The Mexican comedian Leopoldo Roberto García Peláez Benítez, known in the entertainment industry as “Polo Polo” and famous for his double meaning humor, died yesterday at the age of 78 naturally and at his home, according to his relatives.
Considered one of the masters of Mexican comedy and recognized for his albures, García Peláez (León, Guanajuato, 1944) suffered from vascular dementia and was being treated at home, his son Paul García said yesterday on the TV Azteca program, ” Windowing”.
“At 5:15 in the morning he stopped breathing and that’s it. Always covered by the family, my sister was aware of him, she never wanted to enter an institution and (she wanted) us to take care of him, ”explained her son. The comedian was veiled yesterday afternoon at the Gayosso Sullivan funeral home in Mexico City.
It should be noted that “Polo Polo” withdrew from the stage in 2016, and at that time it was speculated that he suffered from Alzheimer’s; However, the family always denied it and his son reiterated yesterday that he suffered from vascular dementia, something that caused him “small episodes of strokes.”
Without a doubt, “Polo Polo” established itself in the 1980s and 1990s as one of the benchmarks of Mexican comedy, performing in venues in the country’s capital, participating in television programs and going on tour in the United States.
His humor stood out for its double meaning, explicit language and sexual references, as well as being considered one of the pioneers of Stand Up.
In his personal life, García Peláez had two children, was married three times and liked literature and music, according to his son Paul García.
the last time he was seen
The life of “Polo Polo” passed between his controversial jokes and the scenarios where he told them. During more than 40 years of experience, the comedian made his audience smile and laugh; However, after his divorce (in 2016) he “mysteriously” disappeared.
The comedian’s retirement caused great intrigue among his fans; above all, because of the speculations that circulated about his health.
The truth is that the also actor was not only absent from the cameras and reflectors, but also from the public eye and even from his circle of friends. Nobody knew anything about him, until in 2018 a national circulation magazine published some photographs and a video where he could be seen in a taco shop with one of his daughters.
The magazine even assured that a person close to “Polo Polo” would have given them some details about what the days of the famous were like after his diagnosis and that if he did not maintain contact with anyone, it was at the disposal of his children.
In the images published by the magazine, the comedian could be seen calm and at times even smiling, while talking with his daughter and a friend of hers, who ended up leaving the table and leaving him alone for a couple of minutes. That would be the last time he would be seen alive in public.
Fired by friends and colleagues
After the news of the death of the legendary comedian was released, his closest friends, many of them famous, mourned his death yesterday and fired him through social networks.
One of the first to react to this news was Lalo España, who not only mourned the loss of Leopoldo Roberto García Peláez Benítez, the comedian’s real name, but also extended his most sincere condolences to the family: “RIP the great ‘Polo Polo’ . His sympathy and his talent for humor gave us wonderful years of laughter. My condolences to his loved ones, ”he wrote on his official Twitter account.
Mauricio Castillo and Víctor Trujillo also spoke about the departure of the comedy genius, the latter even thanked him for all the unforgettable moments that he made him go through in life: “Thank you for so many good moments. Rest in peace, dear ‘Polo Polo’”.
“A humorous storytelling genius, the best at telling jokes. May God receive you ‘Polo Polo’”, shared the driver Esteban Arce for his part.
But “Polo Polo” not only left its mark on those he met, the new generations of comedians also dedicated a few words to him.
“How sad about ‘Polo Polo’, the greatest on stage. That the gods of comedy are already spoiling him a lot on the other side,” said Slobotzky, a member of the YouTube program “La Cotorrisa.”
Finally, the standupero, Franco Escamilla, also reacted and assured that with the death of “Polo Polo” “the world lost part of its joy… The king is dead, the world has become a less funny place and with less magic. No one will ever match the master ‘Polo Polo’. RIP A red Marlboro and a ‘coñaquito’ to the health of the best of all time”.
Agencies
Arrival of the hearse at the funeral home where “Polo Polo” was veiled. THE UNIVERSAL
To know
What is vascular dementia?
“Polo Polo” died of natural causes; however, it was revealed that he suffered from vascular dementia. According to the Mayo Clinic, vascular dementia is a general term that describes problems with reasoning, planning, judgment, memory and other mental processes caused by brain damage from decreased blood flow to the brain.
The symptoms of vascular dementia vary depending on the part of the brain where blood flow is decreased; however, the most common are: a decrease in the speed of thinking and problem solving. To the above are added:
Disorientation Difficulty paying attention and concentrating Reduced ability to organize thoughts or actions Impaired ability to analyze a situation, develop an effective plan, and communicate that plan to others Slow to reason Difficulty with organization Difficulty deciding what to do next Problems with memory Restlessness and agitation Depression or apathy
for fans
The most controversial jokes
The death of “Polo Polo” leaves a gap in Mexican comedy. During his career, various jokes made him famous and remained in the collective imagination. The comedian had a YouTube account where his fans could listen and enjoy the content he regularly shared.
Said channel, which remained active until just over a year ago, had more than 458,000 subscribers; Currently, it is still open. In fact, there he published videos of jokes that were part of his “Goodbye Tour”. But what are some of his most controversial jokes?
“El Padrecito” “El Indito” “Los Borrachitos” “Fixing the Chinese” “Hole in the head”
Where to listen to the jokes of “Polo Polo”?
On platforms like YouTube and are also available on Spotify.
He was not afraid of the gamble
“Exclusive content for adults”, was read on the cassettes and compact discs that left Mexico to the world with the comedy “Polo Polo”; in fact, his discography is made up of 22 productions.
Undoubtedly, the comedian marked a time in comedy in which the gamble was restricted by its sexual content, but perhaps for that very reason he was the sensation of humor. “Polo Polo” was a master of the double meaning. Born into a family of shoemakers, Leopoldo learned by chance as a businessman in the shoe industry in a factory in the Peralvillo neighborhood and found his passion in telling colorful jokes in nightclubs, first where he received no pay and soon after in the largest in the country, such as the one at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Mexico City, where he debuted in 1986.
His fame began when he became the first Mexican comedian to record one of his shows live on an album released by the Musart record company, in 1984, entitled “El viaje a España” and which, despite radio censorship, sold more than of 100 thousand copies, with which he established the record for the longest running show.
Stand Up Pioneer
The details in his comic anecdotes, which he himself accepted were from his own experiences, made him a precursor of what is now known as Stand Up Comedy.
“As a safe, you couldn’t find the combination anywhere, I got into the taxi, brought up the flasks… and the suitcases, everything,” Polo Polo recounted in his show “El viaje a España,” which lasts more than 30 minutes. .
Due to his charisma and talent, he participated not only in television commercials, where his nickname arose, but he also participated in different films, such as: “Only for adulterers” and “Giving and giving, little bird flying.”
He also appeared in the film “Zacarias dairy” (1987); In addition, she hosted the television program “Con Ganas”.
It should be noted that he shared the scene with comedians of the time, such as: Héctor Suárez and Jorge Falcón, in addition, he was part of “La escuelita VIP”, by Jorge Ortiz de Pinedo and in 2010 he adapted his comedy to the digital world by opening his own page and broadcasting on different television channels his show “El Show de Polo Polo: Reca(r)gado”.
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