Tavin Pumarejo
Encyclopedia
Octavio Ramos Pumarejo, better known as Tavín Pumarejo (born 1934) is a Puerto Rican
jíbaro
singer and comedian
. While better known for his work as a comedy actor on Puerto Rican television
, Pumarejo has released 16 albums of Puerto Rican music, with some of them becoming major hits in the island.
in San Juan
, located closer to the mountain area of Caguas
than from downtown San Juan. Having grown up in the mountains, Pumarejo identifies himself with the Puerto Rican country people (known as jíbaro
) more than with the metropolitan people that are always associated with San Juan.
Ramos Pumarejo started to work on Puerto Rican television when producer
Paquito Cordero
began producing a noon
variety show
called El Show de las 12
on Telemundo Puerto Rico
, WKAQ-TV
. To ensure that the public remembered him, he used his relatively uncommon maternal last name as part of his stage name. Like other popular Puerto Rican characters (Jose Miguel Agrelot
's "Don Cholito", and Machuchal), Pumarejo donned a "pava" (a Puerto Rican peasant straw
hat
) for his television appearances. The pava became a staple on Pumarejo's life, as he began using it in almost every personal appearances, and on interviews with newspapers and magazines. Pumarejo also earned the nickname of "El Hígado de Ganso" ("The Goose
's Liver
", or more accurately, foie gras
).
Pumarejo is well known for his self deprecating sense of humor and physical comedy style, which closely resembles that of a young Jerry Lewis
. He is also a stutterer
, something that he constantly makes humorous references to in his live performances. For example, he claims that a television comedy sketch featuring himself, Adrián García
and Marcos Betancourt, all stammerers, would be four hours long.
Pumarejo is usually backed by his longtime musical combo, the Río Cañas Sound Machine (a joke on Miami Sound Machine). In 1985, Pumarejo scored a Christmas music
chart-topper, with his song "La Finquita" ("The Little Farm"), this time backed by the Conjunto Quisqueya, a very successful merengue band of mostly Dominican expatriates living in Puerto Rico. It was a number one hit in Puerto Rican radio
for about eight consecutive weeks, and the album was also one of the year's best selling Christmas album in Puerto Rico, along with Tony Croatto
's, which contained the famous song, "Se Llama Jesús".
Outside of his musical career, Pumarejo was also a very successful medical sales representative for Novartis International AG
, for over thirty years (he has since retired). He once had Novartis sponsor his television slot in El Show de las 12, and joked that only Novartis' product Maalox
could be an appropriate sponsor, since he was the most "maalox" (malo is Spanish for "bad") singer ever.
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...
jíbaro
Jíbaro
Jíbaro is a term from the Taíno words "jiba" and "ro", that means forest people, commonly used in Puerto Rico to refer to mountain-dwelling peasants, but in modern times it has gained a broader cultural meaning.-History:...
singer and comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
. While better known for his work as a comedy actor on Puerto Rican television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, Pumarejo has released 16 albums of Puerto Rican music, with some of them becoming major hits in the island.
Biography
Ramos Pumarejo was born on October 12 , 1934 in Río Cañas, a barrioBarrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
in 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...
, located closer to the mountain area of Caguas
Caguas, Puerto Rico
Caguas , founded in 1775, is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and Trujillo Alto, west of Gurabo and San Lorenzo, east of Aguas Buenas, Cidra, and Cayey....
than from downtown San Juan. Having grown up in the mountains, Pumarejo identifies himself with the Puerto Rican country people (known as jíbaro
Jíbaro
Jíbaro is a term from the Taíno words "jiba" and "ro", that means forest people, commonly used in Puerto Rico to refer to mountain-dwelling peasants, but in modern times it has gained a broader cultural meaning.-History:...
) more than with the metropolitan people that are always associated with San Juan.
Ramos Pumarejo started to work on Puerto Rican television when producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
Paquito Cordero
Paquito Cordero
Paquito Cordero , was a comedian and television producer and also one of the pioneers of Puerto Rican television.-Early years:...
began producing a noon
Noon
Noon is usually defined as 12 o'clock in the daytime. The word noon is also used informally to mean midday regarding the location of the sun not the middle of a persons day. Although this is a time around the middle of the day when people in many countries take a lunch break...
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...
called El Show de las 12
El Show de las 12
El Show de las 12 is a Puerto Rican mid-day variety television series airing on WKAQ-TV, and later on the nationwide Telemundo network, and hosted by Eddie Miro for most of its run. It aired every week-day for 40 years until its cancellation on February 25, 2005....
on Telemundo Puerto Rico
Telemundo Puerto Rico
The name Telemundo Puerto Rico may represent:* WKAQ-TV, a Telemundo station in San Juan, Puerto Rico* Telemundo Puerto Rico , a former Spanish-language cable network...
, WKAQ-TV
WKAQ-TV
WKAQ-TV is a full-power television station located in San Juan, Puerto Rico transmitting over digital 2.1. The station is owned and operated by NBCUniversal and is branded simply as Telemundo....
. To ensure that the public remembered him, he used his relatively uncommon maternal last name as part of his stage name. Like other popular Puerto Rican characters (Jose Miguel Agrelot
José Miguel Agrelot
Giuseppe Michael Agrelot , better known as José Miguel Agrelot, was a comedian, radio and television host and media icon in Puerto Rico...
's "Don Cholito", and Machuchal), Pumarejo donned a "pava" (a Puerto Rican peasant straw
Straw
Straw is an agricultural by-product, the dry stalks of cereal plants, after the grain and chaff have been removed. Straw makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. It has many uses, including fuel, livestock bedding and fodder, thatching and...
hat
Hat
A hat is a head covering. It can be worn for protection against the elements, for ceremonial or religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...
) for his television appearances. The pava became a staple on Pumarejo's life, as he began using it in almost every personal appearances, and on interviews with newspapers and magazines. Pumarejo also earned the nickname of "El Hígado de Ganso" ("The Goose
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
's Liver
Liver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
", or more accurately, foie gras
Foie gras
Foie gras ; French for "fat liver") is a food product made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened. This fattening is typically achieved through gavage corn, according to French law, though outside of France it is occasionally produced using natural feeding...
).
Pumarejo is well known for his self deprecating sense of humor and physical comedy style, which closely resembles that of a young Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
. He is also a stutterer
Stuttering
Stuttering , also known as stammering , is a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words or phrases, and involuntary silent pauses or blocks in which the stutterer is unable to produce sounds...
, something that he constantly makes humorous references to in his live performances. For example, he claims that a television comedy sketch featuring himself, Adrián García
Adrián García
Adrián Alonso García Sobarzo is a Chilean tennis player.García was born in Concepción, Chile. On September 13, 2004, he achieved a career-high singles ranking of 103.-Source:* ATP Tour profile for...
and Marcos Betancourt, all stammerers, would be four hours long.
Pumarejo is usually backed by his longtime musical combo, the Río Cañas Sound Machine (a joke on Miami Sound Machine). In 1985, Pumarejo scored a Christmas music
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
chart-topper, with his song "La Finquita" ("The Little Farm"), this time backed by the Conjunto Quisqueya, a very successful merengue band of mostly Dominican expatriates living in Puerto Rico. It was a number one hit in Puerto Rican radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
for about eight consecutive weeks, and the album was also one of the year's best selling Christmas album in Puerto Rico, along with Tony Croatto
Tony Croatto
Hermes Davide Fastino Croatto Martinis, better known as Tony Croatto was an Italian singer and composer best known for his interpretations of Puerto Rican folk music. He was also a television presenter.-Biography:Born in Attimis, a comune in the province of Udine, Italy...
's, which contained the famous song, "Se Llama Jesús".
Outside of his musical career, Pumarejo was also a very successful medical sales representative for Novartis International AG
Novartis
Novartis International AG is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland, ranking number three in sales among the world-wide industry...
, for over thirty years (he has since retired). He once had Novartis sponsor his television slot in El Show de las 12, and joked that only Novartis' product Maalox
Maalox
Maalox is a brand name antacid containing aluminium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide to neutralize or reduce stomach acid.Maalox helps relieve symptoms of excessive stomach acidity in patients with indigestion, heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux disease, or stomach or duodenal ulcers. In large...
could be an appropriate sponsor, since he was the most "maalox" (malo is Spanish for "bad") singer ever.