Vaya con Dios, Señor Bumblebee
November 29, 2014 6:18 AM Subscribe
Chespirito, the Mexican comic who set the tone for Latin American humor for decades, has died.
Roberto Gómez Bolaños, better known as Chespirito, was the inspiration for the Simpson's character, Bumblebee Man. He starred in one of the most watched Latino television shows, "El Chavo del 8," which averaged 91 million viewers per episode, during its episodic run from the 1970s to the 1990s. El Chavo del 8 went on to be incarnated as an animation show which continues to this day. It is hard to describe his popularity outside of the Latin world. It was if Jerry Lewis maintained his popularity and presence at a peak for sixty years.
Roberto Gómez Bolaños, better known as Chespirito, was the inspiration for the Simpson's character, Bumblebee Man. He starred in one of the most watched Latino television shows, "El Chavo del 8," which averaged 91 million viewers per episode, during its episodic run from the 1970s to the 1990s. El Chavo del 8 went on to be incarnated as an animation show which continues to this day. It is hard to describe his popularity outside of the Latin world. It was if Jerry Lewis maintained his popularity and presence at a peak for sixty years.
.
posted by mikelieman at 7:02 AM on November 29, 2014
posted by mikelieman at 7:02 AM on November 29, 2014
¡
posted by The Michael The at 7:03 AM on November 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by The Michael The at 7:03 AM on November 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
Whoa- I grew up on Chapulín Colorado in the '70s in Mexico City. Think I had a squeaky red mallet toy from that show, which I can suddenly recall the sound of all the decades later. Legend.
.
posted by Erasmouse at 7:10 AM on November 29, 2014 [3 favorites]
.
posted by Erasmouse at 7:10 AM on November 29, 2014 [3 favorites]
.
posted by Alexandra Michelle at 7:14 AM on November 29, 2014
posted by Alexandra Michelle at 7:14 AM on November 29, 2014
Until recently, I was a cataloguer at a suburban Chicago public library and we often had to re-order Chavo del Ocho, Chapulin Colorado, and Chespirito DVDs because they were that popular. ¡Chanfle! Here is a list of his catchphrases.
posted by bentley at 7:55 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by bentley at 7:55 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
🐝
posted by oceanjesse at 8:53 AM on November 29, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by oceanjesse at 8:53 AM on November 29, 2014 [3 favorites]
I grew up with his characters and I am really sad. He was one of those people you forget are actually mortal. He takes with him my childhood and that of millions of people. And he will be missed, but his work will live on, because it is part of our culture.
.
posted by cobain_angel at 8:55 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
.
posted by cobain_angel at 8:55 AM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
.
posted by Smart Dalek at 9:19 AM on November 29, 2014
posted by Smart Dalek at 9:19 AM on November 29, 2014
.
posted by Monsieur Caution at 9:21 AM on November 29, 2014
posted by Monsieur Caution at 9:21 AM on November 29, 2014
.
Or, as others on Facebook have said, "pipipipipipipipiiiii!"
posted by ipsative at 11:02 AM on November 29, 2014
Or, as others on Facebook have said, "pipipipipipipipiiiii!"
posted by ipsative at 11:02 AM on November 29, 2014
Wow, is this man who the Bumblebee Man in The Simpsons is referencing? I didn't know there was a real figure behind that besides the general zaniness of some of those shows.
posted by GoblinHoney at 1:03 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by GoblinHoney at 1:03 PM on November 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
The 'Señor Bumblebee' framing of this post feels really off to me. Gómez Bolaños was about a lot more than inspiring a broad, racist parody in the Simpsons.
posted by signal at 1:53 PM on November 29, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by signal at 1:53 PM on November 29, 2014 [5 favorites]
Watching Chapulin Colorado shows in tribute (dozens of them on youtube, yay!) and wow memory lane.. I'd forgotten how much I loved his stuff as child. English speakers can enjoy his flawless mastery of the language as he confronts his superhero frienemy Super Sam.
(Translation:
Lady: Chapulin Colorado, do you speak English?
Chapulin: Chapulin is a master of all the world languages! English, French, German, Chinese..
Lady: Polyglot?
Chapulin: okay I haven't learned that one.
Rest in 'English'.. okay it was hilarious when I was seven, and come on it's still funny)
Re Bumblebee man- yeah, I didn't even realise he was supposed to be a gag on Chapulin, having grown up with the show-- he's not randomly wearing a bug costume, it's a satire on superhero shows like Batman.
posted by Erasmouse at 3:22 PM on November 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
(Translation:
Lady: Chapulin Colorado, do you speak English?
Chapulin: Chapulin is a master of all the world languages! English, French, German, Chinese..
Lady: Polyglot?
Chapulin: okay I haven't learned that one.
Rest in 'English'.. okay it was hilarious when I was seven, and come on it's still funny)
Re Bumblebee man- yeah, I didn't even realise he was supposed to be a gag on Chapulin, having grown up with the show-- he's not randomly wearing a bug costume, it's a satire on superhero shows like Batman.
posted by Erasmouse at 3:22 PM on November 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
¡Ay yi yi! ¡No me gustá!
posted by entropicamericana at 7:14 PM on November 29, 2014
posted by entropicamericana at 7:14 PM on November 29, 2014
Sorry for the Señor Bumblebee framing. I was trying to make him relevant to the maximum number of people here. While I don't find Bumblebee insulting, it does make Bolaños's large body of work seem trivial.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 9:34 AM on November 30, 2014
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 9:34 AM on November 30, 2014
« Older What "Bacon Butty Ed" says about the UK's... | Social media as a crime scene Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by Renoroc at 6:44 AM on November 29, 2014