but for others too. That’s why I created the Soy Saucey comedy show, as a place for Asian and Latin comedians to do our thing! It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been incredibly rewarding.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a comedian, I produce a group show featuring Asian and Latin comedians called Soy Saucey. It’s a play on words because in Spanish, the word “soy” means “I am”, so it works on many levels. Our next show is January 25, 2026 at The Crow in Santa Monica. I’m so proud of Soy Saucey because it’s always so fun. I’ve even been told it’s the best comedy show some people have ever attended. Every date has sold out which has been exhilarating. My goal is for Soy Saucey to tour the U.S. in 2027. If you want us to come to your town, let me know! Tickets and info at SoySaucey.com
As a corporate trainer, I love helping people live more engaged, more productive lives. I’m not trying to turn anybody into a productivity robot. I believe that true productivity comes with clarity of purpose and often that means saying “No” more often than saying “Yes”. In my experience, most of us are too focused on what’s urgent, and not spending enough time on what’s important. I want to flip that! My proudest achievement is hearing from students who’ve gone back to school or changed careers because they’ve become clear on what they want their legacy to be. Because it’s the end of the year, I have a 2-day training in early December called “Get Organized 2026”. More info can be found at TinyURL.com/GetOrganized2026
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Curious with a lot to say. Basically the same as today just smaller and with crooked teeth.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bywdreams.mailerpage.com/getorganized2026
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alegreramos
- Other: https://SoySaucey.com
Image Credits
Photo credit for “selfie photo in front of group at LA Convention Center” by Nick Hagen and Cheney Orr for ASAE.
