Chilean television personality Julio César Rodríguez opened the second night of the Festival de Comedia on Sunday, delivering a stand-up performance alongside the ongoing Festival de Viña del Mar. Rodríguez, host of the morning program “Contigo en la Mañana,” used his set to playfully reference the larger, more prominent Viña festival.
The allusion came during the introduction of journalist Pía Pérez, who was managing the audience reaction segment of the comedy festival. “Lo estamos pasando increíble, hemos hecho una previa muy entretenida. Estamos todos expectantes de lo que se viene en esta segunda jornada,” Pérez stated, according to reports. Rodríguez responded with a lighthearted comparison, stating, “Muchas gracias, Pía, te ves maravillosa. No tenemos a Gloria Estefan, pero tenemos a Pía,” as reported by Pagina7.
The comment references the absence of major international stars at the comedy festival, contrasting it with the typically high-profile performers at Viña. Gloria Estefan is a well-known international music star who has previously performed at the Festival de Viña del Mar.
The Festival de Comedia’s inaugural night on Saturday featured comedians Kurt Carrera, Claudio Moreno, Pato Pimienta, and Joche Vidal. The event is being positioned as a parallel offering to the larger Festival de Viña del Mar, which has recently faced scrutiny regarding its artist lineup.
Earlier this year, Rodríguez publicly criticized Mega, the television network currently producing the Festival de Viña, for its selection of performers for the 2025 event. He questioned the choice of artists, suggesting they lacked the star power expected for a special broadcast event, specifically mentioning Bacilos, Morat, Sebastián Yatra, and a Venezuelan comedian whose name was not specified. Rodríguez contrasted his expectations with the potential inclusion of artists like Shakira or Sting, according to Publimetro and Radioactiva. He did, however, acknowledge that Duki and Eladio Carrión were positive additions to the lineup.
The criticism from Rodríguez follows a pattern of commentary on the Festival de Viña, with concerns raised about the perceived lack of major international acts. The Festival de Comedia, appears to be attempting to fill a niche by offering a different type of entertainment alongside the traditional Viña festival.