Here‘s a great piece from the San Antonio Express-News about comedian Marc Yaffee, rightfully called one of the Kings of Native American comedy.

As reporter Hector Saldana points out, that reputation was cemented with Yaffee’s inclusion in December’s Showtime special, “Goin’ Native: The American Indian Comedy Jam.”

Still, widespread recognition remains elusive.

“The population is so small,” Yaffee tells Saldana. “We’re like a small splash in a big pond, but for Native comics it’s been a huge deal. We get a lot of recognition wherever we go. We’re very excited and proud about that. It’s been a very positive experience.”

Saldana details the life story of Yaffee, who was adopted by a Mexican American mother and Jewish father and didn’t discover his Mexican Navajo heritage until he was 25.

Maybe his roots in both worlds explains his cross-cultural appeal.

“Non-natives are really supportive,” he says. “The Native perspective is so original. We don’t do it with maliciousness. We show we can laugh at each other and realize that whatever happened in the past, we remember, but from that pain there is humor about it.”

Yaffee is playing again tonight in San Antonio. If you can’t see him there, enjoy the video above.

Gwen Florio

Tags: buffalo post, Goin' Native - The American Indian Comedy Jam, Gwen Florio, Kings of Native American Comedy, Marc Yaffee, Native American comedy, Native American humor, Native American news, Navajo