Panfilo, Cuba’s famously confused personality, appears in Miami

Panfilo, Cuba's famously confused personality, appears in Miami

Cuban TV personality Panfilo appeared in Miami Thursday
Character was here to promote launch of new Cuban TV channel CubaMax
Event held at Olympia Theater downtown
BY JORDAN LEVIN
jlevin@miamiherald.com

Panfilo, the famous Cuban character at the center of the island's
popular TV show Vivir del Cuento, visited Miami Thursday to promote the
launch of his show on a new Cuban television channel in the United States.

The Cuban personality was here courtesy of the Dish Network, a U.S.
based satellite TV company that has created the CubaMax channel, which
staged the event at the Olympia Theater in downtown Miami to advertise
their line-up of Cuban-produced telenovelas, movies, talent shows and
other content.

Posters with slogans like "From Havana to Little Havana" and "De Cuba a
La Yuma" were scattered around the lobby, and singers from "Sonando en
Cuba," the island's version of The Voice, filled the theater with
powerful music during rehearsal.

But Panfilo, who got a burst of attention in El Norte when President
Obama appeared on Vivir del Cuento in advance of his March visit to the
island, was the closest thing to a celebrity on hand.


Actor Luis Silva, who plays Panfilo, created a small buzz when he
emerged on Flagler Street, shuffling along as his hapless character,
corduroy hat pulled low over grey-colored hair, faded pants belted high
to show crumbling once-white sneakers and carrying a grubby shopping bag.

Rehearsal for the show had run hours late, and a crowd that included
congressional candidate Joe Garcia was already filing in for a
reception. The host of Telemundo's Acceso Total, Abel Hernandez, was
sweating as he waited for an interview in front of the theater. But
Silva and his director seemed reluctant to take advantage of the
American-style hype, insisting that he only speak in character and with
Vivir del Cuento's three other actor/characters.

"I'm very happy to be here," Panfilo said a few minutes later, urging
Cuban-Americans and "of course the gringos, the Americans" to watch
CubaMax. Asked what he'd say to Donald Trump — since he'd already talked
to President Obama — Cuba's quintessentially confused character seemed
stumped.

"Trump? Oye, we'll teach him to play dominoes. If he turns out to be
president, maybe he'll build a little hotel there [in Cuba.]"

Source: cuban tv personality panfilo appeared at miami's olympia theater
to promote launch of cubamax tv channel in u.s. | In Cuba Today -
http://www.incubatoday.com/news/article84387122.html