The tribute that the iconic U.S. program Saturday Night Live (SNL) and Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny made to the famous Mexican comedy El Chavo del Ocho not only conquered the international audience, but also reached the eyes of Florinda Meza, widow of the show’s creator and actor who brought Chavo to life, Roberto Gómez Bolaños “Chespirito”.
The actress and producer reacted with emotion and gratitude through her social networks, especially highlighting Bad Bunny’s performance, whom she described as one of the most memorable points of the sketch.
In a message posted on her official Instagram account, Florinda Meza expressed her joy to see that the legacy of El Chavo del Ocho lives on and continues to inspire new generations, even outside of Latin America.
“I love that they are paying tribute to Roberto’s legacy. I liked them all, but Bad Bunny’s interpretation was masterful. There’s a lot of love there and it shows,” wrote the actress, accompanying the text with images of the sketch that aired on the premiere episode of SNL’s 51st season.
The actress, known worldwide for her role as Doña Florinda in the original series, thanked not only the U.S. program, but especially the Puerto Rican artist himself: “I thank Saturday Night Live for this tribute, but above all, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio ‘Bad Bunny'”.
The SNL tribute aired during the premiere episode of the new season and recreated in great detail the iconic El Chavo del Ocho neighborhood. The sketch included several of the show’s main characters: Quico, played by Bad Bunny; Doña Florinda, played by SNL actress Chloe Fineman; El Chavo, played by Marcello Hernandez; La Chilindrina, played by Sarah Sherman; and Don Ramon, portrayed by Andrew Dismukes.
Professor Jirafales was played by Hollywood actor Jon Hamm, known for his role in the series Mad Men, while Kenan Thompson gave life to an amusing version of El Señor Barriga, renamed as Mr. Stomach in the sketch.
The recreation, full of winks to fans of the series, generated a strong sense of nostalgia among viewers, especially for those who grew up watching the stories created by Gómez Bolaños.
Florinda Meza and her messages
One of the most commented moments of Florinda Meza’s message was when she made reference to the endearing romance between Doña Florinda and Profesor Jirafales, which was central to many of the show’s original stories.
“Another thing I loved about this sketch was seeing Professor Jirafales again and being about to witness that long-awaited kiss… Alas, it was only a dream, because Bad Bunny stopped it in time. We will continue with that illusion forever,” he wrote with humor and nostalgia.
This wink to the well-remembered fictional romance evoked in fans the essence that made El Chavo del Ocho a cultural phenomenon for decades.
El Chavo del Ocho, created by Roberto Gómez Bolaños in the 1970s, is one of the most beloved shows in the history of Spanish-language television. With more than 300 episodes broadcast and dubbed in several languages, including Japanese and Mandarin, the series has left an indelible mark on millions of people around the world.
SNL’s tribute demonstrates that, nearly a decade after Gómez Bolaños’ passing in 2014, the legacy of his characters lives on and continues to inspire new generations and cross cultural boundaries.
Although Bad Bunny has not yet reacted publicly to Florinda Meza’s praise, his participation was widely applauded by users on social networks. The comments highlighted the surprising performance of the urban artist in the role of Quico, one of the most charismatic characters in the neighborhood.
Among the messages that flooded the digital platforms were phrases such as:
“Benito de Quico is something else”,
“I loved it”,
“Benito is much better as Quico than as a musician” and
“It was so iconic, thank you”.
The SNL sketch not only paid tribute to one of Latin America’s most iconic television shows, but also brought new audiences closer to the legacy of El Chavo del Ocho. For Florinda Meza and fans of the series, it was a reminder that simple humor, endearing characters and universal stories can continue to move audiences, regardless of language or country.
Meza’s reaction and the enthusiasm of the fans confirm that Chespirito’s legacy is as strong as ever, and that tributes like this help to keep the memory of his characters alive and to reinforce the affection of several generations for the universe of the neighborhood.
Find out more at ‘QueOnnda.com’.