Desde Gayola


Desde Gayola was a Mexican late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Horacio Villalobos. The show premiered on the music video network Telehit in February 2002 as a sketch into the variety show Válvula de Escape. The show revolves around a series of parodies about Mexican culture, sexuality and politics, performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members.
The TV show followed a format similar to the famous American show Saturday Night Live with each episode approximately 25 minutes in length and containing an average of five sketches per episode. The show included several transgender actors, who play female characters.

Origin of the name

"La Gayola" was the site into a theater, in which critics were located and from where they issued their judgments about a montage. For us, Desde Gayola is the place from where we criticize the political, social, religious and entertainment realities". -Horacio Villalobos

Format

The format of the show was inspired by the American TV show Saturday Night Live of NBC. The cast includes actors of diverse gender identities.

Telehit

The show began airing in November 2001 as a sketch on the Válvula de Escape show, hosted and produced by Horacio Villalobos on Telehit. Since February 2002, the show was scheduled for the Friday at 3:00 pm slot.
In its firsts seasons, from 2002 to 2003, the show had a more modest list of characters, highlighting the transgender actress Alejandra Bogue, transgender actress Daniel Vives "Ego", Dario T. Pie and Francis García, as well Villalobos himself. Since 2003, more actors began to be integrated into more sketches, highlighting Carlos Rangel "La Maniguis", Gerardo Gallardo, Javier Yepes, Mauricio Barcelata, Miguel Romero and others.
The musical opening was Dulce Amor by Ana Martín, extracted from the Mexican telenovela Gabriel y Gabriela. Horacio Villalobos welcomed the audience and presented the sketches of the program. These sketches, of some which stood out were Tesoreando con La Tesorito, La Roña, Las Aventuras de La Supermana, El Mundo de Maniguis, Las Chicas V.I.P., Panal-Gastronómico, La Charla Ecclesiastica, Joterías con Ligia, Mirosnada, una historia real, El Rincón de Pita Amor, TV Churros, Las Aventuras de Dieguito Gardel Lamarque, Las Menopausicas and others.
From one sketch to another, a curtain of characters from the show dancing to the rhythms like Shortcut To The End, by Quartz and Lady Marmalade from Labelle appear. Each episode lasted 27 minutes and had about 5 sketches.

Out of Telehit

On August 3, 2006, Horacio Villalobos and the cast left Telehit, in protest at what they called "abuse and mistreatment."
In 2006, the cast received a proposal for the series on a transnational network television, but that plan fell through.

52MX

Nocturninos and Nocturninos presents: Desde Gayola

After leaving Telehit in 2006, the cast of Desde Gayola returned to television on August 4, 2008, this time on Channel 52MX from MVS Comunicaciones. Two programs are presented:
Nocturninos: A broadcast from Monday to Thursday at 11:00 pm. A night magazine-style program is led by Horacio Villalobos, Alejandra Ley, Paula Sanchez, Anibal Santiago and Memo Martinez, accompanied by La Súpermana, Carlos Rangel, Mario Lafontaine, Cheryl Sue, Rose Mary, La Veros and Mama Mela. In this section, they address issues related to current politics, sexuality, sports and entertainment with a touch of humor, sarcasm and satire.
Desde Gayola returned to television on August 4, 2008, exactly two years after its departure from Telehit. The fifth season lasted on the air almost fifteen months. In this new production, 400 sketches were recorded that aired, uncensored, on Channel 52MX of MVS Comunicaciones. They presented classic sketches such as: Las Aventuras de la Manigüis, La Súpermana, La Charla Eclesiastica, Las V.I.P., Panal-Gastronomico, El Rincón de Pita Amor, Joterías con Ligia, Las Menopausicas, Mirosnada, una historia real, Reflexiones profundas con Kakokeko, Las Aventuras de Dieguito Gardel Lamarque, TV Churros and more.
New sketches appeared such as Mala Nacha Sí, Yoga Ñonga, Michelle O., Cuarto Redondo and Piensa Patito.
Desde Gayola tentatively returned with a new season in the spring of 2012.
Desde Gayola: The Movie was planned, with the synopsis of a script and despite having the financing, investors stopped the project in hopes that the Treasury Department of Mexico would validate the amendments to the Law of Cinematography that would allow them to deduct the 10% tax by investing in film making.

Out of MVS

As of January 31, 2013, Desde Gayola stopped being broadcast through 52MX after the departure of the Nocturninos program from the TV Network, apparently, decision made by the directors. Several speculations emerged on the causes of its departure, including repression and censorship, but it ran simply because the program does not sell advertising.

Sketches

Current members

The program has also been extended by a series of plays that have been in different Mexican cities. It is a cabaret show with the TV characters, embroiled in totally different situations on which they comment facing the television. Its first theatrical show was called From Gayola: The Show. Its second production, Once upon a time Desde Gayola is a satire of fairy tales, adding to the irreverence of the television show. In the third production, the concept evolves Desde Gayola presents Telebasura, a critique of television, politics and religion. Without mincing words, they equally destroy people from pseudo-journalists to corrupt politicians. Horacio Villalobos, La Maniguis, La Supermana, Mama Mela and Chef Ornica participate.