Joe Uva might not be fluent in Spanish (yet) but he certainly has a sense of humor and, unlike his predecessor, seems to enjoy the limelight and being onstage.
Joining the cast of In the Heights, Mr. Uva made his first appearance at the Univision upfront this week sporting a bata de piragüero and pitching -what else?- piragua sabor UVA.
(More upfront coverage to come… still trying to recover from all the partying work)
I wonder if Mr. Joe Uva knew what a piragua was before taking over the reigns of the network…. in any case, we like to have him “out there”
Though I am proficient in Spanish and am intimately familiar with hispanic, mostly Mexican, culture, I am somewhat lost. I’ve been in relationships with Mexican women. I’ve been to the country several times. I worked in a Mexican restaurant with “from Mexico” Mexicans. I know many words and phrases that most gringos, even those well versed in “classroom Spanish,” don’t know. Mexicans have told me I speak with an accent that sounds like a mix of the Argentinian and Spanish varieties and is much more palatable than the accent of my gringo cohorts. I even listen to Juanes. What white guys do you know that listen to Juanes? Despite all of this, I still have absolutely no idea what a Piraguero is (I know it’s spelled wrong, my browser won’t let me type that kind of “u”). Could you please help a guero out and let me in on the meaning of the word and why it is so funny that Joe Uva is wearing one? I am also a lover of comedy and understand full-well that when you have to explain a joke it is no longer funny. I am not trying to be a wet blanket. I just want learn something.
TJ, a piragüero sells piraguas– like a flavored sno-cone. It’s not really a joke; that’s just what he plays in In the Heights (although it is a very funny character).