31 Minutos

31 Minutos (Spanish: 31 Minutes) is a Chilean television programme which takes the form of a mock news broadcast, and is fronted by puppets who present various items. The programme was devised by Álvaro Díaz and Pedro Peirano of producers APLAPLAC, and was first shown in March 2003 on the TVN channel.

31 Minutos has achieved considerable success on Chilean television, captivating adult viewers as much as children. This is reflected in the range and quantity of commercial products spawned by the programme, including a CD of music from its first series. In 2004, Nickelodeon started showing the first season to all Latin America, and a second CD was released with music from the second one.

Part of the success of the programme with the adult public is due to its use of double entendres. The puppets are ironic imitations of famous television personalities and there are many references to incidents or television events which characterised Chile in the 1980s.

Notable characters

• Tulio Triviño (leader, parody of Bernardo de la Maza)
• Juan Carlos Bodoque (journalist)
• Juanín Juan Harry (producer)
• Jackson Aceituno (war correspondent, parody of Santiago Pavlovic)
• Policarpo Avendaño (entertainment commentator, parody of Italo Passalaqua)
• Calcetín con Rombos Man (superhero, parody of Superman)
• Mario Hugo (reporter)
• Patricia Ana Patana Tufillo (the leader's niece)
• Balón von Bola (sports commentator, parody of Sergio Livingstone)
• Raúl Guantecillo (sports commentator, parody of Pedro Carcuro)
• Tenison Salinas (sports reporter)
• Huachimingo
• Mico el Micófono (reporter)
• Eusebio Manguera (owner of the channel)
• Dante Torobolino (explosive magician, parody of Gerardo Parra, El Mago Oli)
• Cossimo Gianni (image consultant, parody of Gonzalo Cáceres)
• Tío Pelado (fraudster)
• Bongo Stingo (journalist, parody of Carlos Pinto)
• Guaripolo
• Tío Horacio (elderly children's entertainer, parody of Domingo Sandoval, El Tío Memo)

See also

• Spitting Image – a British satrical puppet show.

External links

• Official site (in Spanish)
• Fan site (in Spanish)