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Zoltan Kaszas on Childhood Immigration, Trailer Parks, and High School Sports

Ryan SicklerDecember 18, 202538 min14,261 views
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Early Life and Immigration

  • 🇭🇺 Zoltan Kaszas was born in Budapest, Hungary, and immigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the age of four.
  • 🏠 His mother worked as a live-in housekeeper for a wealthy family in Pittsburgh after a brief marriage to a Hungarian-American.
  • 🏫 At O'Hare Elementary, Zoltan attended a two-person ESL class in a converted broom closet, primarily reading "Clifford the Big Red Dog."
  • 💧 He once peed his pants in the computer lab due to a strict teacher, resulting in a note pinned to his shirt.

Transition to San Diego

  • ☀️ After three years in Pittsburgh, his mother moved them to San Diego, California, befriending a Mexican housekeeper.
  • 🛋️ They initially lived in an apartment with roommates, one of whom followed the teachings of the astrologer Walter Mercado.
  • 📺 They had to watch Walter Mercado's program nightly, which involved following his advice, such as placing candles outside the door.
  • 🏡 The family eventually moved into a trailer park in San Diego, where Zoltan's mother still resides.

High School Experiences

  • 🏈 Zoltan played football at San Marcos High School, where he was a "sixth string middle linebacker" due to his perceived lack of athleticism.
  • 🤕 He recalls a teammate, Ronnie Cop, who became a father at 14 and, despite a low GPA, scored a touchdown in his final game.
  • 🎷 In middle school, Zoltan pretended to play the alto saxophone in band for months without actually playing, eventually being caught during a solo.

Family and Later Life

  • 👨‍👦 Zoltan has a younger brother, 13 years his junior, with a different upbringing due to his mother's age and approach.
  • 💄 He recalls smuggling deodorant to his brother because his mother favored holistic products that were ineffective.
  • ✈️ Zoltan is planning a trip to Budapest for a show, but his mother is hesitant to visit due to negative encounters with relatives, including a godfather who misused money intended for dental work.
  • 🎤 He promotes his YouTube special "London Fog" and his "worldwideish" tour dates at ZultanComedy.com.
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What’s Discussed

ImmigrationHungaryPittsburghSan DiegoTrailer ParksESL ClassesWalter MercadoHigh School FootballMiddle LinebackerBand ClassSaxophoneFamily DynamicsParenting DifferencesStand-up ComedyComedy Special
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