Comedian Mario Hodge’s mom once chastised him for a Facebook post she thought disrespected women. Afraid to argue with his mom, Hodge logged off, created a burner account, and came back to the post. He defended himself while pretending to be one of his own fans.
Not wanting to let someone disrespect her, he logged back in as himself and came to her defense.
“You ain’t gone be talking to my mama like that.”
Audiences laugh as Mario Hodge tells the tale of Facebook trolling his mom. The joke feels real. And it is in many ways. Facebook isn’t just a punchline. It’s where Hodge’s career began.
Earlier this year, Hodge won the delayed 2020 Bay Area Black Comedy Competition – delayed due to the pandemic. In April, his web series won big at the SacTown Film Festival. And earlier this month, he starred in a play back here in the Town.
The championship capped more than a decade in the making. For Hodge, 52, he has more come.
From Facebook to Open Mics
Hodge first started posting commentary on Facebook around 2009, but he’s been funny since his childhood days in East Oakland.
“Everybody used to tell me I was funny,” Hodge told Oakland Voices.
In 2013, after being laid off from a job, comedian Dwight Hasklin aka Wight Out challenged Hodge to get on stage at Maxwell’s.
“I was terrible,” Hodge admitted. “I didn’t know what comedy really was.” Growing up near 80th Avenue and Holly Street, roasting family and friends passed for comedy. “I thought that was comedy,” he said. He roasted the crowd. “I was more offensive than funny.”
He didn’t quit after that first set. He studied the craft. As a child, he grew up watching Richard Pryor. He watched documentaries about comedy. Hodge studied the work of other comedians. He found a mentor who gave him feedback.
Hodge kept getting back on stage, honed his natural ability into comedic skills, and he ended up a finalist in the 2020 Bay Area Comedy Competition.
Bay Area Black Comedy Competition Winner
When Hodge entered the contest, he said he was a “sleeper.” The competition wasn’t worried about him, but a comment by Def Comedy Jam creator Bob Sumner put attention on Hodge.
He reached the finals, but the COVID-19 outbreak delayed the contest. The championship wouldn’t happen for another five years.
During the pandemic, Hodge toured in open venues in Atlanta and Texas. He performed in empty theaters. Hodge performed on Zoom. He even hosted a virtual reality comedy room, where participants wore Oculus headsets.
In 2022, he was back on stage in the Bay. He placed third in the San Francisco Comedy Competition.
Back to Oakland, when the delayed finals finally happened, he became the second Bay Area Comedy Competition Winner from the Town. The other: Mark Curry.
“It shows you’re on a different level,” Hodge said of the milestone.
From Stage to the Screen
He’s toured the U.S.. Videos of his performances at L.A.’s Laugh Factory have gone viral, including the Facebook joke with his mom. And Hodge is also looking forward to touring with Faizon Love. He’s “trying to get into, ‘Friday,’” he said.
Earlier this month, brought it back to Oakland with the live comedy/musical “Same Stuff, Different Day,” at the Calvin Simmons Theatre at Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts.
Hodge also has film and TV ambitions. He currently stars in the sitcom, “The Hodges.” Released summer 2025, the show recently won Best Web Series at the Sactown Film Festival. Hodge won best actor. Bay Area actress and series co-star Keldamuzik won best actress. The show is streaming on Prime and Tubi.
Facebook once gave Hodge a place to entertain a few friends. He still uses the platform to make his over 155,000 followers laugh and keep up with his journey. Along the way, he’s building a team and creating opportunities for other comedians behind him.
Follow Comedian Mario Hodge on Facebook or Instagram. The Hodges is streaming now on Tubi.
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