Myron Clemons
A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.
Anoushka Slater
While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.
Darin
One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.
hfan77
In the 70s and early 80s, Norman Lear was a sitcom king, producing hit shows such as All in the Family, Sanford and Son and The Jeffersons. But in 1984, he produced a sitcom that missed the mark a.k.a. Pablo.The show was about a Mexican-American comic Paul (Pablo) Rivera, played by stand up comedian Paul Rodriguez and his large family. His parents, Domingo and Rosa Maria were played by veteran actors Joe Santos and Katy Jurado. Santos, who also appeared on The Rockford Files was very straightforward to his show business son "I don't like jokes about Mexicans." Jurado was in several movies and was rarely seen in sitcoms but she handled the mom role well. Other notable names were Alma Cuervo as his sister Sylvia and Hector Elizondo as Paul's manager Jose.There was one episode I remember where Paul got in trouble with his family for making jokes about them. A similar plot also turned up almost 30 years later on The Bernie Mac Show when Bernie's family detested his jokes about them. In another episode, there was one scene I remember where the Riveras were listening to Vin Scully call a Dodger game when Fernando Valenzuela was pitching. They were cheering on the Dodger pitcher who was born in their native Mexico.IMHO, t was one of the few sitcoms before The George Lopez show to have a predominantly Hispanic cast. Unfortunately, the Latin humor in the show was too controversial and ABC said "Adios!" to a.k.a. Pablo after only six episodes. Not one of Lear's successful shows.
iwritewell
I admit that i was only 9 when this first came out . But i remember it . I liked Aka Pablo enough to follow the careers of the people that were in it ( especially Paul and Hector of course ) over the course of decades . The show was appealing and funny but yes it had problems . it was a one month show . check out some of the stinker Seinfeld episodes , or friends , or all in the family from the first few shows. given time , it would have flesh out , been funny , made a point , had awkward messaging shows ( say no to drugs and all that) but it wasn't given a chance . too soon maybe .I believe that the concept for this show ( or Margret Cho ) is good . One that needs to be said . But for a show about ethnic to be viable both the studio and the audience have to sit back and let it become . we don't allow that enough. Tyler Perry's shows still have some stereotypes but the reason that some stereotypes need to be showcased in humor is to let people know that we are aware of them. If we jump up screaming every time a racial stereotype is said , or shown we shoot out own causes in the foot . acceptance is long and involved many growing pains . The ethnicity has to see its worst traits amplified and the whites have to accept .
richard.fuller1
It was awful.It was about a son in a latino family who wanted to be a stand-up comic and when he did things like told jokes about his family, they became upset with him.Now everyone from "The Andy Griffith Show" to "Grounded For Life" has used this plot.Pablo's family consisted of his parents, two brothers, two sisters, a brother-in-law, a sister-in-law and several kids.The show clearly sought to verify some stereotypes while breaking others.The mother was the biggest miss. There was no intention of getting the caring, thoughtful, soft-spoken mother of wisdom, but what we had here with her constantly pushing two bands of hair back like Shemp Howard's do, it was bewildering.The father actually got a little better moments and dialogue.Of the siblings and in-laws, they were all rather good. The brother-in-law was a big burly fellow who wore a tank top. I think Pablo's brother was a little Billy Crystal looking fellow.Alma Cuervo as sister Sylvia who was slightly overweight was the best gem here.When Pablo starts talking about his family on a late night program and the family is offended, Syvlia defends her brother, . . . . until her name comes up. Then she gets wide-eyed and shocked.One episode would touch on a granddaughter's coming of age moment, whatever that may be, and we are treated to all of this ceremony. The brother-in-law must deal with his little girl growing up.So here comes the moment and, all in the living room, everyone parades thru, then slowly here comes the little girl, adorned in a pretty dress and flowers. What is she getting married? Is she entering a church? It's grandma's living room, for crying out loud.Needless to say, the sincerity of this moment was lost on me.Above all else, the show struggled with making Pablo lovable. Clearly he thought he was going to smile and you would fall for him. Was this Pablo Rivera or was it Paul Rodriguez? He wasn't as quick as Freddie Prinze Sr. with the lines, I remember that, but clearly Rodriguez has remained much more gregarious, thank goodness.Later, Bea Arthur would be added as an agent to flesh the show out.Her funniest bit, actually the funniest thing I recall from the show, was her entering the Rivera home and going very serious, "Pablo, what your family has done with velvet and plastic. I love it!" Arthur wasn't needed was the problem. The siblings and in-laws were enough.They could have actually broken out into much Spanish on the show and seemingly shut out the anglo audience, but the flavor would have carried the show.I'm just surprised no one else commented on this thing.Maybe that is for the best.
