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Famed Mexican TV star dead

16:59 H | Topics: Celebrities - Mexico - TV

As reviled as he was loved, it's an undeniable fact that Raul Velasco, host of the famed Mexican variety show Siempre en Domingo was an important figure in Mexican popular culture. Some say he's guilty of destroying Mexican popular culture. His death Sunday marks the end of an era for Mexican television and for many 20-30-40-somethings who first saw their favorite Mexican stars make their debut on Siempre en Domingo:

Raul Velasco, who hosted one of Mexico's most popular and enduring television programs, "Siempre en Domingo," died Sunday at his home in the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco, his network said. He was 73.

Velasco, whose variety show has been compared to "The Ed Sullivan Show," was credited with launching many of Mexico's biggest pop stars to fame by having them appear on his show, which was broadcast from 1969-1998.

Siempre en Domingo was the place where one might find an up-and-coming Shakira or a re-invented Paulina Rubio lipsynching and promoting her latest album. It wasn't, however, the place to look for anything cutting edge. Cronica's Poncho Vera echoes my thoughts:

When Siempre en Domingo was at the height of its success, there was a very relevant alternative music movement going on; one with substance and ideals. The program never gave it a chance -- it was elitist.

And cheeeeeesy. But love it or hate it, Siempre en Domingo is legendary and by extension so is Velasco. And if there's one thing that can be said about it it's that it was a truly Mexican show, not a copy of an American or European concept like so many of the homogenous programs we have now. On the other hand, it was so very 80s that you look at footage from from 1985 and 1995 and can't tell the difference.

I leave you with one of my favorite Siempre en Domingo performances. Look for a TINY Paulina Rubio being a total diva at like age 8.

Via / Washington Post and Crónica

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