"Joe T.Hodo" Is Part of a Great Tradition of Mexican Satire

Help us keep the show going

By Memo Bautista
Screenwriter of El Joe T. Hodo show

October 20, 2016

Political satire has a long tradition in Mexico. Almost 100 years ago in the carpas, Mexico’s travelling theatres, comedians attacked corrupt or underperforming congressman and other public officials with clever puns. Today the carpas are gone, but tricky politicians and the deceitful practices that protect their personal interests are still around. And while many of these incidents are reported, most of the time the message is lost because the journalists who cover them can’t communicate effectively.

Memo Bautista during the School of Authentic Journalism 2016

Recently, I was invited to join, as a writer, an online video project that reminded me of the carpas: El Joe T. Hodo Show, where an adorable and cynical Texan millionaire openly exposes his plans and actions to conquer this “crazy country”, Mexico. And most definitely, we all laugh at this gringo that tries to convince people that the revered former President Lázaro Cárdenas did great harm to the country by nationalizing the oil industry, or that Joe respects “mexican traditions” such as government paternalism. And amid the laughter something happens: a spark is lit inside you; and you realize it’s all funny because it’s true. That’s how the people running the country behave. It appears like that, inadvertently, the consciousness behind the caustic humor. And you start to question why we don’t take important decisions, and our lives, into our own hands. It is no coincidence that each of the chapters presented reach thousands of views within a few hours of their release, or that a figure like “El Mastuerzo” appears in the show.

There’s no censorship here, that why it has no sponsors. El Joe T. Hodo Show is possible thanks to your contributions, people like you that believe that small actions such as this one can change the destiny of this country. Many times I’ve heard people say there is no good content on the Internet or that, if they had the chance, they’d do something to make things better. Today we have that opportunity. We can support the making of El Joe T. Hodo Show. We can add a brick to the construction of a society that relies on itself, and not on governments, to create and live in the place we deserve.

Click here to donate to our Kickstarter campaign

Memo Bautista
Screenwriter of El Joe T. Hodo show

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