The Gadiel Del Orbe Show

I Lost My Mother At 3 Months Old #3

Episode Summary

Sasha Merci—comedian, producer, and fearless storyteller—joins Gadiel for an emotional, laughter-laced deep dive that traces her journey from tragedy to the bright lights of her own one-woman show. Sasha opens up about losing her mother at just three months old and how that early loss forged her resilience, humor, and Dominican-American identity. She recounts moving to New York City with nothing but a MetroCard and a notebook of punch lines, hustling open-mics from Washington Heights to Brooklyn, and ultimately writing the autobiographical stage piece that would sell out downtown theaters. Beyond her solo success, Sasha lifts the curtain on producing Dominican comedy showcases, explaining how she curates lineups, wrangles venues, and amplifies Caribbean voices that mainstream clubs overlook. Gadiel and Sasha swap survival hacks for big-city creatives, roast the wildest subway characters they’ve met, and dig into why personal grief can be the sharpest tool in a comedian’s kit. Raw, inspiring, and hilariously honest—this episode proves heavy stories can spark the loudest laughs.