I’m ashamed to say that I didn’t know who Anthony Bourdain was until I started dating my boyfriend. This might be my boyfriend’s favorite person; he even has Anthony tattooed on his upper arm (green flag). I will always credit him for introducing me to a chef who led with one of my favorite outlooks on life. Immediately, I read the book that solidified him as a household name in gastronomy, Kitchen Confidential. While not perfect, this book was an overnight sensation for a reason. It provided a look into the kitchen from someone who essentially grew up in one. He wanted people to know the truth behind the food they were eating and the people who were making it. Anthony humanized dining and put a spotlight on the line cooks who made your night out possible.

Following the success of his book, he was offered a deal to create a series for the Travel Channel. No Reservations showed the good, the bad, and the ugly of traveling through the lens of food. The show featured controversial episodes in the occupied West Bank, Congo, and Beirut, among others. He also visited famous American tourist vacation locations like France, Italy, and Japan. This show was on the Travel Channel from 2005 to 2012. Following the success of No Reservations, CNN picked up Anthony Bourdain’s next program, Parts Unknown, airing from 2013 to 2018 until Bourdain’s unfortunate death. Eric Ripert, Bourdain’s best friend and Le Bernardin restaurant owner, found him hanging from the ceiling in Paris.

It was known that Bourdain struggled with addiction, depression, and more from a young age, and heavily in his 20s and 30s. He even alluded to suicidal thoughts several times during both of his television series and books. Episodes in the later seasons of Parts Unknown focused on Bourdain’s views on Buddhism, death through the lens of travel, nihilism, and more. Many speculate this was caused by drugs, others due to his girlfriend cheating, and others think the signs were there all along. Many wonder how a man who had “everything” would give that all up and leave his daughter orphaned. How could a man who saw the entire world, something almost no one gets to do, decide life isn’t worth living? It’s important to remember that though he saw the beauty of every country, he was committed to portraying them in a realistic light, including spotlighting issues and concerns about the culture. While we have absolutely lost a hero, I think it’s better to celebrate the incredible strides Anthony Bourdain made in the culinary world. He broke stigmas about many countries and people, especially for the Latine community.

“...Just about every time I walked into a new kitchen, it was a Mexican guy who looked after me, had my back, showed me what was what, was there—and on the case—when the cooks more like me, with backgrounds like mine—ran away to go skiing or surfing—or simply flaked. As any chef will tell you, our entire service economy - the restaurant business as we know it - in most American cities, would collapse overnight without Mexican workers. - Anthony Bourdain (2007)

Bourdain did not come from money or the like, but he always recognized that his privilege as a cisgender white man would always garner him more respect than his POC peers. He knew that he held the regard, whether deserved or not, and wanted to use it to create a good change. When people talk about movements like #MeToo or Black Lives Matter, we may not want to include the white man in the discussion, but they are the ones in positions of power. As minorities, we need to collaborate with them, and that’s an incredibly hard thing to do when they are often the reason for our circumstances.

Anthony understood the complexities of gaining the trust of his Latine team in the kitchen, so this earned respect was extremely groundbreaking. This reminds me of a friend I had when I was studying abroad in Prague, who worked minimum wage at a Wendy’s. The entire team was Latina women from El Salvador and him. They’d make jokes about him: “guerrito” and “maricón” and the works. After putting in a lot of work to connect with these women he’d be seeing all the time, he surprised them. He had learned basic Spanish and began practicing it with them. They formed a bond that better served the team dynamic and their work.

“Some, of course, like to claim that Mexicans are ‘stealing American jobs.’ But in two decades as a chef and employer, I never had ONE American kid walk in my door and apply for a dishwashing job, a porter’s position - or even a job as prep cook. Mexicans do much of the work in this country that Americans, probably, simply won’t do.” - Anthony Bourdain

“Well, why do the US citizens have to learn Spanish? They’re the ones who came here.” Exactly. They’ve already uprooted their entire lives to give their families a better living situation. They know how that looks, part of why they work the jobs no one wants to work. Would you be happy to clean toilets or work fourteen-hour shifts in construction under the scorching sun for a living? Of course not, and neither would they, but the difference is that they’ll do it anyway. Bourdain admired this resilience to do what it takes to provide and make their place in the United States. Whether they were Latines in the States or in their home countries, he always gave credit where credit was due, like in this tweet from 2014:

One of the many ways Anthony Bourdain created a space for Latine culinary workers was by mentoring them firsthand. One of these individuals was Chef Carlos Llaguna García, a native of Puebla who moved to the US at seventeen. The two formed a bond centered around resilience and transparent struggles with substance addiction. García had even been sentenced to jail in 2003 for drug possession and bailed for a $500k bond. In an episode of No Reservations, García showed Anthony his hometown of Puebla. After many years of working under his wing, Bourdain passed the torch and had García replace him as executive chef at NYC restaurant La Halles. Bourdain claims that Carlos “became a chef thanks to sheer perseverance.” Unfortunately, García suffered a similar fate to Bourdain and passed away young at only 38 years old from cancer.

The reason real cooks and gastronomy professionals respected Bourdain so much was that he portrayed the industry as it was: ugly, beautiful, exciting, terrifying, and destructive. It was important to him to showcase all angles of the industry in a true light. Cooks appreciated the honesty mixed with respect for the craft, as do I. To portray the food industry in a true light, you cannot skip the acknowledgement of Latines for keeping it operational. After his death, Bourdain is more talked about than ever, and his impact continues in our daily lives, in and out of the kitchen. Through Bourdain, we understand that we must seize every day and be open to new experiences, regardless of who provides us with the opportunity to learn something new.

“What young Mexican and Mexican-American chefs are doing—here and in Mexico—is some of the most exciting and promising news in food. Mexican food is not simple, my friends. Those are, in many cases, some deeply complex and nuanced sauces—and incredibly labor-intensive ones. Mexican food should be considered just as sophisticated and celebrated as French, Italian, or any other cuisine. It’s old, it goes back to the beginning of agriculture. And it’s getting better every year.” - Anthony Bourdain (2007)

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-Daniela Torres

I don’t care about American football even a little bit. I was rooting for the Seahawks because there was a Puerto Rican from Dorado on the team. I’m disappointed that the first Super Bowl I tuned into was the most boring game of all time. HOWEVER! We all know why I was watching: Benito Martínez Ocasio. Bad Bunny has been a household name in Puerto Rico since I was a sophomore in high school, following the tragedy of Hurricane María. While many of us had no power for months, Bad Bunny was out in the studio and streets advocating for the people of the island. Even those who didn’t like his music gave him his flowers for using his platform.

Fast forward a few years, and Bad Bunny is the world's number one artist according to streaming data. He’s been to the MET Gala, won Album of the Year at the Grammys with a Spanish-language record for the first time in history, toured the world, starred in Hollywood movies, been a WWE fighter, and already played the Super Bowl as a guest for Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, to name a few. He even created the first cultural concert residency of its scale in Puerto Rico, resulting in over $400 million for the local economy. Considering his numbers and new Latine audience that would tune into American football, choosing him for the 60th Super Bowl is a no-brainer from a ratings and marketing perspective.

Of course, with the United States being the United States, the backlash was immediate. Many people claimed that he isn’t even American or a US citizen. He’s both, and the Super Bowl has featured many artists who are not US citizens as halftime performers: Shania Twain, Rihanna, Coldplay, Shakira, The Rolling Stones, among others. Others claimed that he doesn’t sing in English, so it’s not fair to American viewers. The United States is the second-largest country with a population of Spanish speakers at 50 million, behind Mexico’s 130 million. Many conservatives suggested their own halftime show and suggested artists like Kid Rock, Kenny Chesney, Morgan Wallen, and more. When doing some quick maths, those three artists combined have less than half of the Spotify listeners Bad Bunny currently has. While Turning Point USA did stream its own halftime special, it only peaked at 6 million views. POTUS Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the halftime was awful and inappropriate for kids (rich coming from Mr. Epstein files), meaning that even the hero of the Turning Point halftime lineup didn’t tune in.

For those of us who were watching the real halftime show, we witnessed immense joy, upbeat rhythms, and a message of love on stage. For Latines specifically, it was a message of hope, resilience, and taking up space. A few years ago, I was ashamed of my Puerto Rican heritage, and now I have found that being Puerto Rican is my biggest strength. My language and way of speaking it are valid, and my voice holds power. Especially in this political climate, our community is scared to speak up, and Bad Bunny made it a point to remind us that we are just as American as a redneck from Alabama. With this message in mind, let’s take a deeper look into what details you might’ve missed during the big game:

“Titi Me Preguntó”

We open in a sugar cane field, a place of hard work and abuse for many Puerto Ricans and Latinos in general. Sugar cane plantations were developed in Puerto Rico by Spanish colonizers in the 1500s. Following the end of slavery on the island, the responsibility was put on the working-class Boricuas. They were underpaid and working long hours in awful conditions. When the United States took over Puerto Rico, the first US-appointed governor, Charles H. Allen, developed Domino Sugar, which became the primary export from Puerto Rico.

During this portion of the show, the Super Bowl is presented as the Super Tazón. Tazón is the Spanish translation of bowl, as you can imagine, and I found this to be a fun little detail.

This is one of my favorite moments of the entire thing. Bad Bunny shows us many local scenes you’d find in Puerto Rico: a boxing match, older gentlemen playing dominoes, and piragua stands. It was revealed that all of these businesses are real establishments, with the piraguero being a local vendor in Old San Juan. Villa’s Tacos is a famous taqueria in Los Angeles, and the owner was sharing the scene with Benito. I loved the nod to everyone in pink-collar jobs. So many of us depend on Latine labor for these services. You get your hair done by a Dominican, your nails done by a Cuban, and your facials done by a Haitian. I saw so many nail techs on TikTok getting emotional on seeing their profession on the big stage. Last thing I want to point out is the boxers featured, who are real boxers, Emiliano Vargas from Mexico and Xander Zayas from Puerto Rico. I have been following Xander Zayas’s journey for over a year, and I was so excited to see him featured. He is an up-and-coming boxer who gives everything back to his community in Barrio de Cantera in San Juan.

“Yo Perreo Sola” x “Safaera”

These two tracks introduce us to “la casita”. You may recognize “la casita” from all the celebrity sightings at it during his residency in Puerto Rico, and this performance was no exception. We see many Latine icons like Pedro Pascal, Jessica Alba, Cardi B, Young Miko, and Karol G. “La casita” is based on a real house in Humacao. During this song, he says “a todas las mujeres del mundo, a perrear sin miedo”. Perreo is a style of dance from Caribbean Latin countries, mostly paired with Reggaeton, Bad Bunny’s principal music genre. Perreo is often considered dirty or “ghetto” because of its emphasis on the hips, groin, and butt, but it’s actually a modernization of traditional bomba dance, which was developed by African slaves in Puerto Rico and focuses on the same body parts.

“Party” x “VOY A LLeVARTE A PR”

When I heard “Party”, I thought Rauw Alejandro was going to make an appearance. This didn’t happen, and actually, people were surprised and confused about the guests he did bring on, but more on that later. A detail I noticed during this part is his makeshift jersey with the number 64 and his mother’s last name, Ocasio. 1964 is the year his mother was born, and also the first year Puerto Rico elected its own governor democratically.

“VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR” invites the listeners to come to Puerto Rico and experience the island’s enchantment. After he breaks the door open, we hear some classic old school reggaeton tracks: “Pa Que Retozen” by Tego Calderón, “Dale Don Dale” by Don Omar, and “Gasolina” by Daddy Yankee. It’s great to see him pay homage to those who paved the way. Like Benito says himself, “el mejor de la nueva porque me crié en la vieja”.

“EeO”

In this moment, we transition from the old school to the new school with “EeO”, another way to say perreo. Bad Bunny performs atop a pickup truck, which reminded me of maduro trucks common in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. I remember there would be a plátano truck in my grandma’s neighborhood that looked just like this one. Other produce you might see on the back of these trucks is quenepas, coconuts, and guanábanas.

When the song ends, we pan to a little guy on the big screen. While you may know of the coquí, a small frog native to Puerto Rico that sings into the night, you might not know about the concho frog. Similar to the coquí, the sapo concho is an endangered species of frog, also native to Puerto Rico. An estimate suggests there are only 500 to 3,000 of these little friends left on the island. Concho was a sort of mascot for the DtMF album and has raised awareness of the endangerment in doing so.

“MONACO”

Performance aside, “MONACO” utilizes a sample from Charles Anzavour’s “Hier Encore”. European composer Charles’s classical orchestration morphing with a Western trap beat is an incredible juxtaposition. It’s representative of the Europeans who colonized our land, and now we get a jab at making their “eloquent” and “sophisticated” music our own. I liked that when referencing the Spaniards’ conquest of Borikén, we’re back at the sugar cane fields where the Spanish took advantage of slaves and then lower-class Boricuas. The conductor of the orchestra hired for the halftime is wearing a flor de maga, the national flower of Puerto Rico. Bad Bunny shares these words during the instrumentals of the track:

“Y si hoy estoy aquí en el Super Bowl 60, es porque nunca, nunca dejé de creer en mí. Tú también deberías de creer en ti. Vales más de lo que piensas. Creéme.”

A message of hope for all watching in that moment.

“Die With A Smile” - Salsa Version

Hey, this was insane. NOTHING could have prepared me to see Mother Monster on that stage. I’m the biggest Lady Gaga fan ever, so when I tell you this was personal for me, it was PERSONAL for me. I’m already emotional from the show, and then we see Lady Gaga sing her English-language hit “Die With A Smile” in a salsa style. It was beautiful to see Gaga represent the US citizens who do appreciate Latin culture and pay it respect. This was such a beautiful homage and message that we are more powerful when we’re united.

I also want to note her outfit because, other than it being stunning, it carries a lot of meaning. The dress was designed by Dominican-American designer Raul López from Brooklyn; a New Yorker styling a New Yorker. The shade of the dress is light blue, like the original Puerto Rican flag before the United States made it dark blue to match theirs. Like the conductor during “MONACO”, Gaga is sporting a flor de maga.

The setting is meant to symbolize Old San Juan, as made clear with the street lamps and garritas, the window lookout spotted at the corners of El Morro fort. During this number, there is a couple getting married on stage, and guess what? They actually got married at that time. Marriage and traditional family values are something most Latines put a lot of pressure on, especially considering how Christian and conservative the Latine community is. “When are you getting married?” “When are you having kids?” “When are you having another kid?” Latines often see codependence as a strength rather than a flaw, so seeing this scene during the show made a lot of sense. Bad Bunny tells the viewers to dance without fear, always without fear, while the wedding party is getting down on the dance floor. The little kid asleep on the chair was the most accurate thing I saw the entire time.

“NUEVAYoL”

I had a feeling that “NUEVAYoL” was coming up when I saw the same cake from the music video in the wedding display. As a Puerto Rican living in New York City, this was amazing to see. I’m a frequenter of Caribbean Social Club, aka Toñitas, and seeing the patron saint herself and Medalla on her storefront made me so happy. Toñitas is one of the last Puerto Rican clubs in New York City and the last in Brooklyn. She has cultivated a sense of home like no other place in New York City has made me feel. Also great to see La Marqueta and barber shops featured. As I mentioned earlier, Latinidad is huge in the self-care and beauty workforce. Puerto Rican culture is a big part of the Big Apple’s culture, and seeing that celebrated was brilliant.

How iconic do you have to be to reference your own Grammy win from a week ago in your Super Bowl halftime performance? This scene made me the most emotional out of the entire thing. Bad Bunny giving his younger self a Grammy was so special. As an aspiring artist from Puerto Rico, something like a Grammy feels so larger than life. Knowing that someone from the next town over from my grandparents won three Grammys in one night with strictly Spanish music makes things feel less impossible. The child portraying the younger version of him is Lincoln Fox, an Argentinian-Egyptian child actor.

“LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii”

I know my mom lost her mind when she saw this man on her screen. Before we get into the singer, the fact that I lived to see a cuatro guitar on my television screen during the Super Bowl is ridiculously awesome. Many people think Ricky Martin is no longer relevant, but Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca” opened the door for Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” to open the door for Bad Bunny. My mom still talks about the Ricky Martin 1995 Grammys performance every couple of months. Even my roommate’s Irish mom still talks about it. It was the largest global stage Latin music had ever been on. While Ricky Martin did so in English, he did something no other Latine had before. This Super Bowl halftime show was about honoring those who came before us to create a better tomorrow. We see this with Gaga representing allyship, Ricky Martin representing the crossover and queerness of the Latine community, and figures like Toñita, who stands her ground so Puerto Ricans have a place to convene in NYC.

Singing this song sends a clear message: Hands off Puerto Rico. “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii” talks about how United States ownership corrupted the cultural identity and local workforce of Hawaii through gentrification. The same thing is happening in Puerto Rico, with the governor supporting the privatization of beaches and the Airbnb epidemic. Additionally, Americans with companies of four employees or more qualify for tax cuts that locals in Puerto Rico do not qualify for. We also have no right to vote for president or have no congressional seats, despite those outcomes impacting us directly. Singing this at arguably the United States’s biggest night of television viewership was powerful.

“El Apagón”

Why power lines? I’ll tell you. Puerto Rico has a very fragile powerline and energy infrastructure. Instead of it being underground, it is entirely above ground. The electricity was already not stable, and we’d lose power often, but never like we did after Hurricane María. I did not have electricity for three months, and I didn’t have a generator to keep the lights on either. Following a god-awful deal, the AEE workers were replaced by LUMA. LUMA is the current energy company in Puerto Rico, and when it arrived, workers nearing retirement under the AEE had to complete other labor unrelated to their job or lose their retirement savings altogether. Instead of replacing the infrastructure with the people who already knew the land and roads, they brought in Americans from the United States who had never seen a dirt road or mountain in their lives to fix the issue. We pay more in electricity than all 50 states, but have the least reliable network out of all of them. “El Apagón” translates to the blackout, and to represent this, the stadium’s lights started flickering and fizzing out.

“CAFé CON RON” x “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS”

After Bad Bunny says “God Bless America”, he mentions every single American country and has their flag up on the field. So many people online said it was the first time they saw any Belize, Guyana, or St. Kitts representation in their lifetime. Bad Bunny reminded everyone that America is not just North America and that unity is exactly what we need, now more than ever. While he did that, we hear plena music courtesy of Los Pleneros de la Cresta and see a billboard that says:

“THE ONLY THING MORE POWERFUL THAN HATE IS LOVE”

I want to live in Benito’s America. I see it somewhere in the distance in a few decades, maybe, but it was nice to get a glimpse of it on Super Bowl Sunday. What did you think of the halftime show? Who is your favorite halftime performer? Leave it in the comments below!

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-Daniela Torres

Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein was born from a writing competition amongst her peers, including the famous Lord Byron, on who could write the scariest story. From the playful competition, the story became a novel and has been adapted to film many times over. Frankenstein tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a mad scientist, who enjoys playing God. Born into a family that valued science and reason above all else, Victor found a way to use those concepts in his own way by turning to reanimation. Victor did not consider what would come after the creature’s creation, as he was so occupied by proving that he could do the unthinkable and play God.

Already, the theme of breaking away from familial expectations is present, one common in Hispanic households. He was being trained to continue his father’s medical studies. Whenever he answered one of his father’s questions incorrectly, he was hit with a cane (that century’s equivalent of la chancleta, might I add). Not only did Victor have an insane amount of pressure at such a young age, but he was also expected to overcompensate for his existence. When the movie begins, we see Victor’s mother die, and we then learn that Victor’s father let her die. Colorism is unfortunately prevalent in Latin America, especially Mexico, Guillermo del Toro’s home country. As a consequence of his lived experience and interpretation of Mary Shelley’s literary work, these themes are illustrated in this movie pretty directly. Victor and his mother had darker skin than the rest of the family and were also dark brunette. Once Victor’s white little brother William is born, the favoritism is rapidly clear.

In the years following, Victor Frankenstein tells his father he’s bound to be better than him and leaves his home and his father to die. Frankenstein presents his discoveries of reanimation at prestigious colleges and in front of judges who, well, judge him. A man who attended Victor’s hearing to receive more funding decides to finance his project as long as he can attach his name to it. The project to create the creature began, and Victor reconnected with his brother William and met his fiancée, Elizabeth. They have a fiery and existential debate, and Victor is, naturally, interested in having Elizabeth to himself. Cheating is widely accepted in Latin American cultures and part of the reason I said I’d never date a Latin man, but alas. While it is not particularly condoned, many older women raising Latine households don’t count it as a deal breaker since it’s viewed as part of men’s innate nature. I can vouch for Gen Z latinas and tell you we don’t rock with this nowadays. In the film, Victor’s investor, Henrich, even offers Elizabeth to him if he can cure his syphilis.

Once the creature, made out of five different men who died in executions, is made, we enter the world of father-son relationships. Father-son relationships are often tricky already, but in Latin America, even more so. Older men are expected to “be a man” and conform to machista ideals. This notion of not asking for help trickles down to their sons, who then make it our problem (ok, this is my opinion here). The creature doesn’t even have a name, and its existence is purely to heighten the importance of a different man avenging his own father. The cycle that started with Leopold Frankenstein has now reached a creation that is not even blood-related to him.

Victor was excited to introduce the creature to the world, but was quickly frustrated that it could only say “Victor” and saw it as subintelligent. Victor invites William and Elizabeth to see his invention, but once they arrive, Elizabeth finds him handcuffed in the basement before he can properly introduce the couple to the ‘monster’. Elizabeth begins talking to it like a person rather than a creature, and we see him learn his second word: “Elizabeth”. Victor can’t fathom that Elizabeth would treat “it” like a “him” and claims that she is attracted to the creation. In reality, Victor doesn’t understand softness or the feminine spirit, as the only insight into that was his mother, who was left to die by his father’s corruption and disappointment. He succumbs to the thought that if she doesn’t like him, she MUST only be attracted to creatures not of this Earth, with a lack of any understanding, though we, the viewer, know this to be false.

In a fit of frustration and rage, Victor sets his laboratory and home on fire, leaving the creature to die. As the place begins burning, Victor realizes that his life’s work is going to be burned to death and tries to stop the fire. I don’t think he wanted to save the creature because it was living, but rather because it was evidence of his unreal intelligence and abilities. By the time he’s realized his mistake, the place blows up, and the creature escapes to the forest, with Victor having no idea it survived. The creature makes it to a family home and begins studying and learning the ways of other humans. He finds comfort in seeing this family live its daily life and begins providing for them: wood for their fire, a fenced-in area for their sheep, and so forth. The family calls it the Spirit of the Forest and begins to leave gifts for it. As Latinos, it’s in our nature to offer what we have, even when it’s nothing. This helpful nature is apparent when the creature befriends an elderly man who is half blind and doesn’t realize it is not entirely of this world.

The man encourages it to learn what it is and where it’s from, as it has no memories, only hazy visions of the lives previously held by the five souls that make it up, though it doesn’t know this is what is going on yet. The creation discovers that it is made out of nothing but greed and discarded body parts. It returns to tell the man that it found the truth, but wolves have impaled the man. The man tells the creature it’s a good man before the family returns from their winter hunting trip. They think the creature is responsible for the damage, and they shoot it. It wakes up hours later to learn it can never die, and it requires answers to its existence.

The creature takes a journey and finds its father attending his brother’s wedding. The confrontation is loaded and leads to a heavy discussion. Dr. Victor says, “In seeking life, I created death.” The creature is expected now to lead a life knowing it never asked for this agony and pain, and shouldn’t exist in the first place. In the process of hunting the creature, Elizabeth is shot, and she asks the creature to be taken away. The pair finds a cave to retire to, and she says she resonated with him because she also felt like she didn’t belong. This is a feeling shared by many Latinos worldwide- a sense of your potential having to be fulfilled outside of your hometown and a sense of guilt for that realization.

Guilt is a huge theme in the movie. Leopold is guilty of having let his woman die. Henrich is guilty of his new life with syphilis. Victor is guilty of creating a creature who has no true purpose and going after an engaged woman. The creature is guilty of leaving its creator to a life of regret, despite this being an unconscious decision. In Mexican culture, the Catholic way of life is embedded in you, and also the guilt that comes with it. They even have their own Virgin Saint, La Virgen de Guadalupe. We see Victor pray to his statue of St. Michael the Archangel when his parents are fighting, and even claims that the Saint lied to him when his studies were not yet leading to his discovery. Guillermo says the following:

“I formed a bond with my grandmother that was full of guilt… The notion of sin, the notion of damnation- there is a lot of pain in Catholic religion in Mexico; there is a lot of guilt”.

At the end of the film, the creature and Victor share a heart-to-heart on a ship. Victor apologizes for inventing the creature and even calls him son. He prays the creature can find acceptance in this mess. The creature forgives him and calls him father. A lot of people disagree with the creature’s forgiveness, but let’s look at it through a Latine lens. Oftentimes, Latine families forgive each other, even when they disapprove of what’s occurring, because family comes above all else. You can argue that forgiveness without acceptance isn’t forgiveness at all, but my point stands. We do not want to leave this world with anything left unsaid, and this is why we often say everything, even what’s hurtful and unnecessary. Latinos are, as a whole, highly confrontational but highly forgiving, and I think the film shows both of those aspects and handles them with care.

During a press tour for The Shape of Water, a journalist asked him how he balances dark themes in his work with the joyous person he is in real life. His answer was straight to the point: “I’m Mexican. No one loves life more than we do, in a way, because we are so conscious about death.” I think this is a belief he carried into Frankenstein, and I think it resonated with me and other Latinos I’ve seen discussing the film online deeply.

I recommend you check out what many are calling Guillermo’s magnum opus, now streaming on Netflix. This is one of my favorite films of the year, alongside Sinners (of course, hello?!), and I’d love to hear your thoughts on the film below!! Let’s discuss :)

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-Daniela Torres

Only a Latino man could yearn like that.

I saw the new documentary, It’s Never Over: Jeff Buckley, this past Monday, and naturally, I wept like a baby. I got dressed, grabbed a coffee and a donut and Dunkin’, and caught the first screening of the day at AMC Times Square. While I’ve been a huge fan of his music for the longest, I didn’t know much about his story with the exception of his tragic death. They dove into his family dynamics, issues with comparisons, struggles with songwriting, and the influence of women in his life. While love interests like Rebecca Moore and Joan Wasser were critical to his growth as an artist and overall person, no one shaped his life the way his mother did.

Pictured above is Jeff and his mother, Mary Guibert. Guibert moved from Panamá to the United States as a child. Mary was always a musical girl as she grew up playing cello, piano, and dancing styles like ballet and modern jazz. During her high school years, Mary met Tim Buckley, famous folk singer and Jeff’s father. At the time, Tim was a quarterback and member of the school’s French club. At only 17, the couple got married and Mary became pregnant shortly after. During her fifth month of pregnancy, Tim decided he wanted to pursue a musical career and could not do so while being a present father. The couple filed for divorce one month before their child’s birth.

Tim Buckley went on to become a famous folk singer known best for antiwar lyricism. He toured the country and became close friends with Andy Warhol, Janis Joplin, and more. Once Jeff Buckley was born and eventually began performing, the comparisons to his famous father were endless. Consequentially, a mention of his mother’s background, let alone just her contributions, was nowhere as talked about. When Buckley was asked about his father, he’d usually tell the interviewers that they’d likely know more than himself.

Mary Giubert would sing to Jeff in Spanish and his grandmother would join in on the fun. Several of his family members called him “el viejito” because of his long face and somber demeanor. Things were not always nursery rhymes and nicknames, however. Mary and her siblings were subject to abuse in the household, a Latine stereotype that was unfortunately true for them. Mary said that she saw marrying Tim as a way out. With little to no funds, she did all she could to assure that Jeff wouldn’t grow up to have the traits of her father.

Years after when Jeff Buckley had already met his musical idols and performed around the world with his Grace tour, he settled in a small house in Memphis, Tennessee. He was trying to remedy some of his patterns of addiction and self hate. Unfortunately, behind that home in Memphis would be Buckley’s death bed. Before the drowning, Jeff called everyone he knew over two weeks. The documentary shares Buckley’s last voicemail to his mother in which he says “Mama, you could have given me up, you could have aborted me, you could have done all these things, but you kept me and I think that’s a bond that could never be broken.”

He closed his message by saying “Mamá, you’ve got some fucking cojones, baby”.

I’m so glad I got to hear about this side of Jeff that I would have likely never known about. To hear such a musical talent with such praise aroudn the world speak a Spanish I didn’t know he knew really shook me in the best way possible. If you have the opportunity to catch a screening of this doc, I’d highly recommend it!

Follow Dani Is Dizzy for all things pop culture, music, and Nueva York living. As always, my socials are down below:

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-Daniela Torres

Coachella looks like it was a logistical mess. The clips I saw online cured my FOMO, to say the least. From waiting 20+ hours just to enter to being charged to use the restroom, crowds were not having it. However, it appears fans still had a good time as these artists performed their best to make the experience worth it. While Lady Gaga stole the show without a doubt, I wanted to highlight some noteworthy Latines who performed this year and have everyone, not just Latines, talking.

FRIDAY (APRIL 11 + 18)

CA7RIEL Y PACO AMOROSO

If you check out no one else in this article, CHECK THESE GUYS OUT PLEASE! If you haven’t heard of this incredible Argentinian duo, I’m sure you’ve seen their amazing Tiny Desk, now sitting at 33 million views:

Catriel and Ulises Guerreiro are an experimental pop and dance duo formed during their years at Juan Pedro Esnaola School of Music, where Catriel focused on guitar and Ulises on violin. Listening to their music, you would never assume they have such a background because one thing they and their music are is silly. They kung-fu fight in the air, wear inflatable muscle suits, and wear the most ridiculous outfits. What is so cool about them, though, is how they’ve mastered a perfect blend between silly and professional. When watching the music video for their track “#TETAS”, you’ll wonder how this was even funded. Then, you’ll see it a second time, and it all clicks. The 90s effects, anti-fame commentary, and blend of music with skits. They have been the only thing I’ve listened to for the past week, and I wish I were kidding. I just missed their two nights at Bowery Ballroom, and the cheapest ticket to see them at Brooklyn Paramount is $140, so… they are going to be BIG. I’m just so happy to see musicians so clearly having fun and doing passion projects so unapologetically.

LOS MIRLOS

Considered the veterans of the lineup this year, that didn’t stop Los Mirlos from giving an incredible performance. Many attendees and online viewers of their set said Los Mirlos was their favorite discovery from Coachella. The group formed in 1973 and is debatably the pioneer of the chicha music genre. Amazonian cumbia music is the last thing you think would draw crowds at the festival, but people were curious about these older gentlemen and their unique sound. In the band’s 46th year, they are the first Peruvian act to grace the Coachella stage. Inca Kolas up to that!

SATURDAY (APRIL 12 + 19)

RAWAYANA

Our first Latin artist of day two, Saturday welcomed Rawayana. Rawayana is a fusion reggae and funk band flying in from Venezuela. They make music that just makes you want to either get low on the dancefloor or relax on a hammock with a Medalla Light in your hand. The group’s distinct sound has led them to international acclaim and a Grammy award. Their free-spirited vibe and musical talent align perfectly with the Coachella ambiance. The band took the opportunity to dedicate their set to a struggling Venezuela, but also a Venezuela with lots of hope. Their most recent release is ASTROPICAL, a collaboration album with Bomba Estéreo featuring twelve tracks, each for a different zodiac sign. Check out your sign’s song below:

IVAN CORNEJO

I was introduced to Ivan Cornejo through his track “ RELOJ” with the sensational Peso Pluma. He mixes traditional Mexican corridos with the pop sounds of his hometown, Riverside in California. His bicultural background has resonated with many listeners, especially first-generation Americans. In 2022, Billboard Latin named him that year’s New Artist of the Year. In a Latin music market saturated in Reggaeton, which we also get down with, it’s refreshing to see a newcomer taking on traditional genres like this one. Performing in his home state on such a big stage deserves a big applause.

EL MALILLA

Moving forward with another Mexican act, El Malilla is making waves in the country’s reggaeton scene and beyond. His most-streamed track is “Vaquero (Remix),” coming in with about 142 million streams. Reggaeton is often associated with the Caribbean Latin countries like Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, or first-generation latines in places like New York City. El Malilla disregards that stereotype and puts his own twist on the genre while respecting its roots. His perreo tracks hit heavy and are reminiscent of the sounds of early 2000s reggaeton pioneered by Daddy Yankee and Tainy, to name a few. When Bad Bunny came out with “Safaera”, everyone was excited to see that Y2K vibe come back, and El Malilla kept that in mind as he continued releasing his own music post-YHLQMDLG.

ALOK

Our only Portuguese act on the list is Brazilian DJ Alok. Alok has helped shape the electronic music scene in Brazil over the last two decades. While electronic music is not exactly my genre, his sound transcends individual tastes- his talent is clear, no matter what’s on your playlist. Alok welcomes twenty-one million monthly Spotify listeners, and his set was just as full. He’s remixed tracks for huge artists like Tate McRae, Manuel Turizo, The Chainsmokers, Fuerza Regida, Armin Van Buuren, Bastille, Steve Aoki, the list goes on. A fan favorite performance was his song “Truth, Peace, Love, and Acid”. Click below to watch the performance featuring incredible performance art by his accompanying dancers.

GUSTAVO DUDAMEL & THE LA PHILHARMONIC

CLASSICAL MUSIC AT COACHELLA! THIS IS WHAT I WANNA SEE!

The Los Angeles Philharmonic is the first major orchestra to showcase at Coachella. This makes me so happy as a piano player and a Tchaikovsky ballet admirer. The LA Phil is currently led by Gustavo Dudamel, a Venezuelan orchestra conductor. I love that we live in a world where the LA Phil’s conductor is literally from Venezuela. As expected with being the first of anything, all eyes are on you, and Dudamel takes the opportunity to do something unexpected. The set begins with a classic Wagner tun,e and next thing you know, Laufey is on stage performing her music with the orchestra. After she’s done her two songs, Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso join the company to perform “DUMBAI” and “LA QUE PUEDE, PUEDE”. It is the most random combination of performers in the world, but it just rocks. Zedd and LL COOL J also get in the action. He included the “Imperial March” from Star Wars to catch the ear of anyone born after 1980, even if they aren’t a music fan. Dudamel is such an inspiration, and I hope to see him conduct someday.

THE MARÍAS

Whether you know the band from their song “Otro Atardecer” with Bad Bunny or you were right there with me listening to “Basta Ya” after school, you know The Marías will bring you back down to Earth when you need it. María Zordoya, the group’s frontwoman, is proudly Puerto Rican and features her flag at every show. Their music is sultry, calming, and can put you in a trance without trying. The Marías make music in both English and Spanish, so all listeners have at least a few lyrics to hold onto. Their biggest song at the moment is “No One Noticed,” and it’s having a viral moment on TikTok. The entire Submarine album where that track lives is fantastic and worth checking out.

SUNDAY (APRIL 13 + 20)

ARCA

My girl! If you are a fan of Charli XCX, ROSALÍA, or SOPHIE, you know this girl right here. Arca is a Venezuelan DJ and is the first major transgender artist to make it big in the Latin electronica genre. Arca is avant-garde but also tons of fun. She’s collaborated with Madonna, Björk, Tokischa, Tainy, Lady Gaga, and pop’s newest princess, Addison Rae. Arca has also added to the score of the sensational Red Dead Redemption video game. If you’ve never listened to her music before, here is her set from the day:

JUNIOR H

Junior H is another Mexican act whose collaboration with Peso Pluma has elevated their reach and image. Junior H makes corridos tumbados, a subgenre for regional Mexican music. A corrido tumbado roughly translates to a ‘trap corrido’, mixing elements of hip-hop and rap into its makeup. Junior H is one of the main people to listen to if you want to explore regional Mexican music as a whole- at least his twenty five million monthly listeners would argue. Junior H promises to be a household name for the coming years of corridos. Linked is my favorite Junior H song, “LADY GAGA”:

Regardless of whether or not we like their music, it is amazing to see the rise of Latine performers this year in comparison to several years past. Coachella has done its part in hosting adored acts like Eladio Carrión, Becky G, Los Fabulos Cadillacs, and more. While I don’t plan to attend Coachella anytime soon, it puts a big smile on my face to see Latines succeed in a music industry built without them in mind. Who do you think is performing at Coachella next year? Let me know below.

Thanks for tuning in! Follow Dani Is Dizzy for more pop culture, music, and Latine entertainment articles weekly (or so I try lol). As always, my socials are down below:

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-Daniela Torres

While scrolling like a maniac before TikTok got banned, I stumbled upon the most interesting video. It was an edit of “Girl, so confusing” with 90s Shakira and current Shakira. If you are unaware, “Girl, so confusing” is a hit track from Charli XCX’s year-defining album brat. In it, Charli discusses the common comparisons to indie singer Lorde throughout her career. Charli and Lorde proceeded to break the internet when they released a remix of the track with Lorde talking about her experience with the comparisons. Here is the video I’ll be referencing throughout this post:

@shakwolfie#SHAKIRA - Girl, so confusing #shakira #shakiraedit #edit #shakifan #colombia #fyp #foryoupagе (Idea:@eros 🎀🇬🇷)

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Usually, this trend compares celebrities that have had a feud or fictional characters that had a falling out. In this version, we compare Shakira to herself and that puts a whole new lens on this track. The song featured is a call for women to reconnect with each other in a world where women are pushed to be against each other. It’s a song about holding space for two things that are true while acknowledging their differences. With this in mind, let’s return to the Shakira edit. The specific part of the song that was featured in the video was:

“You're all about writing poems
But I'm about throwing parties
Think you should come to my party
And put your hands up
I think we're totally different
But opposites do attract
Maybe we're so meant to be
Just you and me

'Cause people say we're alike
They say we've got the same hair
One day we might make some music
The internet would go crazy
But you might still wanna see me
Falling over and failing
At least we're closer to being on the same page”

In the 90’s, Shakira was called Latin America’s Alanis Morissette. She was a rocker with long black hair that could play instruments and consistently used the harmonica in her songs. When I first heard Shakira’s sophomore Dónde Están Los Ladrones, Alanis was the first thing to come to mind. Alanis’s Jagged Little Pill was formative during my high school years and until this Shakira album, it was my all-time favorite. Despite the comparisons, Shakira was still viewed as a feat of her own. Shakira already had a hit pop rock album and tour from three years prior. She wrote about politics and was moody, but she was also relatable and hopeful. Her whole identity was juxtapositions to begin with. The main themes of this album include social issues, nostalgia, heartbreak, and being head over heels. The album was full of songs you could dance to but also sit down and analyze the lyrics. The most popular tracks on this album, “Ciega, Sordomuda” and “Ojos Así”, which talk about love taking over you to the point where you no longer recognize yourself. These topics are hard to talk about; not just puppy love, but the all-consuming aspect of it. This led to even more fame and she eventually moved into the North American market, and then worldwide, by releasing music in English in 2001.

She went on to collaborate with Gustavo Cerati, Beyoncé, and Rihanna. She made the 2010 FIFA World Cup anthem “Waka Waka”. It encompassed the sounds of South Africa while still sounding like her voice and instrumentation. She’s won countless Latin Grammys and standard Grammys as well. She became a wife and a mother, so naturally her new titles and stardom meant new themes. While her new music was widely well received, many were mad that her 2010 album Sale El Sol was comprised of mainly singles we had already heard and maybe three new tracks. After this backlash, we didn’t hear much from Shakira between then and 2014. She was back with a new FIFA World Cup track “Dale (La La La)” which was a funk carioca electronic track… well, this is different.

Following those releases, she began releasing music that was quite different than her rock and Latin pop background. At least the instruments were still based in Colombia and the general South America landscape. Her first mainstream reggaeton track with Carlos Vives “La Bicicleta” featured caña de milo, a wind instrument native to Colombia, accordion, caja and guacharaca. Then we had “Chantaje” and this is where many, including myself, consider her decline began. This song was straight up just a reggaeton track. It was wildly popular but many were surprised at the direction she took with this tune. The 2017 following “Chantaje” El Dorado also included a feature by Nicky Jam. I’ve always thought she did this to stay “relevant” with the rise of reggaeton and Latin trap in America.

By 2020, reggaeton stormed the United States and went cosmopolitan thanks to the popularity of Bad Bunny, Rauw Alejandro, and more. She continued making reggaeton tracks with Anuel AA (who I despise <3) and funk carioca tracks with the Black Eyed Peas. Hey girl, what are we doing? Then she released “Te Felicito” with Rauw Alejandro, another reggaeton track. Before I continue, I just want to clarify that I used to hate reggaeton and now I find myself enjoying a lot of it. I don’t think it was a bad thing that Shakira went into reggaeton, it just wasn’t genuine. This felt like something she didn’t choose herself or chose for the wrong reasons. The catalyst of my assumptions was her 2024 album Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, featuring the BZRP Session that went viral and inspired the album title. This song put a spotlight on her Piqué, husband and father of her children, cheating on her with a woman ten years younger than him. Shakira is ten years older than Piqué. This album was all over the place and I think I only saved one song to my monthly playlist. There were regional Mexican corridos, another reggaeton track with Rauw Alejandro, a lazy pop song with Anitta that had some not so subtle sexual innuendos (which I saw live at Jimmy Fallon ooooo).

People were so confused. I don’t know anyone who had anything positive to say about this record. The poor reception was evident online with stans coming to her defense. So far, her tour has been rescheduled on top of the pleas for the old Shakira, many claimed she copied Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour set up and promotional materials. Remember that Beyoncé and her have a previous collaboration. From the diamond and silver studded outfits to the tour poster announcements, it was tough to say otherwise… The Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour was announced and she went about it interestingly. “Submit your ideal setlist and help us construct for tour!” On social media platforms, users raved about only submitting her older tracks in hopes of a return to the old Shakira. Below are some reddit posts about the setlist.

A welcome surprise came when Shakira performed her 1998 “Ojos Así” at the 2024 Grammy Ceremony. Her performance included her bellydancing skills and paid homage to her Lebanese heritage. It made me so so happy to be watching this happening LIVE. Most recently, Shakira released a remix of “Estoy Aquí” from her first album. While her tour features songs from the new album, she plays a decent amount of her older work. I’ll be seeing her with my best friend in MetLife Stadium this May and plan on doing the “Las de La Intuición” outfit, obviously. As an aspiring Latin Rock performer, it brings me joy to see my inspiration return to the music that made me love her. Let me know what you predict for her career moving forward!

Follow Dani Is Dizzy for all things pop culture, music, entertainment, and Nueva York living. As always, my socials are down below:

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-Daniela Torres

I’m Puerto Rican which means Café Bustelo runs through my veins. I usually make my coffee at home because we’re rocking on a part-time job budget (send help). On the chance that I am writing my blog out and about, these are some of the coffee shops I’d likely be working from. 787 Coffee is not even Puerto Rican despite being the biggest Latine coffee chain in the city. No tea no shade, these alternative places truly put Latine culture at the forefront of the business and dining experience. I think it would be helpful to establish some parameters so you choose which one to go to first. I’ll give you my go-to order, as well as the price and overall vibe of the place. First up is Antilles Café in Brooklyn.

ANTILLES CAFÉ

Little Caribbean, Brooklyn - Dominican & Haitian

• Price Range - $$

• WiFi - Yes

• Seating - Yes

• Food Options - Yes

• Pastry Options - Yes

Their best-selling drink is their sweet plantain latte: café Bustelo, sweet plantain syrup, caramelized plantain sugar, whipped cream, and your choice of milk. It’s the most insane drink, but you just have to try it in person though. Their food is also fantastic, I’d recommend their Morir Soñando drink as well. The owners Eric and Drew are both culinary school graduates and have done a great job at celebrating their culture through their meals. I have never walked by and not seen them at Antilles. The plantain plant and pictures of Juan Luis Guerra 4.40 and Jon Basquiat made the roots of the creators front and center. Visit and tell them Daniela, Hailey, and Ginika sent you!

BUDDIES COFFEE

Williamsburg, Brooklyn - Puerto Rican

• Price Range - $

• WiFi - No

• Seating - No

• Food Options - No

• Pastry Options - Yes

We visited this location after we were unsuccessful in getting into the Bad Bunny Debí Tirar Más Fotos pop-up. We walked in and immediately they handed us free Florecitas. Florecitas were my entire childhood so immediately I was feeling great about the place. I got the coquito latte and regular quesito. The latte was not too sweet and delicious while the quesito was the exact level of sweetness you would want. The barista/owner was so excited that we were there and that more Puerto Ricans had been visiting.

CAFÉ COLMADO

Bowery, Manhattan - Puerto Rican

• Price Range - $$

• WiFi - Yes

• Seating - Yes

• Food Options - No, but coming soon!

• Pastry Options - Yes

My boyfriend and I finally checked out Café Colmado on Valentine’s Day. The barista was Puerto Rican, endearing, and instantly curious to learn about us. This is probably the most expensive place on the list since it just opened and they are hoping to make some revenue in these first few months. While I definitely would go and support the business, keep this in mind because it was a big shock for my boyfriend and me. I got a café con leche and a mallorca toasted. Very delicious and the salsa music blaring made it feel like home. People were studying and if you don’t mind the music, I would tell you to do so as well. They have a nice patio in the back too for nice weather days.

The following two I have not been to but have heard nice things about:

PUEBLO QUERIDO COFFEE ROASTERS

Greenpoint, Brooklyn - Colombian

• Price Range - $$

• WiFi - Yes

• Seating - Yes

• Food Options - Yes

• Pastry Options - Yes

CHOLITA

Ridgewood, Queens - Ecuadorian

• Price Range - $

• WiFi - No

• Seating - Yes

• Food Options - No

• Pastry Options - No

Let me know if you end up visiting any of these locations or if you have more recommendations in the comments! Thanks for reading! Follow Dani Is Dizzy for all things pop culture, music, entertainment, and Nueva York living. As always, my socials are down below:

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-Daniela Torres

What else can I add? After all the controversy and buzz around this movie, I decided my opinion wouldn’t be useful or interesting- at least not on its own. There has been much said about the movie, but more importantly, there’s been a lot that the cast and crew have said that has raised some concerns and angered many. You’d never catch me saying a movie is winning awards because it’s woke because I think movies that deal with uncomfortable subjects are a great thing. BUT this one? Oof. I’m so excited for Karla Sofía Gascón being the first openly transgender actress to be nominated in the Best Actress category. It really is worth celebrating. What breaks my heart is that this is happening with Emilia Pérez.

Before you read on, know that I haven’t watch this movie and have no plans to so my sources are entirely secondary. If you don’t know anything about the movie besides the drama behind it, here’s the gist written by its viewing platform Netflix: “Four remarkable women pursue happiness in Jacques Audiard's audacious, genre-defying film that unfolds through a fever dream of original songs and dance.” What? Here’s a more straightforward description by IMDB: “Emilia Pérez follows four remarkable women in Mexico, each pursuing their own happiness. Cartel leader Emilia enlists unappreciated lawyer Rita to help fake her death so that she can finally live authentically as her true self.”

On paper, this doesn’t make me want to watch the film but it doesn’t sound like a terrible story and I would actually like to know more. Then this controversies were quite literally thrust upon me. TLDR, it may not remain on the list.

Emilia Pérez has 13 nominees including Best Picture, the same amount as The Godfather and Forrest Gump. In my opinion, so many movies deserve the acclaim this movie has received. I want to highlight some Spanish language films that you should check out instead:

FOR THE DRAMA LOVERS

• Sociedad de la Nieve (2023)

  • Uruguay, streaming on Netflix, insane true story

  • Follow the story of a rugby team and the plane crash that turns them from boys to men.

• Real Women Have Curves (2002)

  • Mexico and the United States, available to rent on Amazon Video, becoming a Broadway musical later this year.

  • For girls in their late teens, early 20s who are also older sisters.

• Argentina 1985 (2022)

  • Argentina, streaming on Prime Video, picked by my mom.

  • Based on a true story, lawyers in Argentina fight against the military dictatorship in this epic story.

• Amores Perros (2000)

  • Mexico, available to rent on Amazon Video, I love Gael García Bernal.

  • A car crash changes the lives of its survivors: a supermodel, a scandalous couple, and a homeless man.

FOR THE COMEDY LOVERS

• Cassandro (2023)

  • Mexico, streaming on Prime Video, a queer movie featuring Bad Bunny.

  • Saúl was a real life amateur lucha libre wrestler struggling with accepting that he is a gay man. His alter ego and stage name Cassandro saved him.

• Y Tu Mamá También (2001)

  • Mexico, streaming on Hulu and Netflix, this movie walked so Challengers could run.

  • A roadtrip between two teenage boys and an older woman in which they learn about each other on several levels (wink wink).

• Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios (1988)

  • Spain, available to rent on Amazon Prime, my favorite Pedro Almodóvar film.

  • An insane series of events- I can’t describe this one.

• Jamón Jamón (1992)

  • Spain, N/A, someone described it as “heterosexual Pedro Almodóvar” and that was enough for me.

  • Sylvia, an employee at José Luis’s parent's’ company, becomes pregnant and José promises to marry her. This won’'t happen as long as José’s dad can help it.

A SOLE FANTASY RECOMMENDATION

• Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

  • Spain, available to rent on Amazon Prime, for lovers of Coraline.

  • A lonely child moves to a new home and discovers a labyrinth in which she must complete three hard tasks to return home.

These are some basic but silly and fantastic recommendations to get you started. PLEASE let me know if you have any recommendations! I absolutely need to do better on my end. Thanks for reading! Follow Dani Is Dizzy for all things pop culture, music, entertainment, and Nueva York living. As always, my socials are down below:

Instagram: danielastorres

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-Daniela Torres

Given the immediate Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids following the second Trump presidency, I thought we could instead discuss the positive and incredible contributions of immigrants in this country. In this week’s issue of Dani Is Dizzy, we’ll look at the team behind Gen Z’s cartoon obsession of the past year: Snoopy. Many describe Snoopy as a cute, funny, and endearing dog. Snoopy is also a troublemaker, silly, and individualistic. What you have likely never called him is Latino. You may have never heard of the beloved “Esnupi” unless you are Latine. The man behind it all is José Cuahtemoc Meléndez aka Bill Meléndez.

Mexican American Meléndez was born in Hermosillo, Sorona, and raised in Douglas, Arizona. He made the move to Los Angeles and began working at Walt Disney Studios. (insane for one of your first gigs??) Among his prominent projects are Fantasia, Dumbo, Bambi, and Pinnochio. During the same time, Peanuts creator Charles Schulz had just found success with the United Feature Syndicate publication. His initial comic strip debuted in seven newspapers in 1950. He was commissioned to work on a commercial for the Ford Falcon car and met Meléndez during the production. The two got along right away and realized they needed each other. In their own words, they understood that they filled each other’s creative gaps.

Once the duo began working together, Bill had recorded some dialogue for everyone’s favorite beagle but Schulz was not on board. He thought Snoopy shouldn’t talk since he was a dog and wanted to focus the talking on the kids. The kids were the central voice of the show, with even adults talking in their classic inaudible “wa wa wa wa” voices. Eventually, the engineer put Meléndez’s recording at a quarter speed and Charles decided that it was actually a good idea- “That’s it. that’s our voice for Snoopy.” Meléndez was also responsible for the voice of Snoopy’s comical sidekick Woodstock.

This decision translated into over seventy-five episodes and the Charlie Brown Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas esteemed movies. During all of these projects, Schulz only trusted Meléndez with Snoopy and Woodstock’s animation and voice dubbing. During the 70’s, Spanish speakers coined the dog “Esnupi” and the name has caught on ever since. I grew up calling this little guy Esnupi and even my non-Spanish-speaking friends have sent me this meme various times in the past year. A few of the times the name Esnupi resurfaced was in the 1997 book Juventud Y Alegría and a viral DeviantArt post from the 2000s featuring pixelated Snoopy drawn with an overbite and signature red collar. To quote the daily dot’s piece Esnupi, the Spanish Snoopy: “In 2019, a post about a dog named Esnupi went viral from user anavvictoria_, which wasn’t about Snoopy. But the picture of the dog was super cute and people immediately connected with the name.”

In the past year, the name resurfaced yet again on TikTok with users showing off their Snoopy plushies doing mundane things like listening to “Ribs” by Lorde or looking out a car window. Many commented “me asf” or “real” with a percentage of commenters saying “esnupi core” and others along those lines. Portuguese account esnupicore stands at 150.4k followers on X and posts memes that resonate with people for whatever reason.

Back to Meléndez, he worked on the cartoon until the end with his last feature 2006’s He’s A Bully, Charlie Brown. He recalls Charles telling him the following: “Up to now I’ve been limited. I just didn’t know what to do with [Snoopy]. Now I see he can do everything.” He’s served as an inspiration to many, including Raúl García, a key animator for The Simpsons, Nickelodeon’s Fairly Odd Parents, and Disney’s Hercules. People like Bill Meléndez have paved the path for many animators today. Latinos are at last making strides on a bigger scale in creative fields and Meléndez is one of the few to start that progress. When December rolls back around and you make your arroz con leche, morcilla, and coquito, play A Charlie Brown Christmas in the background and remember Bill Meléndez’s contributions to your favorite roof-sleeping dog. We love you, Esnupi.

Thanks for reading! Follow Dani Is Dizzy for all things pop culture, music, entertainment, and Nueva York living. Social links below:

Instagram: danielastorres

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-Daniela Torres

Works Cited:

• https://wearemitu.com/wearemitu/culture/mexican-animator-charlie-brown-christmas/

• https://wearemitu.com/wearemitu/entertainment/latino-voice-snoopy-woodstock/

• https://shoutoutla.com/meet-raul-garcia-animation-director-and-ceo-of-rr-communications-inc/

• https://x.com/esnupicore

• https://www.dailydot.com/memes/esnupi-meme/