Carlos Otero

Carlos Otero is a Cuban presenter and host born on June 16, 1958 in Havana, Cuba.

Otero is considered by the Cuban public as one of the best entertainers and hosts of all time. His versatility as a host, interviewer, presenter, and even actor in humorous programs earned him a place in the most popular entertainment shows on Cuban television, making him its star presenter during his 30-year career in Cuba.

As he has recognized on several occasions, he forged his own style inspired by the great Cuban announcers Germán Pinelli, Cepero Brito, and Consuelito Vidal.

Biography

In 1978, he made his debut as one of the 9 announcers on the program "Para Bailar," which aired every Sunday on television, and which produced important hosts and actors such as Lily Rentería, Mara Roque, Albertico Pujol, Rebeca Martínez, and Néstor Jiménez. "Para Bailar" remained on the air until 1983, and thanks to the professionalism of its participants and the charisma of its presenters, it became one of the most successful participation programs of its kind, serving as a reference point for later shows like "Bailando en Cuba."

But perhaps it is "Sabadazo" by director and screenwriter Julio Pulido, the show for which Cubans best remember Carlos Otero. On July 4, 1993, during the toughest years of the Special Period, Cuban television gathered on its prime time slot on Saturday night, under Otero's leadership, a group of comedians who would be consecrated as the best of the 90s on the island. The show enjoyed great acceptance and popularity among an audience that, suffocated by economic shortages, eagerly awaited that hour of entertainment every Saturday. Sabadazo featured Ulises Toirac, Orlando Doimeadios, Bongó Quiñongo, Geonel Martín (Gustavito) who made his debut as a comedian on the show, Ángel García Mesa (Antolín el Pichón), among other figures who are now essential when talking about Cuban humor.

Carlos Otero left the hosting of the program in early '96 because he understood that the television show needed a change that never came.

Initially, Carlos Otero was chosen in 1998 to host the show 23 y M, but he left the project after 3 months and was replaced by Edith Massola.

In 2007, he returned to host a highly-rated prime-time show "Con Carlos y Punto" where he combined humor with interviews and music. That same year, he made an appearance on Ulises Toirac's comedy show "Jura decir la verdad". The program was interrupted and taken off the air because by the time of its broadcast, the news of his arrival in the United States was already known.

Otero emigrated to Miami via Canada with his two children and his wife in December 2007. His arrival and reception were televised. A few days earlier, he had been awarded the Animator of the Year Award in Cuba.

Upon his arrival, he granted several interviews on some programs and signed with AmericaTeVe Channel 41. True to his hosting style, he has been presenting the TN3 program alongside his co-host, Venezuelan Mónica Pasqualotto, for several years on this network. Throughout these years, he has been able to reconnect with figures from the island who have visited the city of exile.

In December 2014, he reunited live on América TV with some of the cast of Sabadazo.

Both in his own show TN3, as well as on his Facebook and Instagram profiles, he expresses his opinions against the Cuban government's policies and denounces the situation in which the people of the island are living.

Otero has been emotionally connected to the Cuban backing vocalist Haniset Rodríguez for 7 years, with whom he also shares the stage.