SuperXclusivo

SuperXclusivo is a Puerto Rican gossip/news show broadcast on WAPA-TV. The show, which premiered on January 24, 2000, featured a puppet character called La Comay —English: The Godmother (created, voiced and puppeteered by Kobbo Santarrosa)— alongside host and sidekick Héctor Travieso. La Comay presented gossip about celebrities and political figures, as well as news and social commentary on local issues. Through its entire run, SuperXclusivo maintained the top position in local ratings.^[1] On January 9, 2013, the show officially ended due to the resignation of Kobbo Santarrosa from WAPA-TV.

History

Prior to SuperXclusivo, Kobbo Santarrosa had created two characters similar to La Comay: La Cháchara (English: The Tittle-Tattler) and La Condesa del Bochinche (English: The Gossip Countess) which were featured on various gossip and entertainment news shows. He created La Comay in 1995, featuring it first in segments within El Show de las 12 on Telemundo, and then on its own show called Exclusivo. At the time, Santarrosa was accompanied by host Eddie Miró. Santarrosa left Telemundo in 1999.

After leaving Telemundo, Santarrosa joined WAPA-TV with the show SuperXclusivo. He was joined by Cuban actor/comedian Héctor Travieso, host, and journalist Leo Ferández III, field reporter. For the 13 years that the show aired, it was the most watched television show in Puerto Rico, according to local ratings by Mediafax.^[2][3][4][5]

In the show's later years, many politicians and high-profile figures attended the show for interviews. Governors Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, Luis Fortuño and Alejandro García Padilla made several appearances.^[6][7]

La Comay

La Comay is a stuffed life-sized puppet, meant to represent a society matron who recounts rumors, gossip, and comments on social and political news, with Cuban soap opera actor Héctor Travieso by her side.

On December 13, 2012, La Comay was interviewed by Wyatt Cenac of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

2012 boycott and cancellation

On December 4, 2012, Santarrosa, through his puppeteering of La Comay, spread rumors that the recent murder of a Puerto Rican citizen was related to a sexually promiscuous lifestyle.^[8] These comments sparked a backlash on social media, particularly on Twitter and Facebook, and started a movement to boycott the show.^[9] The boycott was led by gay activist Pedro Julio Serrano, and the movement crowd-sourced requests for sponsors to drop support for the show. Within a week, sixteen sponsors had removed their commercials from the show's timeslot, including Aquafresh, AT&T, Borden, Claro Puerto Rico, Triple-S, Sprint, and Walmart.^[10][11][12]

On January 8, 2013, after being asked to pre-record the show rather than present it live, Santarrosa abruptly left WAPA-TV approximately an hour before the show started. The program that aired that day was recorded from January 7. On January 9, Santarrosa showed up to present his resignation, but the scheduled program was substituted by a movie. Later that night, WAPA-TV confirmed Santarrosa's resignation.^[13]

Aftermath

Rumored return to television

Since Santarrosa's resignation from WAPA-TV, there have been several rumors that La Comay might return to television. Initial rumors indicated that the character would make its TV comeback in Mega TV.^[14] Later rumors claimed that the gossiper would return to television in Univision Puerto Rico. However, neither station confirmed a comeback.^[15][16] On November 25, 2014, Héctor Travieso publicly said that La Comay would return in 2015 with he and Santarrosa at the helm, though it was not specified on which network or platform the return would take place.^[17] In an article published on February 4, 2015, rumors of the return of La Comay again surfaced of her comeback on Mega TV, but nothing has yet come to fruition.^[18]

Timeslot replacement

In February 2013, Santarrosa's timeslot in WAPA-TV was replaced by a new live gossip show titled Lo Sé Todo (English: I Know It All) starring radio personality Rocky "The Kid" Gallart, Frankie Jay, Sylvia Hernández, Jessica Serrano, and radio producer and Idol Puerto Rico judge, Topy Mamery (husband of Yolandita Monge). Jay, Serrano and Hernández, who previously worked as field reporters for Santarrosa in the final years of SuperXclusivo's run, continue their work as field reporters on Lo Sé Todo.^[19][20][21] Gossip journalist Pedro Juan Figueroa joined the show in March, leaving Dando Candela, the show's main competitor.^[22][23] His integration into the show led to improved ratings.^[24]

Travieso's transition to Dando Candela

Over a year after the cancellation of SuperXclusivo, Héctor Travieso was offered a contract with the show's main and sole competitor Dando Candela on Telemundo, which he accepted.^[25][26] Travieso reportedly called Santarrosa before accepting, and Santarrosa encouraged him to take the position.^[27] Travieso joined the cast of Dando Candela in January 2014; however, he quit in May, after less than four months at the show.^[28] Rumors stated that Travieso's resignation was related to management concerns about a possible return to TV with Santarrosa.^[29][30]

La Comay: Aparente y Alegadamente

In September 2014, Manolo Travieso-Hurst, son of Héctor Travieso, announced the release of a documentary that he was co-producing based on La Comay. The film was released in November 2014 and was told via interviews conducted by Univision reporter Liza Lugo, who was a constant target of La Comay's. Those interviewed included public figures that were either involved or affected by La Comay, such as Carmen Jovet, analyst Rubén Sánchez, former San Juan mayor Jorge Santini, radio host Jorge Seijo, LGBT activist Pedro Julio Serrano, and others. Kobbo Santarosa himself was interviewed in his Orlando, Florida, home.^[31][32]

References