31 Minutos is reaching a whole new audience. On Oct. 6, the Chilean puppet ensemble performed on NPR Music’s ‘El Tiny’ Desk series, playing seven songs that perfectly illustrate what has endeared it to generations of Latin Americans. The third puppet ensemble to perform in the popular concert series, their video has surpassed expectations, earning more than 3.8 million views a day after it was shared.
31 Minutos was created by Álvaro Díaz — not to be confused with the Puerto Rican reggaeton artist — and Pedro Peirano, who co-founded the Aplaplac production team. It debuted in 2003 through Televisión Nacional De Chile, an NPR-like public broadcasting network. The show parodies a broadcast news program featuring coverage of topics ranging from schoolyard happenings (featuring real schools and children) to war and pollution. In each show there were segments that included the adventures of a superhero (Calcetin con Rombos Man, or Argyle Sock Man) and sports sections, and most popularly, a hit parade with original songs.
The show became hugely popular in Latin America, especially in Chile and Mexico, and lasted for three seasons, with a fourth produced by Netflix in 2014. It also spawned a feature-length film, a few TV specials, original live musicals, books, comics, a museum expo, a tribute album with covers by acts such as Belanova and Natalia Lafourcade, and touring live performances featuring musicians such as Pedropiedra and members of Chancho En Piedra, even playing the 2020 edition of Vive Latino festival in Mexico.
The show made its mark thanks to its highly creative visuals — Aplaplac claims that any object can become a puppet if you use your imagination — and its use of an absurdist yet biting brand of humor to discuss complex topics with children, building a self-contained lore. Their inventiveness, wittiness, and outspokenness have forged an unbroken bond with fans who grew up watching the show, as well as attracting teenagers and young adults who watched alongside the younger generation.
Like most Tiny Desk performances, 31 Minutos focused on the music, featuring the live band on camera, wearing shirts that mimicked the shelves in NPR’s office space so they could blend in, as well as the puppets from the series. Dimwitted yet egocentric host Tulio Triviño made interventions between songs, interacting with producer Juanín Juan Harry, no-nonsense star reporter Juan Carlos Bodoque, and young journalist intern Patana Tufillo, resulting in hilarious banter.
For their opening number, they go back to season 1’s “Mi Equilibrio Espiritual” by afroed rockstar Freddy Turbina and feature a — literally — smoking guitar solo. Next up was “Baila Sin César” by Latidos Latinos Urbanos Emergentes Hip-Hop Hermanos Brothers, or LLUEHHHB, making a pun of the word for “stop” and the name “César” in Spanish. Prefaced by a brief interpretation of the Better Call Saul theme song, singer-lawyer Juan Pablo Sopa takes the stage to perform “Objeción Denegada,” a fan favorite thanks to its “hablo como idiota” chorus. “Calurosa Navidad,” the title song from their forthcoming movie, reminds us that in Chile and the entire Southern Hemisphere, Christmas is the hottest day of the year, while Flor Bovina’s “Mi Muñeca Me Habló” and Bombi’s “Arwrarwrirwrarwro” got their moment. The set closes with their theme song, “Yo Nunca Vi Televisión (Y Luego Sí Pero Después No),” sung by all the musicians and puppet, paying a small homage to politically charged Chilean rock legends Los Prisioneros, bringing an emotive finale to the performance.
There were many political commentaries throughout the performance, delivered with characteristic humor, which is an important aspect of why 31 Minutos’ Tiny Desk Concert has people talking online. Tulio makes a reference to their visas expiring, while an ICE alligator agent makes frightening appearances, with Juan Carlos Bodoque commenting that he is just “a nice man” making sure they will return home safe, and altered the lyrics of “Objeción Denegada” to include the phrase “alza la mano si te venció la Waiver/alza la mano si tu eres ilegal.” While some unfamiliar with the show have accused it of going woke, fans are relishing their typical outspokenness.
This Tiny Desk Concert is part of NPR Music’s “El Tiny” takeover. Other performances from the series include Fito Paez, Rubio, Carlos Vives, and Adrian Quesada, among others.
Check out 31 Minutos’ NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert below.
