Yahoo Movies ‘Sabado Gigante’ legend Don Francisco meets up with a (really) old friend at Zoo Miami
Talking to the animals!
“Sábado Gigante” legend Don Francisco has got a whole new, um, Gig.
The onetime star of Univision’s longest running variety show, 82, paid a visit to Zoo Miami on Monday.
The local attraction’s head zookeeper Ron Magill posted a photo of the two men smiling next to the Galapagos tortoise named Goliath, estimated to be about 100 years old.
The giant reptile has quite a history: He was the very same one who starred in a segment Francisco and Magill did on “SG” more than 30 years ago.
“Today, I had the privilege of working with one of my great mentors and the greatest television host in the history of Hispanic television,” said the Instagram caption, which explains that Francisco (real name: Mario Kreutzberger) was on site for the small screen vet’s CNN En Español interview focused show, “Reflexiones (Reflections).” It airs at 10 p.m. Sundays.
Recent guests include Colombian actress Ximena Duque; pop star Mijares; reggaetonero Don Omar; and Miss Universe 1996 Alicia Machado. The next celeb sitdown is with Mexican journalist Jorge Ramos; in a preview clip, the two men are seen walking around Española Way in Miami Beach
“He taught me more about how to communicate on television than anyone,” effused Magill. “In doing so, he opened more doors for me by providing me with incredible opportunities that helped me connect with millions of people around the world. I will forever be indebted to him.”
Francisco began his colossal run on “Sábado Gigante” in 1962; the beloved three-hour, Spanish language show — viewed across the world in 42 countries — was canceled in 2015.
According to Guinness, “SG” is the longest-running variety show on TV, airing continuously for 2,600 weeks. Francisco only missed only one broadcast, in 1974, after the Chilean native’s mother’s death.
Magill told the Miami Herald that reconnecting with Francisco was a thrill.
“It was so wonderful taking him around the zoo and having countless people yelling his name and asking to take a photograph,” the animal expert said. “What’s amazing is how he so graciously said yes to everyone. There is no question that he was the most popular ‘attraction’ at the zoo yesterday.”
The Zoo Miami episode, airing Feb. 26, will focus on the love lives of animals and how they court and reproduce, Magill explained.
