Check Out Ricky Ramos’ Story

In the beginning, there would be days I would take 3 buses between Longmont and Denver just to do a 5-minute set and go back home. It would take me 5 hours of a commute just to do those 5-minute sets, but I knew I needed to keep practicing. Set after set I just wasn’t getting the responses that I was looking for, but I couldn’t figure out the science behind comedy. And it wasn’t until I was pulled aside by a local professional did I get that first “gut punch”, that truth you need but at the same time dread because it’s going to hurt. He told me my jokes were nonrelatable, that they were incohesive with no meaning or timeline. I got it though, I had to tell my story and relate to the crowd. My comedy revolves heavily around my childhood, growing up in what USED to be the North Side. Coming from a neighborhood that had drugs, gangs, and violence it was a lot to handle. Comedy has always truly been my way of expression, turning trauma into something I can laugh about.

And truth be told, my story has been relatable now to so many people it’s incredible. Over the last decade, I have been able to perform all over Colorado and have had numerous opportunities to go on tour across the country! The true blessing of it all is I get to do this all from here, my home. I currently now produce and run 3 of my own shows and festivals, Password: Comedy at The Speakeasy in Longmont, Wize Out at The Plaza 38 in The Highlands, and Colorado’s first bilingual comedy at Raices Brewery in Denver. In September, for Hispanic heritage month, we will be producing Colorado’s first and only bilingual comedy Festival featuring bilingual comedians from all across the country. When I am not running my own shows, I still attend open mics and get booked for shows all up and down the Front Range.

During the summer months, my wife and I travel across the county and go on a “tour”. Summer of 2022 we went to Philadelphia and I was able to do 2 shows at The Punchline. Summer of 2021 we did a comedy festival in Ohio that lasted 3 days. Comedy has taken me off the dark side of the streets and has given me the opportunity to ride the streets no matter what city or town I go to. I have more than found my purpose in comedy and with I have found endless opportunities just waiting to be taken, you just have to get on the stage and bomb on your first 5 minutes to know you can do this.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
There really isn’t anything that is worth achieving on a smooth road. When I was at my absolute lowest, homeless, in and out of jail, and addicted to drugs; I still knew I wanted to find my purpose I just didn’t know how or where to start. That was my biggest hurdle, setting my mind to the stage of life and making the first steps that changed the course of my future, in its’ entirety for the better. In 2013, I officially started my journey in comedy, learning the ropes, and the science, gaining the skills, and perfecting my craft.

I was still battling my demons and still struggling to get my life together, and I started to make comedy my grounding point. It was around 2014-2015 when 3 close friends at the time basically told me to get it together or we can’t do this with you anymore. After that I worked on getting myself truly sober, I worked on finishing all my loose ends with the law, and I got more serious with creating what is now Side Splitting Entertainment LLC.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I was asked by The History of Colorado to partake in a documentary, A Love Letter to the North Side. In 2020 I created Colorado’s first and only bilingual comedy room at Raices Brewery where we run a bilingual open mic every last Wednesday of every month. This September 2023, for Hispanic Heritage Month I am curating Colorado’s first bilingual comedy festival, Vatos Locos.

How do you define success?
Success, to me, is based on your determination. If you’re determined you’re bound to be successful! Success is like riding a wave. You have to prepare yourself for the fight to get there. Paddle out and dodge the waves that will drown you.

Having the strength to hold your breath for the next hurdle, living on hope you’re able to come up for air before taking the next wave. It’s about finally getting to your destination and taking that moment to sit and look at everything you conquered to get there.

But the real definition of success is taking that wave and having the determination to do it again.