Benjamín Rausseo Rodríguez (born January 26, 1961) is a Venezuelan artist, stand-up comedian and career humorist best known for his character El Conde del Guácharo (translation: "The Count of Guacharo").
Benjamín Rausseo | |
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![]() Rausseo in 2024 | |
Pseudonym | El Conde Del Guacharo |
Birth name | Benjamín Rausseo Rodríguez |
Born | Musipán, Monagas, Venezuela | January 26, 1961
Medium | Stand-up, television, |
Years active | 1985–present |
Genres | Character comedy, Observational comedy, Satire/Political satire, Blue comedy, Physical Comedy, Black comedy, Prop Comedy, Satire, Insult Comedy, Musical |
Subject(s) | Everyday life, current events, marriage, sex, political issues, dating, Hugo Chávez |
Notable works and roles | Sabado Sensacional Er Conde Jones |
Biography
editBenjamín Rausseo was born into poverty in the rural community of Musipán in the state of Monagas. He pursued university studies as an actor and, in 1981, presented as his graduation thesis a comedic monologue "el Conde del Guácharo." The "Conde" or Count became a TV personality and made Rausseo one of Venezuela's most successful stand-up comedians. Beyond comedy he was also a dare-devil and stunt performer in the television variety show Sabado Sensacional. In 2006 Rausseo was studying law and was one semester from graduating with a JD from the Universidad Santa María de Caracas. Rausseo owns a theme park in Isla Margarita called Musipán.
Presidential aspirations
editIn July 2006, he announced that he was running for president under his newly formed "Piedra Party," as a protest against the state of politics in Venezuela, and to challenge the presidency of Hugo Chavez.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Three weeks before the election, in accordance with a campaign pledge he had made earlier (to stand down if not placed first or second in the opinion polls), he withdrew his candidacy without endorsing either Chávez or Rosales, telling his supporters to vote for either.[9]
Rausseo was an independent candidate in the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election. After the National Electoral Council (CNE) declared Nicholas Maduro the winner with 51.2% of the vote, Rausseo congratulated Maduro and called on the opposition parties to support dialogue, reunion and reconciliation.[10]
References
edit- ^ Gould, Jens Erik (2006-08-11). "Is Chavez's opposition for real?". Time. Archived from the original on August 22, 2006. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
- ^ Rueda, Jorge (2006-09-13). "COMIC'S CAMPAIGN NO LAUGHING MATTER CONSPIRACIES SEEN IN BID FOR PRESIDENCY". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. p. 14A. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
- ^ Rueda, Jorge (2007-04-26). "Venezuelan Soap Opera Actor Killed". The Washington Times. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
- ^ "Comic signs up to take on Chavez". BBC News. 2006-08-23. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
- ^ Rueda, Jorge (2006-08-21). "Rausseo Brings Flair Venezuelan Election". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2010-01-21.[dead link]
- ^ Buncombe, Andrew (2006-08-26). "Potatoes to the people! Comic vows to challenge Chavez". The Independent. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
- ^ Carroll, Rory (2006-11-10). "All aboard as Chávez takes off on a four-hour flight of rhetoric". The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
- ^ "Poll: Venezuela's Chavez Has Wide Lead". The Washington Post. 2006-10-24. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
- ^ Terra Dimite opositor que figuraba en encuestas tras Rosales y Chávez Archived 2008-04-11 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 15 Nov 2006(in Spanish)
- ^ "Benjamin Rausseo on election result: What is appropriate is to turn the page". El Pitazo. 29 July 2024. Retrieved 30 July 2024.