Category: Language

Telemundo Announces Tplus, English-language Content for ‘the 200%ers’ 🙄

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I’m too old to remember Fusion, the short-lived, multimillion joint effort between Univision and ABC to craft English-language content for U.S. Latinos (now mostly known as “Latinx.”) We all know that didn’t go anywhere, but now Telemundo is giving it another shot with the launch of Tplus, a “new content brand” to serve the full spectrum of U.S. Hispanics as part of its effort to grow Peacock subscribers.

According to media reports, the new brand will initially be available on the Peacock Premium tier, with content programmed for what the company refers to as “the 200%ers”: audiences who are 100% American and 100% Latinx. 

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Romina Rosado (who somehow was identified as “Rosada,” throughout the article) said Tplus “is meant to resonate with U.S.-based Hispanic viewers who tend to skew younger and are, therefore, digitally native.”

I don’t know, man, seems like Big Media keeps throwing stuff to see what sticks and I’m just getting too old and tired to follow up -or even care.

Vicente Fernández’ Washington Post Obituary Is Something Else

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Vicente Fernández died December 12, 2021 at 81. His Washington Post obituary is a thing of beauty.

It’s December 12, 2021 and I’m back in my beloved CDMX. Yes, I arrived just in time for the Guadalupe celebrations, and to kick off of a month-long taco/tostada/pozole/champurrado-filled Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon.

Alas, Sunday morning I woke up to the news of Vicente Fernández’ passing. Fernández, who once wrote a corrido for Hillary Clinton,  was a beloved figure to many Mexicans, (i.e. not this blogger, though.) But I digress. My point is that I woke up to news of “Chente’s” passing by none other than The Washington Post, which tweeted: “Vicente Fernández, Cowboy King of Ranchera Music, Dies at 81.”

Cowboy King? Sure, Jan! The now-deleted tweet was retweeted by yours truly and started to get some traction until it was deleted a few minutes later. The corrected headline was changed to “Vicente Fernández, King of Ranchera Music, Dies at 81.” 

But the fun was only starting. I began reading the actual piece only to see some priceless translations of some of Chente’s biggest hits:

“Volver Volver” somehow was translated as “Go Back, Go Back…”

…which, minutes later, and after Mexican tweeted couldn’t stop laughing, was corrected to read “Return Return….”

Hilarity ensued and I couldn’t love my followers any more:

¡Bravo!

 

Spanish 101 for English-Speaking People

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Americans: How can anyone not like them?

Challenged by some very unorthodox methods to teach English to Latinos (such as this one and this other one) Mexicans have come up with yet the most creative way to teach Spanish to English speaking people (i.e. mostly gringos.)

All you have to do is read the following sentences as if you were reading English.

Check it out. It’s easy, it’s revolutionary and… It’s FREE!

1. Boy As-N-R (Voy a cenar): I’m going to have dinner

2. N-L-C John (En el sillón): On the armchair

3. Be a Hope and Son (Viejo panzón): Fat old man

4. As Say Toon As (Aceitunas): Olives

5. The Head The Star Mall Less Stan Doe (Deje de estar molestando): Stop bugging me

6. Kit At Tell Loss War at Chess (Quítate los huaraches): Take off your sandals

7. Pass a Lass All Saw (Pasa la salsa): Pass the sauce

8. Be Goat Tess The Ran Chair-O (Bigotes de ranchero): Farmer’s mustache

9. Web Us Come Ham On (Huevos con jamón)

10. Does Stack Kit Toes The Car Neat As (Dos taquitos de carnitas): Two pork little tacos

The Economist Puts AMLO on Cover; Calls Him a ‘False Messiah.’ Hilarity Ensues

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British magazine The Economist wrote a scathing editorial critizicing Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (aka AMLO) and urging voters to “curb” the ambitions of the “power-hungry” leader.

Published in its May 29-June 4 edition, the piece made it to the cover, showing a photo composition of AMLO beneath the headline “Mexico’s false messiah.” The editorial compares AMLO, as the president is commonly known, to “authoritarian populists” Viktor Orbán of Hungary, Narendra Modi of India and Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil.

While the government officially dismissed the article as “very propagandistic” and even went as far as to send a letter to the editor, Mexicans (yours truly included) have tons of fun tweaking said cover. Once again, I’m happy to say that Mexican Twitter never disappoint.

Here some of my faves:

Mexico’s True Messiah: El señor de los tacos

Idea: (yours truly) Photoshop via: @zwiitt

Grande, Del Toro

JuanGa: El Mero Mero

El Buki

Giovanni Dos Santos

Two Covers. Two Truths

Last, but not least. Her Majesty La Concha

U.S. Salsa Makers Join Nonsensical Trend of Putting an ‘Ñ’ where it Doesn’t Belong

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IMG_3255

Remember that nonsensical trend of putting “eñes” where they don’t belong just to make something look — and sound — more authentically Latino?

Well, it looks like American media giants and Hispanic journalists organizations are not alone in this thing. As it turns out, the makers of Trinidad salsa* have decided it’s OK to put an “eñe” on habanero.

I mean, COME ON! It’s not that difficult. How about putting an “eñe” where it DOES belong? Like in “jalapeño?” for example?

jalapeno3

  • Don’t get me started

#ItsHabaneroNotHabañero