Chavéz Chat Fest

Eight perfect hours on a Sunday for most: coffee, newspaper, beach-lounging, museum or a movie. Hugo Chavéz’s eight perfect hours on a Sunday: talking. That’s right, the Venezuelan president set an 8-hour record with his most recent weekly Aló Presidente program (No. 295), a TV marathon that stretched from 11...

By Chuck Strouse

September 28, 2007

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Eight perfect hours on a Sunday for most: coffee, newspaper, beach-lounging, museum or a movie.

Hugo Chavéz’s eight perfect hours on a Sunday: talking.

That’s right, the Venezuelan president set an 8-hour record with his most recent weekly Aló Presidente program (No. 295), a TV marathon that stretched from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. last Sunday. The Guardian reported that Chavéz rarely referred to notes and it was largely a one-man show. (He didn’t feature any special guests but did name-drop by a meeting planned Monday with Kevin Spacey.

To fill the hours, Chavéz added a splash of Sábado Gigante: singing and cracking jokes. And a smidge of social conscience when he called out parents who give daughters breast implants for their 15th birthday. At least, he didn’t use insult gays like another verbose marathon talker. I don’t know if he did. A lot can get said, and lost, in eight hours. --Janine Zeitlin

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Chuck Strouse is the former editor in chief of Miami New Times. He has shared two Pulitzer Prizes and won dozens of other awards. He is an honors graduate of Brown University and has worked at newspapers including the Miami Herald and Los Angeles Times.

Contact: Chuck Strouse

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