Fernando Arau
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Fernando Arau (born November 3, 1953) is a Mexican comedian, actor, producer and director. He is best known for his TV roles, as Chicho in Televisa's hugely successful comedy " Cachun Cachun Ra Ra" (1981–1987) and Univision's daily morning show "
Despierta America "Despierta" (English: ''Wake Up'') was the first single (music), single from Edurne's debut album, ''Edurne (CD), Edurne''. Gustav Efraimsson, a Swedish songwriter/producer, co-wrote the song. The original title is "Erase delete be gone now"lis ...
" (1997–2009).


Achievements

In 2006 he received an Honorary Emmy for his leadership in Spanish language Television. He has also received 2
Ariel Award The Ariel Award () is an award that recognizes the best of Mexican cinema. Given annually, since 1946, by the Academia Mexicana de Artes y Ciencias Cinematográficas, Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences (AMACC), the award reco ...
nominations as Best Supporting Actor for his role in "Bienvenido-Welcome" (1995) and for Best Actor in "Chido Guan, El Tacos de Oro" (1985).


Early life

Fernando Arau was born and raised in Mexico City in a family with deep roots in entertainment. His father,
Alfonso Arau Alfonso Arau Incháustegui (; born 11 January 1932) is a Mexican filmmaker and actor. He worked as an actor and director in both Mexican and Hollywood productions for over 40 years, before his international breakthrough with the 1992 film ''Li ...
is an actor, writer and director best known for his film " Like Water for Chocolate". His mother Magdalena Corona, was a principal dancer and choreographer for the '' Ballet Folklorico de México'' dance company. Her brother, comedian Sergio Corona, is known as 'El Cómico de Mexico'. His older brother Sergio Arau is a musician, writer, director, producer, and graphic artist who's best known for his film "
A Day Without a Mexican ''A Day Without a Mexican'' is a 2004 fantasy film directed by Sergio Arau in his directorial debut from a screenplay co-written with Yareli Arizmendi and Sergio Guerrero. It stars Yareli Arizmendi, John Getz, Maureen Flannigan, Muse Watson, ...
". His younger sister Rossana Arau is a TV and film producer.


Career

Fernando's career started at the early age of 6, tap-dancing with the children's musical group "Los Sony Boys". By age 7, and together with his older brother Sergio, they joined the legendary TV show "La Media Hora de
Chabelo Xavier López Rodríguez (17 February 1935 – 25 March 2023), known professionally as Chabelo, was a Mexican actor, comedian, television presenter and children's music singer. In addition to his television career, Chabelo appeared in more tha ...
" as the singing duo "Los Hermanitos Arau. He had his first gigs as a musician, playing base and drums with his brother Alfonso and by 1970 they formed the rock band "La Ley de Herodes". In 1971 they performed at the Avandaro Festival. That same year and under his father and his close friend
Alejandro Jodorowsky Alejandro Jodorowsky Prullansky (; born 17 February 1929) is a Chilean and French Experimental film, avant-garde filmmaker. Known for his films ''El Topo'' (1970), ''The Holy Mountain (1973 film), The Holy Mountain'' (1973) and ''Santa Sangre'' ...
's tutelage, Fernando learns "the art of silence" mime techniques. In 1979 he is selected to represent Mexico at the First International Mime Gathering during the
Festival Cervantino The Festival Internacional Cervantino (FIC), popularly known as ''El Cervantino'', is a festival which takes place each fall in the Guanajuato, Guanajuato, city of Guanajuato, located in central Mexico. The festival originates from the mid 20th ...
in Guanajuato, Mexico, becoming the first Mexican Mime to receive an international recognition by winning first prize beating the French, Italian and Canadian teams. In 1981 he is invited by Televisa producer Luis de Llano to participate and co-develop a new teen comedy series, "
Cachún Cachún Ra Ra! ''¡¡Cachún Cachún Ra-Ra!!'' was a Mexican comedy series that was produced from 1981 to 1987 for Televisa. ''¡¡Cachún Cachún Ra-Ra!!'' was a teen comedy show whose setting was in high school. In addition to the usual trials and traumas of ...
". Fernando initially joined as a writer but eventually in 1982 became part of the cast as well as a producer and alternate director of the series. "Cachún Cachún Ra Ra! became a hugely popular show which aired in Mexico until 1987. During his 22 years in
Televisa Grupo Televisa, S.A.B., simply known as Televisa, is a Mexican telecommunications and broadcasting company. A major Latin American mass media corporation, it often presents itself as the largest producer of Spanish-language content. In April ...
, Arau worked as an actor, writer, producer, director, and musician at a series of shows that included "La Rueda de la Fortuna" (Wheel of Furtune), "Ombligo Club", Corazon Son Son, and "Los Papas de Mis Papas". In 1985 together with his brother Sergio they opened Rockotitlán, the first club that would only book Rock en Español bands in Mexico City. Rockotitlán became the centerpiece and meeting place for the nascent genre and featured historical performances of some of the most iconic Mexican rock bands such as
Caifanes Caifanes is a Mexican rock band formed in Mexico City in 1986. The group achieved commercial success during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The original lineup of members consisted of Saúl Hernández (vocals and guitar), Sabo Romo (bass), :es:A ...
,
Café Tacuba Café Tacuba (), stylized as Café Tacvba, is a band from Naucalpan de Juárez, State of Mexico. The group gained popularity in the early 1990s. They were founded in 1989, before they had the current lineup of Rubén Albarrán, Rubén Isaac Albar ...
, Ritmo Peligroso, El Tri,
Aleks Syntek Raúl Alejandro Escajadillo Peña (born September 29, 1969), known by his stage name, Aleks Syntek, is a Mexican singer and songwriter. He has earned nine nominations for the Latin Grammy Awards, a Grammy nomination, five nominations for the M ...
, Fobia,
La Maldita Vecindad La Maldita Vecindad y los Hijos del Quinto Patio (, usually called only "La Maldita") is a band formed in Mexico City in 1985. They are pioneers of rock en español and one of the most influential rock bands in Mexico. They first made an impact ...
, Tex Tex,
Santa Sabina The Basilica of Saint Sabina (, ) is a historic church on the Aventine Hill in Rome, Italy. It is a titular minor basilica and mother church of the Roman Catholic Order of Preachers, better known as the Dominicans. Santa Sabina is the oldest ex ...
, Bon y los Enemigos del Silencio, Neon, as well as Sergio's culturally nationalistic rock group, promoter of the "guacarock" sound,
Botellita de Jerez Botellita de Jerez was a Mexican rock band, formed in Mexico City in 1982. Their music is a fusion of rock, cumbia, and Mexican traditional music like mariachi and son, creating the genre called guacarrock (rock and guacamole). The band was alway ...
. He received an Ariel Award nomination in 1987 as Best Actor for his role in his father's film "Chido Guan el Tacos de Oro". Fernando's oldest son Ademar Arau, won the award as Best Child Actor. In 1993 Fernando is again nominated for another Ariel Award as Best Supporting Actor for his role in the Gabriel Retes' film "Bienvenido-Welcome". From 1987 until 1996 Fernando enjoyed critical and popular success as a stand-up comedian by creating shows using a singular approach that combined mime, music, magic, and humor. In 1996 Fernando Arau created and produced the first amateur contest for aspiring comedians, Riatatan. Nearly 100 participants from all over Mexico competed. The final was held at the Arena Mexico in front of 17 thousand spectators. First place was won by Liliana Arriaga "La Chupitos", followed by Edson Zúñiga "El Norteño" with second, and Luis Manuel Avila, received third. In 1997 Fernando Arau was hired by
Univision Univision () is an American Spanish-language terrestrial television, free-to-air television network owned by TelevisaUnivision. It is the United States' largest provider of Spanish-language content. The network's programming is aimed at the L ...
to host their daily morning show "
Despierta América "Despierta" (English: ''Wake Up'') was the first single from Edurne's debut album, ''Edurne''. Gustav Efraimsson Gustav Efraimsson (born 1980) is a Swedish songwriter and music producer.
". The show enjoyed huge success and Fernando became a household name at its helm for 12 years. In 2006 the
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), also colloquially known as the Television Academy, is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the Television in the United States, television industry in the United S ...
recognized him with the Honorary Emmy for his leadership role in Spanish language Television. Through his TV production company Arauvision, Fernando built The Green Screen Studios to offer virtual reality services in Miami as well as to produce his daily morning show "Tenga Pa'Que Se Entretenga". The show, which began streaming in 2010, was a precursor by integrating audience participation through social media. In 2012 he hosted "Soy tu Doble" and wrote, directed and hosted "Buenas Noches America" on
TV Azteca Televisión Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V., commonly known as TV Azteca, is a Mexican multimedia conglomerate owned by Grupo Salinas. It is the second-largest mass media company in Mexico after Televisa. It primarily competes with Televisa as well as so ...
and
Azteca America Azteca is the Spanish word for Aztec. In English, Azteca or Aztecas may refer to: Animals * ''Azteca'' (ant), a genus of ants * Azteca horse, a breed of horse Games * Azteca, a world in the online game of ''Wizard101'' Sport * Aztecas de la U ...
, respectively. This same year he won second place in Univision's "
Mira Quien Baila Mira (), designation Omicron Ceti (ο Ceti, abbreviated Omicron Cet, ο Cet), is a red-giant star estimated to be 200–300 light-years from the Sun in the constellation Cetus. ο Ceti is a binary stellar system, consisting of a varia ...
" reality show. In 2014 he won second place in
Telemundo Telemundo (; formerly NetSpan) is an American Spanish-language terrestrial television network owned by NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, a division of NBCUniversal, which in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast. It provides content ...
's first season of Top Chef Estrellas. Fernando Arau currently hosts "America's Funniest Videos Latinoamerica" in
Telemundo Telemundo (; formerly NetSpan) is an American Spanish-language terrestrial television network owned by NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, a division of NBCUniversal, which in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast. It provides content ...
and has a daily morning show that airs locally in Miami radio on 88.3 FM and streams live with La Nueva FM. Fernando Arau remains on permanent tour, writing producing, directing, and starring in his own stand-up comedy shows and monologues touring in the US and Mexico.


Television


Filmography


References


External links


Fernando Arau Official Website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Arau, Fernando Mexican emigrants to the United States Living people 1953 births Mexican expatriate male actors in the United States Male actors from Mexico City Comedians from Mexico City Mexican male comedians