Fofão (character)

Fofão

Fofão is a fictional character created by Rede Globo in the 1980s. He was played by the Brazilian actor and humorist Orival Pessini.

The character's first appearance was in the morning children's television program Balão Mágico in 1983, as a supporting character to the children's musical group.[1] However, the character became very popular, arriving to become one of the icons of Brazilian media during the 80s, mainly due to high sales of a plush toy based on the character.[1] After the end of the original program in 1986, the character won a solo program in the same year broadcast by Rede Bandeirantes until 1989, called TV Fofão (with a return between 1994–1996).[2] The last appearance of the character on television was in 1998 by the channel CNT Gazeta.

In 1989 the character starred in a theatrical movie titled Fofão e a Nave sem Rumo. The character has also led to several other licensed products and sold numerous albums of children's songs during the 80s and 90s.

Controversy and legacy

At the end of the 1980s an urban legend about the plush toy of the character has become quite controversial.[3][4] The legend claims that the doll had inside the body a knife used for evil rituals. The doll has even come to be compared with Chucky of the Child's Play horror film series. In recent years the mystery was denied when it was revealed that the doll had only a plastic holder on the head very similar to a stake.

In 2016, Fofão was again popular on the internet, when a group of performers titled "Carreta Furacão" featuring several amateur artists, dressed (unauthorized) as fictional characters of popular culture, like Popeye, Captain America, Mickey Mouse and a generic clown.[5] Videos of the artists dancing and performing acrobatics on the streets were popular on YouTube and became a meme on the internet. Fofão was considered the most prominent character to be used by the artists like a leader; however, Orival Pessini made a protest against the group prohibiting use his character in political affairs.[6][7][8] So some changes were made in the generic character of the group.

On October 14, 2016, Fofão creator Orival Pessini died of spleen cancer, aged 72.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 "BALÃO MÁGICO - EVOLUÇÃO". Memória Globo. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  2. ↑ Natália Guaratto (25 July 2014). "Trinta anos após criação, Fofão voltará como game, desenho e boneco". UOL. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  3. ↑ http://mundoestranho.abril.com.br/materia/o-homem-que-criou-a-maldicao-do-fofao
  4. ↑ http://www.assombrado.com.br/2013/07/os-10-bonecos-mais-assombrados.html
  5. ↑ "Sensação da web, personagens do Carreta Furacão viram estrelas de clipe - Últimas Notícias - UOL Música". UOL Música (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  6. ↑ "Não autorizo minha imagem no protesto contra a Dilma, diz Fofão - 13/04/2016 - Ilustrada - Folha de S.Paulo". www1.folha.uol.com.br. Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  7. ↑ "MBL planeja show pró-impeachment com Carreta Furacão, hit da web - 12/04/2016 - Poder - Folha de S.Paulo". www1.folha.uol.com.br. Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  8. ↑ "Criador do Fofão proíbe personagem da Carreta Furacão em protestos". O Globo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  9. ↑ Morre, aos 72 anos, Orival Pessini, criador de Fofão, Patropi e Sócrates (Portuguese)

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/17/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.