The Cuban comedian Carlucho (José Carlos Pérez) surprised everyone with a philosophical reflection during his interview with CiberCuba from Madrid: when asked directly if he enjoys being hated, he answered without hesitation: "It makes me feel alive."
The statement emerged in the context of the controversy with the presenter Carlos Otero, who days earlier had stated in the podcast This is Not a Podcast that he would never work with Carlucho again, sparking a debate within the Cuban exile community.
When journalist Tania Costa asked him if there was professional jealousy between them, Carlucho immediately dismissed the premise: "I'm not going to be jealous of the best presenter in Cuba."
Far from stopping there, the comedian moved into a broader reflection on fame, impact, and indifference: "I am a lucky man, fortunate to have an audience that loves me. And you know what? To have an audience that hates me."
"Do you know how sad it would be to have none of that? Do you know how sad it would be not to have anyone talking about you?" she added, reframing criticism and rejection as signs of presence and impact, not of failure.
The controversy between Carlucho and Otero grew in the days leading up to the interview, and Carlucho chose the CiberCuba platform to give his public response after taking some time to reflect.
In the same conversation, the comedian acknowledged going through a difficult personal moment, although he described it in terms of learning: "I am currently experiencing a mourning in my life and I enjoy it, I embrace it, I am learning what the feeling of solitude is and I respect it."
That grief refers to his separation from Lili, his partner of ten years, about whom he spoke discreetly: “For things to be eternal, they don’t have to last a lifetime,” he said, offering no further details out of respect for her.
Carlucho concluded his reflection with a phrase that encapsulates his stance toward others' hatred: "The man who hates me or the woman who hates me is also gifting me a feeling. It's sad that they don't feel anything for you."
In the same interview, Carlucho spoke about the reconstruction of the Cuban people in light of a potential transition, and also revealed details of his weight loss surgery, with which he went from 320 to 186 pounds.
Carlucho has been living in Madrid since late 2024, after more than thirty years in Miami. On May 3rd, he will be performing at the Teatro Las Vegas in the Spanish capital alongside Robertico, his partner from the duo Los Bufomaníacos, in the show The Reunion, their first joint performance in over 25 years.
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