Sábado Gigante
Encyclopedia
Sábado Gigante is a Spanish-language television
show that is Univision
's longest-running program and the longest-running variety TV show in the world. Sábado Gigante is an eclectic and frenetic mix of various contests, human-interest stories, and live entertainment. It is currently airing Saturday nights at 8pm/7pm central on Univision.
From its start in 1962, it has been hosted by Chilean TV star Mario Kreutzberger under the stage name
of Don Francisco
. Pedro De Paul began serving as co-host in 1986; that role was taken over by Javier Romero in 1991.
The program is currently one of only three remaining first-run primetime programs airing on Saturday nights on any of the American commercial broadcast television networks, along with CBS's 48 Hours Mystery and Fox's COPS
. A new episode has been produced every week throughout the show's history, with no reruns.
in Chile
as Show Dominical ("Sunday's Show"). He had been inspired by television shows he had seen in the USA
and Argentina
but, as he explained, "My idea was mixing all the programs that I saw into one program."
The show was rescheduled to broadcast on Saturdays, and henceforth, named Sábados Gigantes in 1966 and quickly developed a loyal following in Chile, and then throughout Latin America
. In Chile, during the 1970s and 80s, the show reached peak audiences of 80%. During this period, some episodes of the program lasted up to eight hours.
In its early years, the series was broadcast live with the exception of short segments; notable among the pre-taped segments was the travelogue, where Kreutzberger visited different locations around the world.
On April 12, 1986 Kreutzberger and the program moved to Miami, Florida
where Univision
(formerly SIN) began producing it. At that time, the show's title was changed to the singular Sábado Gigante, although some long-time fans in Latin America still call it by the plural.
On June 18, 2005 the series celebrated its 1,000th episode on Univisión, and on May 20, 2006 it celebrated its twentieth anniversary there.
For several years, two programs were recorded each week from identical sets:
, but were based on luck rather than having the contestant guess the actual price of the car. They have included one with a staircase with buttons, with the contestant trying to avoid a "broken" button to win (this game was relaunched in 2005 with a man in a cherry picker, usually a stunt double, falling out of there if the broken button was pushed), one with 12 keys with the contestant must choose the key (with a set number of chances) that opens the large "vault" containing the car inside. In 1999, a relaunch of the game had all the finalists choose one key each and was expanded to 16 keys, whilst the 2006 relaunch returned to the old format, but with a makeover (it resembled a bank vault and the keys in-game were modeled after real keys) . This game was considered the most popular car game of the show. There are games similar to The Price is Rights "3 Strikes" pricing game, but gameplay varied depending on that game's concept.
alleged he uploaded one of the images to a social-networking site. Police found 18 images of child pornography on a hard drive in his home.
Following this, the Doña Concha character was scrapped from Sábado Gigante.
, the show aired a special three-hour telethon benefiting the American Red Cross
.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show that is 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 longest-running program and the longest-running variety TV show in the world. Sábado Gigante is an eclectic and frenetic mix of various contests, human-interest stories, and live entertainment. It is currently airing Saturday nights at 8pm/7pm central on Univision.
From its start in 1962, it has been hosted by Chilean TV star Mario Kreutzberger under the stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
of Don Francisco
Don Francisco (television host)
Mario Luis Kreutzberger Blumenfeld , better known by his stage name, Don Francisco, is a Chilean television personality, and a popular television personality on the Univision network reaching Spanish-speaking viewers in the United States...
. Pedro De Paul began serving as co-host in 1986; that role was taken over by Javier Romero in 1991.
The program is currently one of only three remaining first-run primetime programs airing on Saturday nights on any of the American commercial broadcast television networks, along with CBS's 48 Hours Mystery and Fox's COPS
COPS (TV series)
Cops is an American documentary/reality television series that follows police officers, constables, and sheriff's deputies during patrols and other police activities...
. A new episode has been produced every week throughout the show's history, with no reruns.
Broadcast history
Kreutzberger originated the weekly program in 1962, airing on Canal 13Canal 13 (Chile)
Canal 13 , is the second oldest television station in Chile. It is owned by Luksic Group associated with the Papal Catholic University of Chile. Its inaugural transmission took place on August 21, 1959...
in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
as Show Dominical ("Sunday's Show"). He had been inspired by television shows he had seen in the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
but, as he explained, "My idea was mixing all the programs that I saw into one program."
The show was rescheduled to broadcast on Saturdays, and henceforth, named Sábados Gigantes in 1966 and quickly developed a loyal following in Chile, and then throughout Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. In Chile, during the 1970s and 80s, the show reached peak audiences of 80%. During this period, some episodes of the program lasted up to eight hours.
In its early years, the series was broadcast live with the exception of short segments; notable among the pre-taped segments was the travelogue, where Kreutzberger visited different locations around the world.
On April 12, 1986 Kreutzberger and the program moved to Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
where 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...
(formerly SIN) began producing it. At that time, the show's title was changed to the singular Sábado Gigante, although some long-time fans in Latin America still call it by the plural.
On June 18, 2005 the series celebrated its 1,000th episode on Univisión, and on May 20, 2006 it celebrated its twentieth anniversary there.
For several years, two programs were recorded each week from identical sets:
- One in Miami, FloridaMiami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
for broadcast in most Latin American countries plus Spanish-language stations in the United States, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. - One in Santiago, ChileSantiago, ChileSantiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
for broadcast in that country (Kreutzberger's home country).
The car games
Prior to the revamping in 2008, the games played for the car were similar to the pricing games seen on The Price is RightThe Price Is Right
The Price Is Right is a television game show franchise originally produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, and created by Bob Stewart, and is currently produced and owned by FremantleMedia. The franchise centers on television game shows, but also includes merchandise such as video games, printed...
, but were based on luck rather than having the contestant guess the actual price of the car. They have included one with a staircase with buttons, with the contestant trying to avoid a "broken" button to win (this game was relaunched in 2005 with a man in a cherry picker, usually a stunt double, falling out of there if the broken button was pushed), one with 12 keys with the contestant must choose the key (with a set number of chances) that opens the large "vault" containing the car inside. In 1999, a relaunch of the game had all the finalists choose one key each and was expanded to 16 keys, whilst the 2006 relaunch returned to the old format, but with a makeover (it resembled a bank vault and the keys in-game were modeled after real keys) . This game was considered the most popular car game of the show. There are games similar to The Price is Rights "3 Strikes" pricing game, but gameplay varied depending on that game's concept.
Adonis Losada's arrest
In September 2009, comedian Adonis Losada, who played Doña Concha on the show, was arrested by the police and subsequently charged with 30 counts of possession of child pornography after detectives in Boynton Beach, FloridaBoynton Beach, Florida
Boynton Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 60,389 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the city had a population of 66,714 according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research...
alleged he uploaded one of the images to a social-networking site. Police found 18 images of child pornography on a hard drive in his home.
Following this, the Doña Concha character was scrapped from Sábado Gigante.
Haitian Telethon
In 2010, following the Haiti earthquake2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
, the show aired a special three-hour telethon benefiting the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
.
Parodies
- Sábado Gigante was parodied in the Family GuyFamily GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
episode "Stewie Loves LoisStewie Loves Lois"Stewie Loves Lois" is the first episode of the fifth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox on September 10, 2006. The episode features Stewie after his teddy bear, which has been destroyed by an unfamiliar dog at the park, is repaired by his mother, Lois,...
". - The series was spoofed, as Sábado Muy Loco, in the Sealab 2021Sealab 2021Sealab 2021 is an American animated television series. It was shown on Cartoon Network's adult-oriented programming block, Adult Swim. It premiered on November 23, 2000 and the final episode aired on April 25, 2005...
episode "ASHDTV". - Stephen ColbertStephen ColbertStephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
parodies Sábado Gigante on The Colbert Report occasionally with "Colberto Reporto Gigante" hosted by "Esteban Colberto" (clearly Colbert wearing a white suit and a fake mustache), and featuring "chicas" who dance around him while he "discusses" an issue—frequently immigration—with Colbert.