Miguel Maldonado (Murcia, 38 years old) appears discreetly on the main floor of Gran Vía, 32, the headquarters of Cadena SER, where every week he records
Sastre y Maldonado
, the
podcast
he shares with the journalist José Luis Sastre.
He also shares other audios:
Quieto todo el mundo
, with Facu Díaz, and
Segunda Acepción,
with Ignatius Farray.
This now comedian studied Art History, wanted to be a film director, worked in
La Tuerka
, that program by Pablo Iglesias Turrión, in
Late Motiv,
that program by Andreu Buenafuente, and has participated as an actor in series such as
Vota Juan, La Reina del town
and
No news.
He says very seriously that, once he can live off laughter, it is time for everyone to leave to make room for him alone.
Ask.
Things I have read from you.
“Before coming to the television program
La Tuerka
he had several jobs.”
Answer.
The first formal job I had was for a Scandinavian furniture chain that we all know what it is.
Can you say the name?
Q.
Sure.
A.
It's Ikea.
It was a satisfactory experience on all levels because I received my paycheck on time and I believe I performed my duties correctly.
There I saw parents fight physically over a 25 euro Billy bookshelf.
I didn't know that could be done, but it is done.
Then I was working loading and unloading the Teatro Real, and that was a blast.
When you see all the machinery behind it and the gears to make these works go ahead...
More information
José Luis Sastre: “Journalism needs to ask itself if we have sensors well connected to reality”
Q.
There were no parents fighting there.
A.
No, they are all very fine people.
That job made me value theater a lot and how incredible it is that all of this turns out well.
That's why every time I act in one I think: my goodness, what a shame, that I am doing these things when this is designed for other types of needs.
I was also working in film, as assistant director, second assistant director, and from there to
La Tuerka.
Q.
Many people know your role as a comedian, but not that you have a degree in Art History.
A.
When I was finishing high school I noticed that I had a certain love for these things.
I studied Art History and even started a thesis, but I realized that it requires a number of hours of study and sacrifice that I was not capable of giving, and that was when I came to Madrid to study film direction.
I am very glad that I studied Art History, because there are many people who are discouraged by their parents, but that was not my case.
They just wanted me to get good grades, and I did.
He was quite a nerd, really.
Q.
I found an article in which you are cited as “the friend of the leaders of the left.”
A.
Totally.
They could have said much worse things, right?
Friend, friend, I have only been and am with Alberto Garzón, but it is true that Facu Díaz and I went out with Pablo Iglesias and Don Alberto in the photo of the bottles, which was used in the programs for a long time.
Every time she saw her my mother told me: “But, what are you doing with Pablo Iglesias again?
Stop drinking!".
It is true that I am more friends with leaders from the left than from the right, to be honest.
Q.
But friends on the right will have…
A.
Yes. Not very right-wing, because in general when people are like that they stop being funny, they lose all their fun.
I have friends who limp to the right, but what they have in common with me is that we are normal.
We get together without any problem, I have a drink with them and that's it as long as they don't say anything crazy.
As long as they respect human rights it works for me.
That's the scale.
In politics you can't have friends.
If not, tell Pablo Casado.#sastreymaldonado pic.twitter.com/w9hauFfOW6
— Sastre y Maldonado (@sastremaldonado) March 3, 2024
Q.
Your grandmother said that you are very handsome and funny.
A.
When I started working on film shoots he told me: “Let's see, you act absent-minded one day and go out in the background, look out a little and smile.
You'll see how they take you out.”
I wasn't very convinced until I did it.
Facundo needed someone to make a sketch for a
sketch
in
La Tuerka
, and since he was the director I thought, I'll do it because the sooner we finish the sooner we leave, and it turned out well.
Until recently, the way I approached this was: I had some work intentions, a career that was going one way and suddenly comedy crossed my path, okay.
But as soon as this is over, I'll return to my technical fold.
Now I don't think about it anymore, because once I have tasted what this is I can't leave it.
Q.
You even have a file on IMDB.
R.
Not everyone has that and I think more should be said.
Once you taste what it's like to live without working, that things are the way they are... I do it for you, really, so that you have something to laugh about every day.
Q.
Thank you very much, on behalf of everyone.
There was someone out there who says he is shameless, now I understand.
R.
Rather, I am very discreet, but I do notice one thing after doing a duet with Facu Díaz for so long.
We say similar things, but it costs him some spectacular trouble and nothing has ever made me ugly.
After analyzing it a lot, I think it's because they don't take me seriously.
I say something outrageous and people think: mother, what a tremendous boy this is.
Not even the people who really dislike me on the Internet exude much resentment.
Q.
You are dressed like the first Ciudadanos.
A.
Indeed.
Being a modest, formal boy, dressing well, having a good car, with my figure, good qualities, porcelain floor... Not going around in a tracksuit makes people see you in a different way.
I suffer criticism when it is true.
When someone points something out to me and I say: I'll shit you, they're right.
If I have done a program and I have noticed that I have not been as good as I could have been, and it looks ugly, it affects me.
Although they usually tell you this from a halfway good place.
The comedian Miguel Maldonado, this Wednesday in Madrid.
Jaime Villanueva
Q.
You were invited to the Moncloa Christmas drink.
What went through your mind when they told you?
A.
That there was someone within the team, who made the guest lists, who was fulfilling a personal whim, because I have no media relevance or anything to talk about with the President of the Government.
In fact, I didn't even talk to him because I had to leave.
It seemed like something quite normal to me, a bit: “Here you all are, now the president arrives, he talks to some people and leaves.”
But it's true that I told it a bit like: “Guys, I have been invited to this because I am a henchman of the regime and as you will understand the regime pays its debts, specifically with two pieces of ham, cheese and a wine.
Thanks for everything".
Be careful, I already see you putting this henchman thing as the headline.
I am a minion of all regimes.
Q.
What do you think about everything having a political meaning today?
R.
I am in favor of taking a political reading of everything and very much against intensity.
I can't handle them giving me the badge.
I'm only in favor of intense people when they go to
First Dates,
because there they give a lot of material, they show off, they ask the zodiac sign before knowing the name.
Q.
What makes you laugh?
R.
First Dates,
movies and memes.
Q.
What movie has made you laugh lately?
R.
Oppenheimer
, but I don't think I laughed at what Nolan wanted me to laugh at, honestly.
It seemed a little defective to me.
Very well done, but of everything he could tell, Christopher decided not to tell anything.
Three hours in which nothing happens.
I laughed especially in a scene, near the end, in which Oppenheimer says: I don't know if people are going to forgive me for what I've done.
To say next: I think so.
And he leaves [hums].
Q.
Can you make a living from
podcasting
?
A.
Well, I think so, but I would like people to stop making them because there are many and there are already too many of them, except for the ones in which I appear.
Those are necessary.
For example, Andreu and Berto, stop doing it now.
Q.
But isn't Berto Romero the funniest person in Spain?
R.
Let's see, I want to make this clear once and for all.
There was a time when Berto was a good comedian, but that's over.
Now seriously, he is my real reference to the point that there have been jobs that have been proposed to me and I have thought: what would he do here?
He is a very good example of how to lead an extensive career without losing your mind and being very generous with all the new ones who arrive.
He is an incredible reference.
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