Nelson Gudín Benítez

Nelson Gudín Benítez is a recognized and popular Cuban humorist, known for his characters El Bacán and Flor de Anís. The artist also stands out for his creative scripts, narrations, and poetry.

He was born in Pilón, province of Granma. He is a graduate of technical studies in mechanical design, is a member of UNEAC and of the Sur group. He currently works as an actor and screenwriter for audiovisual programs at the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television. Artistic Life.

Before making the leap to television, Gudín already had a prolific career as a screenwriter, playwright, and writer. He worked as a screenwriter and actor from 1988 to 1995 in the Galich theater group and in the humor group Club de Rueda, was founder of the literary group SUR in Pilón in 1989, was president of the Hermanos Saíz Association of Pilón between 1988-1992.

He has written poetry for children for which he has been awarded at the National Meeting of Literary Workshops in 1992. He also received the October 20 Prize for Narrative in 1999 and holds the National Humorous Narrative Prize "Aquelarre" for the years 1998 and 2008.

He has published the books La Ciudad y el loco (poetry), Extramuros Editorial, 2010, El país de los Pultos, (novel) SanLope Editorial, 2010, El mundo de los ojos 2011, Bayamo Editions. (Poetry) and is part of the anthology of décimas, Navegas, Isla de Oro, Gente Nueva Editorial, 2009.

The renowned humorist, since he appeared with his well-designed El Bacán de la Vida and Flor de Anís on the small screen, "stole" the television audience with his unparalleled talent. This valuable creator is a prestigious screenwriter and an acclaimed poet. In his relatively short but intense artistic life, he has undertaken the following work:

Galich Theater Group: Director, screenwriter and actor. 1988-1992

Humorous Group Club de Rueda: Actor and screenwriter. 1992-1995

Humor Promotion Center: Humorist 1996-2008

President of the Hermanos Saíz Association (Pilón) 1988-1992

Founder of the literary group SUR (Pilón) 1989

Founder of the Guerrilla de Teatreros.

Member of the jury of the National Aquelarre Humor Festival 2004 to 2008

Screenwriter for humorous sections of the television programs Para no salir de casa and Fin de Semana.

Creator and screenwriter of the project "Deja que yo te cuente".

In 2005 he moved to television with the humorous program Deja que yo te cuente, of which he was creator and screenwriter. The program had great viewership not only for its humorous nature but for the characters that paraded through it. In addition to Flor de Anís and Urbinito, interpreted by Gudín himself, the audience began to become interested in Professor Mentepollo (Carlos Gonzalvo) who criticized Cuban daily life with his ironic studies, Lindoro Incapaz (Rewel Remedios) who represented the mediocre and opportunistic director, Inspector La Llave (Miguel Moreno) who was the director's errand boy, among other characters that embodied endemic stereotypes of the Cuban scene. Making humor of that type in official media has always been a great challenge and Gudín passed the test by keeping the program on the air for many years.

Between 2006-2008 he won awards related to Best Humorous Television Program and Best Actor.

In the last ten years he has written and directed several performances in the main theaters of the country, in addition to maintaining a fruitful literary work as a poet, playwright, and narrator.

Nelson Gudín is recognized as a writer. A fantastic plot filled with symbols and imagination was the proposal of his book El país de los Pultos, for which he shared the peculiarities of his first publication with the young audience of the province of Las Tunas.

The renowned Cuban radio and television humorist surprises his audience with this short novel, inscribed in the science fiction genre and in which he narrates the unusual adventures of beings from an extraterrestrial civilization and a mysterious Little Green Man. Mermaids and flying horses appear portrayed in a poetic language that makes use indiscriminately of lyrical and narrative resources and of careful illustration work, through the pen drawings of designer Gilbert Rodríguez. According to Gudín, the text is the realization of a project initiated two decades ago, when he began writing independent stories inspired by the childhood he lived in his native Pilón, municipality of the eastern province of Granma. The author has ventured into the décima on repeated occasions and confesses that literature complements his work as a humorist. For Nelson, writing and acting are forms of expression and he feels good cultivating both, because they satisfy his desire to express opinions, polemicize, and propose topics that foster debate among readers or spectators, according to his statement.

"About three years ago I returned to these pages, my greater experience in writing and dramaturgy allowed me to group them in a short novel, which although it is true possesses a childish pretext, was conceived to be read on various levels of comprehension," says the artist

The most recent release from the Tunas publisher Sanlope, is the first of Gudín's literary works to go on sale, to which other texts of poetry, narrative, and essay will be added soon, the latter titled A ojo de buen cubero, which constitutes a look at the tradition and current state of Cuban humor.

Deja que yo te cuente

The popular program "Deja que yo te cuente" from Cuban Television directed by Roberto Díaz was conceived by Nelson Gudín who is also the main screenwriter. It was an idea he had had for some time, but conceived in a different way. He had to make many changes and keep testing until reaching what that humorous program is today, which the audience enjoys so much. Some say that the presentation is a trick. Well, with the fear he has of water... the actor had to submerge himself since the filming was real and took place at Playa Girón.

In April 2005 Nelson received a phone call from the Division of Dramatized Programs requesting a project from him. He had two or three sketched ideas; one in the telenovela comedy genre (which later became El Taller), and the other idea: a parody of telenovelas to be developed in a rural setting (which later became La viva estampa). With these proposals he appeared at the dramatized programs editorial office, but what they needed was a humorous variety show for the summer (8 episodes). In three or four days he conceived the program, it was approved, and they began to work; later they were asked to continue until December, and thus the program gradually became what it is today.

..."There was a problem: What television needed was a humorous variety show. It had to air as soon as possible, so it occurred to me to "put together" this kind of variety show, whose main objective is to pay homage to the notable figures who have dedicated part of their life (and why not, their entire life) to making humor. Thus the sections emerged and the project was carried out. The main challenge was to assume humor as an effective way to point out some of the problems that affect Cuban society. It is a complicated task, because criticizing is always difficult, especially when you run the risk of being misunderstood. I believe we have achieved an approach to the Cuban people and to reality without reaching the point of wounding sensibilities, being consistent with the proposals and with ourselves as creators, not afraid to address issues, but with the delicacy that is required".
the renowned humorist stated to Juventud Rebelde

Although Nelson is the main screenwriter, the collaboration of writers such as Onelio Escalona, Miguelito Moreno, Gelliset Valdés, Iván Camejo has also been counted on, but the success lies, essentially, in the work and contributions of everyone in the rehearsals, the discussion of ideas, and the spirit of harmony that is felt at each recording. As always happens, the characters take over this type of program: Flor de Anís, Professor Mentepollo, Claro, Maraca, Tonita... Flor de Anís, although already among the most popular, continues to be a proposal with different facets.

..."As an actor I embody her just like other characters such as El Bacán, for example. I am not the first to take on female roles, and in many cases, with great success. There are Margot (Osvaldo Doimeadiós), La Pía (Angel García), Mariconchi (Orlando Manrrufo), who are popular, and I am sure that the actors assume it in the same way. It is just another character, that requires psychological preparation, information, treatment with acting techniques. "Some people ask why Flor de Anís stopped interviewing the guests, thinking it was due to reasons of prohibition, and I can assure you it was particularly a decision of the collective".
Nelson Gudín assured

Gudín's Confessions

Writer or actor: I still don't know if I am a writer who acts, or an actor who writes. What I am convinced of is that I am a fortunate man to have had so many wonderful people along the way who have given me a hand, experience, artistic and literary rigor.

Difficult to write: the worst, those who do the most damage are the hypocrites, the opportunists...

Satisfied with his work: bitter about the imperfections, but my work is coherent with my time and with my critical thinking.

Doimeadiós: a debt that always accompanies me... a humorist of his stature... the most important thing was having him on the team.

The success of "Deja que yo te cuente": all the merit belongs to Roberto Díaz, the Director of the program.

Future plans: To leave in images and in books a real portrait of our time.

Awards

Performing Arts

Prize for Best Male Performance (Paco Alfonso Theater Festival, 1989).

Prize for Best Production (Paco Alfonso Theater Festival, 1989).

Prize for Best Male Performance (First Meeting of One-Person Shows of the AHS, 1990)

Prize for Best Male Performance (Paco Alfonso, 1991)

Prize for Best Production (Paco Alfonso, 1991)

Prize for Best Unpublished Script (Paco Alfonso, 1991)

Prize for Best Male Performance (National Aquelarre Humor Festival, 1997)

Prize for Best Humorous Performance (National Aquelarre Humor Festival, 1997)

Quintana Ross Prize (National Aquelarre Humor Festival, 1997)

Prize for Best One-Person Performance (National Aquelarre Humor Festival, 2002)

National Caricato Prize for Performing Arts, 2004)

Television

Prize for Best Humorous Television Program (2006)

National Caricato Prize for Television Performance (2007)

Prize for Best Humorous Television Program (2007)

Prize for Most Popular Television Program (2007)

Prize for Best Humorous Television Program (2008)

Grand Prize for Best Television Program of the Year (2008)

Literature

Children's Poetry Prize from the Provincial Meeting of Literary Workshops, 1992

Children's Poetry Prize from the National Meeting of Literary Workshops, 1992

October 20 Prize for Narrative, 1999

National Humorous Narrative Prize "Aquelarre, 1998"

National Humorous Narrative Prize "Aquelarre, 2008"

National Prize in Humorous Décima "Aquelarre, 1998"

In 2015 he reunited with his audience as well as with professional colleagues in Miami. He participated in two programs on the América Tvé channel: El Espejo, Juan Manuel Cao and El Happy Hour with his representations of El Bacán and Flor de Anís. That same year he presented his El Bacán show in Houston.

In 2021 Nelson Gudín settles in the city of Miami and begins working at Univista on the Show de Carlucho