Luis Raúl
Encyclopedia
Luis Raúl Martínez is a Puerto Rican
actor and comedian. He is known for his stand-up comedy
shows and for his various characters. He was also the host of Univision
's talk
and variety show
Anda Pa'l Cara
from 2001 to 2003, and Telemundo
's game show
::: Pa' Que Te Lo Goces
, in 2006.
and showed his interest in acting since he was a child. During school, he would participate in lots of plays and shows. After graduating, he enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
to study chemical engineering
because his parents didn't want him to be an artist. After two years, he changed to Business administration and took electives in theatre.
In 1981, he moved to San Juan
where he held several jobs to make ends meet. In the meantime, he studied at the Acting Academy of Ofelia D'Acosta and started performing at weekly shows. In 1983 he debuted in the play Los Títeres de Cachiporra. In 1985 he had his first starring role in Un Mismo Corazón (One Heart), a play that dealt with the subject of AIDS
, something that was taboo
at the time.
At the same time, he started appearing in several local telenovelas and other TV shows. In 1987 he joined actor Edwin Pabellón in producing the radio show Algo Mejor (Something Better). He also had sporadic appearances at the show En Serio con Silverio hosted by Silverio Pérez
. After that, Perez recruits him for a new show called ¿Que es lo que pasa aquí? Ahhh! (What's Going on in Here?), a show dedicated to political and social satire. It was this show that established Luis Raúl as a comedic figure.
In 1992, Luis Raúl retired from the program with the intention of moving to Los Angeles and try to find success there. In Los Angeles, he performed at several Hispanic
commercials and shows, and also participated in various stand-up comedy and improvisation shows. However, he traveled to Puerto Rico constantly to perform his stand-up comedy show successfully around the island. In 1997 he also had his own show titled Pa' la Cama con Luis Raúl (To Bed with Luis Raúl) produced by Luisito Vigoreaux
.
In 2000 he officially established himself back in Puerto Rico and had another show called En Casa de Luis Raúl (At Luis Raúl's Home) in Televicentro
. In 2001 he was hired by Univision
to replace long-time friend Silverio Pérez as host of their popular show Anda Pa'l Cara
after Perez decided to leave. Luis Raúl hosted the show with Gricel Mamery
until retiring in 2003.
In 2008, Luis Raúl kicked off a farewell tour called "Chiquito pero Jugetón" ("Little but Playful") with the intention of retiring afterward. The tour was highly successful around the island and one of the venues was taped and released in theatres titled "Chiquito pero Jugeton: Da Muvi". After a brief hiatus, he returned in 2009 with another tour titled "La Cosa Esta Peluda 3D" ("Times are Hairy"). In 2010, he started a new tour called "Con los Huevos a Peseta" ("Eggs at a Quarter Each").
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
actor and comedian. He is known for his stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
shows and for his various characters. He was also the host of Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
's talk
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
and variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
Anda Pa'l Cara
Anda Pa'l Cara
Anda Pa'l Cará was a Spanish-language television program, a late-night talk and variety show from Puerto Rico. It started in 2000 on WLII-TV Tele Once as a late night show with comedian Silverio Pérez as host, but has evolved into a more youth-oriented format with a focus on celebrity news and...
from 2001 to 2003, and Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
's game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
::: Pa' Que Te Lo Goces
Pa' Que Te Lo Goces
Pa' Que Te Lo Goces was a Puerto Rican television show directed by Tony Mojena. It aired Sundays from 6 pm to 9 pm on Telemundo Puerto Rico. The program included comedies, charity campaigns, gossip, news, reality shows, contests, and special guests . Each section had its own host...
, in 2006.
Biography
Luis Raúl was born in Ponce, Puerto RicoPonce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
and showed his interest in acting since he was a child. During school, he would participate in lots of plays and shows. After graduating, he enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez or Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez in Spanish , is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant state university located in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico...
to study chemical engineering
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
because his parents didn't want him to be an artist. After two years, he changed to Business administration and took electives in theatre.
In 1981, he moved to San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
where he held several jobs to make ends meet. In the meantime, he studied at the Acting Academy of Ofelia D'Acosta and started performing at weekly shows. In 1983 he debuted in the play Los Títeres de Cachiporra. In 1985 he had his first starring role in Un Mismo Corazón (One Heart), a play that dealt with the subject of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, something that was taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
at the time.
At the same time, he started appearing in several local telenovelas and other TV shows. In 1987 he joined actor Edwin Pabellón in producing the radio show Algo Mejor (Something Better). He also had sporadic appearances at the show En Serio con Silverio hosted by Silverio Pérez
Silverio Pérez
Silverio Pérez is a musician, comedian, entrepreneur and broadcasting media host, born in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. He is known for several reasons, among them:* hosting several successful Puerto Rican television shows during his career....
. After that, Perez recruits him for a new show called ¿Que es lo que pasa aquí? Ahhh! (What's Going on in Here?), a show dedicated to political and social satire. It was this show that established Luis Raúl as a comedic figure.
In 1992, Luis Raúl retired from the program with the intention of moving to Los Angeles and try to find success there. In Los Angeles, he performed at several Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
commercials and shows, and also participated in various stand-up comedy and improvisation shows. However, he traveled to Puerto Rico constantly to perform his stand-up comedy show successfully around the island. In 1997 he also had his own show titled Pa' la Cama con Luis Raúl (To Bed with Luis Raúl) produced by Luisito Vigoreaux
Luisito Vigoreaux
Luis Vigoreaux Lorenzana is a Puerto Rican actor and producer. He is the son of Luis Vigoreaux, a legendary Puerto Rican media personality and Rosaura Lorenzana Vilches...
.
In 2000 he officially established himself back in Puerto Rico and had another show called En Casa de Luis Raúl (At Luis Raúl's Home) in Televicentro
Televicentro
Televicentro may refer to the following:*Televicentro 4 Former name of WAPA-TV, a television station in Puerto Rico*Televicentro , a television station in Honduras*Televicentro , a television station in Nicaragua...
. In 2001 he was hired by Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
to replace long-time friend Silverio Pérez as host of their popular show Anda Pa'l Cara
Anda Pa'l Cara
Anda Pa'l Cará was a Spanish-language television program, a late-night talk and variety show from Puerto Rico. It started in 2000 on WLII-TV Tele Once as a late night show with comedian Silverio Pérez as host, but has evolved into a more youth-oriented format with a focus on celebrity news and...
after Perez decided to leave. Luis Raúl hosted the show with Gricel Mamery
Gricel Mamery
Gricel Mamery Muñoz [Mayagüez, Puerto Rico] is a Puerto Rican television hostess and comedienne, best known for her appearance on the Puerto Rican show Anda Pa'l Cara....
until retiring in 2003.
In 2008, Luis Raúl kicked off a farewell tour called "Chiquito pero Jugetón" ("Little but Playful") with the intention of retiring afterward. The tour was highly successful around the island and one of the venues was taped and released in theatres titled "Chiquito pero Jugeton: Da Muvi". After a brief hiatus, he returned in 2009 with another tour titled "La Cosa Esta Peluda 3D" ("Times are Hairy"). In 2010, he started a new tour called "Con los Huevos a Peseta" ("Eggs at a Quarter Each").
Characters
Luis Raúl has popularized a vast array of characters that have made it into the popular culture of the island. Some of them are:- Piquito - a naive kid with a speech impairment that works selling B.B.Q chicken.
- Tito Párpados - a celebrity and media reporter with a flamboyant hairdo and an Argentinian accent.
- El bebé - a precocious minded baby.
- Malín - Luis Raúl's nuyoricanNuyoricanNuyorican is a portmanteau of the terms "New York" and "Puerto Rican" and refers to the members or culture of the Puerto Rican diaspora located in or around New York State especially the New York City metropolitan area, or of their descendants...
cousin. - Doña Mary Jane - an elderly pot-head woman. Her name is a reference of one of the slang terms that the pot or marijuana has.