Related videos:
The Cuban comedian Ulises Toirac turned 63 years old and celebrated with an emotional post on Facebook where he expressed gratitude for the thousands of birthday wishes received and reflected on the decision that changed his life: leaving engineering to pursue a career in comedy.
In the text, Toirac began with a stark honesty about the ailments of aging.
"Sixty-three is a joke. Anyone who says otherwise is lying. Back in the day, you could get there in no time, but now you're still thinking about whether to start running. Three times getting up from the chair later, you realize that since the first time, it was just to go to the bathroom," he detailed.
But the tone changed when talking about the affection received.
The actor shared that he read each of the messages he received from various sources: posts on his wall, SMS – the first one arriving exactly at 12:00:01 –, Messenger, and WhatsApp, all despite the usual connectivity issues in Cuba.
"The connection hasn’t been working all day, but I’ve read all of them," he wrote, acknowledging that responding to each message was impossible, even under normal circumstances.
The focus of the publication was his vital balance at the age of 63.
“If I did anything right in my life, it was putting aside engineering and dedicating myself to comedy. It has brought me the worst imaginable setbacks, but it has also given me the gift of doing whatever I wanted in that field, nurturing myself to my heart's content, exploring, daring, achieving, and making mistakes,” he wrote.
Toirac graduated with a degree in Electroenergetic Engineering from the José Antonio Echeverría Technological University of Havana (CUJAE) in 1986, but his artistic calling led him down a different path from the very beginning.
His career began in 1981, and last March he celebrated 45 years of uninterrupted artistic life in theater, television, radio, and film.
In the post, she also reflected on what she considers her greatest privilege: "To resonate with people through what I do. To notice that it has made an impact on them, that they understand the hints, that they conspire... ultimately, a bond is formed through which we mutually appreciate each other."
And he was emphatic when looking back: "If I were to be born again, I would do exactly the same, including the mistakes. I know that I am fortunate. And it's one of those privileges that one can show without shame, without fear of being accused of corruption."
On several occasions, Toirac has acknowledged the work of his former colleagues in the electrical sector, whom he admires for their efforts amidst the worst tragedy faced by the Cuban people due to the government's inability to provide decent service.
As noted last November, those involved—linemen, repair workers, dispatch chiefs... are "magicians" who, when the system collapses, "multiply hours and magic."
My former colleagues are going through hell and deserve more than diplomas and gladioluses. They are not part of the problem but the only solution at hand," he emphasized at that time.
In a previous post, Ulises made clear his appreciation for everyone who strives to keep the SEN alive. "It's not that they are not to blame. On the contrary, they have the courage."
"My respect, admiration, and embrace to all of them," he emphasized, in a gesture of support for those who keep alive, with tremendous sacrifices, the little that remains of the SEN.
His birthday comes at a time of intense public activity for Toirac, who just days earlier stated on Familia Cubana TV that "Cuba is in a labyrinth with no solution" within the scope of his lifetime, in one of his most forceful criticisms of the regime.
On his 62nd birthday, Toirac also shared a public reflection in which he stated: "I am in love with what I have achieved and proud of the way I achieved it."
This Tuesday, he concluded his message of gratitude with a statement that encapsulates his relationship with the Cuban audience: "I always say that without me, they would have another favorite artist, another comedian to share the conspiracy with. But without you, I wouldn't have been able to exist."
Filed under: