Shadowing Practice: Mom Doesn't Get My Jokes | Gabriel Iglesias - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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A lot of things
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have been happening over the years.
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This past year I had the opportunity to be on a reality show and things kind of worked out a little weird.
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But hey, all I can say is the winner, the winner is the winner and he did what he did and he got what he got.
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But hey, this ain't bad for sixth place, is it?
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Yeah, I'm not the last comic standing, but I'm the only one with a comedy special.
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I know my mom is here tonight, she's like, Híralo este pinche ego.
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I love my mom.
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She's over here, you guys, just say hi to her.
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Right there.
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Right there.
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That little woman made me.
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And she tells everybody, no, he came out of here I know but this is the road to success
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she is not shy she cracks me up though man
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because she likes what I do because it's working
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but she still doesn't get the jokes it's not
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that she doesn't speak English
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because she speaks perfect English she just doesn't see me as
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a comedian she sees me as her son I can't tell her a joke
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because then she questions it and kills it, right?
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I can tell her something like, you know, Mom, why'd the chicken cross the road?
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And I'll get...
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Who let out the chicken?
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It's a joke.
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It's no joke, Baboso.
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You know how much I pay for those chickens?
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Never mind.
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Oh, you never mind.
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It's cool, though, man.
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She's seen me do a lot of things.
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Because a lot of people say, well, you gave your mom a shout out, what about your dad?
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Well, he's not in the picture.
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My father, I'm gonna put some beans out there.
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My father was a mariachi.
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Way, oh, I swear to God, dude, he's one of those straight up, you know, .
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And my mom hooked up with him about 30 plus years ago one night
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and you know nine months later And I came out
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So I have a vague memory of my father I knew him until I was about,
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you know, maybe four years old and then apparently they got the band back together and he took off And I don't remember
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Exactly what he looks like and sometimes I'll take my mom off to dinner
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and I'll go mom just you know I don't mean to bug you about this, but you know what what does he look like?
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You know do you have any photos or anything?
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I can get an idea and stuff and my mom she's funny She grabs the hot sauce he looks like that
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That's funny Just like that Those of you that don't know,
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there's a picture of a mariachi on the bottle of hot sauce.
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Thank you.
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I love you.
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Thank you.

Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing your speaking skills using the "Mom Doesn't Get My Jokes" video by Gabriel Iglesias provides an engaging context that mirrors real-life conversations. The humorous narrative offers a unique way to immerse yourself in English, which is essential for developing not only speaking ability but also comprehension skills. By mimicking the speaker's style, rhythm, and tone, you can enhance your English pronunciation and boost your confidence in casual dialogue.

This particular video showcases the dynamics between a comedian and his mother, illustrating how cultural nuances and personal relationships shape humor. Engaging with this content allows learners to experience authentic interactions and understand how humor often does not translate across different contexts. This is an excellent opportunity for IELTS speaking practice, as you can relate to personal anecdotes while practicing your fluency.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

In the transcript, several informal grammar structures and expressions are used effectively to convey familiarity and warmth in conversation. Here are a few of them:

  • Direct Addressing: The phrase "you guys" emphasizes the conversational tone and inclusivity in speech.
  • Rhetorical Questions: Questions like "Who let out the chicken?" serve to engage the audience, encouraging a response and creating a humorous effect.
  • Colloquial Expressions: Phrases such as "no joke, Baboso" and "you know how much I pay for those chickens?" showcase the use of informal language and regional slang, which is crucial for mastering everyday English.
  • Storytelling Structure: The anecdote format helps to convey emotions, making it relatable. This technique enhances your speaking skills as you learn to present stories effectively.

The use of these expressions makes the video a great resource for shadow speech practices, where you can imitate the inflections and cadence of the speaker.

Common Pronunciation Traps

As you work on improving your English pronunciation, several tricky words and phrases in the video may pose challenges:

  • “Híralo” (which can be a fun pronunciation practice) illustrates how cultural phrases can be pronounced differently based on regional accents.
  • “Baboso” is an example of a colloquial term that might be mispronounced if learners aren’t familiar with its local usage.
  • The term “mariachi” may be difficult for non-native speakers, so practicing its pronunciation in context is beneficial.

By focusing on these pronunciation traps, learners can significantly enhance their articulation and clarity when speaking English. Incorporating the shadowing technique with this video will allow you to mimic the natural rhythm and tone of speech, which is vital for conversational fluency.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.