“Viva o Gordo”, “Jô Onze e Meia”, “Xangô de Baker Street”: the landmarks of Jô Soares

The presenter, actor, comedian and also writer Jo Soares who died in the early hours of this Friday (5), at the age of 84, leaves an extensive cultural production.

From audience successes, from “Viva o Gordo” and “Jô Soares Onze e Meia”, which marked the 1980s and 90s, to his literary production, there were countless characters, interviews and participations that made his long trajectory.

Here are some highlights of Jô Soares’ career:

Make humor, not make war

Shown in the early 1970s, “Make humor, don’t make war” was an innovative production on Rede Globo’s timetable. The program consisted of short frames full of quick jokes and dry cuts – a different proposal from what used to be done in comedy productions at that time.

Initially directed by João Lorêdo and produced by Ruy Mattos, the program starred Jô Soares and Renato Corte Leal, who also participated in writing the scripts for the sketches. The cast also included names such as Miéle, Sandra Bréa, Berta Loran, Paulo Silvino and Renata Fronzi.

Among the main characters played by Jô in Make humor, not make war are the hippie Norminha, the Drunk, Professor Gengir Khan, Brother Thomas and Manchetão.

Long live the Fat

After “Make Humor, Not War”, Jô Soares also participated in “Satiricom” (1973), “O Planeta dos Homens” (1976) and, as an interviewer, from “Globo Gente” (1973).

In 1981, Jô debuted his first humorous solo show: “Viva o Gordo” (1981). In it, the comedian interpreted characters and acted with other comedians and actors, such as Brandão Filho, Walter D’Ávila, Berta Loran, Claudia Raia, Flávio Migliaccio and Pedro Paulo Rangel.

Under the direction of Cecil Thiré, Francisco Milani, Walter Lacet, the program was shown on Rede Globo until 1987.

Jo Soares Eleven and a half

After deciding not to renew his contract with Rede Globo, Jô Soares migrated to SBT and premiered the program “Veja o Gordo”. In the same year, Jô debuts as a talk show host – a format in which he would dedicate himself for more than three decades – with “Jô Soares Onze e Meia”.

Among the distinguished guests who participated in the program, Jô interviewed Ayrton Senna, Cazuza and Raul Seixas, in his last appearance on Brazilian open TV.

In all, there were 6,927 interviews carried out until 1999.

Jo talk show

For 16 years, part of Rede Globo’s late nights was filled by the iconic talk show hosted by Jô Soares. From Monday to Friday, Jô received guests in the studio for interviews, most of the time in the classic talk show format, commenting on news and keeping a little bit of humor.

Aired until 2016, the program featured more than 14,000 interviews with the most varied personalities, ranging from former presidents of the Republic, judges and congressmen to artists, musicians, journalists, athletes, among others.

Books by Jo Soares

The astronaut without a regime (1983)

Being his first adventure in the literary world, the work brings a series of short stories essentially humorous.

Humor in the Times of Collor (1992)

Sharing the authorship with Luis Fernando Verissimo and Millôr Fernandes, the book brings the Brazilian scenario in the times when Fernando Collor presided over the country. Critical narrative is driven through humor.

The Cup No One Has Seen and We Don’t Want to Remember (1994)

In the pages of the work published in 1994, Jô Soares, Armando Nogueira and Roberto Muylaert recall two fateful defeats for the Brazilian football team — in the 1950 and 1954 World Cups.

The Baker Street Shango (1995)

One of the most famous literary works by Jô Soares is the novel The Baker Street Shango that mixes historical and fictional characters in the midst of the 19th century imperial capital, Rio de Janeiro. Due to the success of publication, the book was adapted for the big screen in 2001.

The Man Who Killed Getúlio Vargas: Biography of an Anarchist (1998)

In another work of fiction, Jô Soares writes the biography of an anarchist who travels the world between 1914 and 1954 with the mission of killing tyrants. The novel is written in the author’s strong humorous vein. The book has been translated into other languages, including English, French and Italian. In the United States it was published in 2001 as “Twelve Fingers: Biography of an Anarchist”.

Murders at the Brazilian Academy of Letters (2005)

The central plot of the novel is the investigation of a series of crimes against the Immortais da Academia Brasileira de Letras. It is up to Commissioner Machado Machado to prove that the deaths were no coincidence.

The Squeezed (2011)

Following the detective novel genre, the book presents the carioca police’s clumsy attempts to find a serial killer in the midst of Estado Novo’s Rio de Janeiro.

The Book of Jô: An Unauthorized Autobiography – Volumes 1 and 2 (2017 and 2018)

In two volumes published in 2017 and 2018, Jô Soares narrates his life memories, wrapped in, of course, a good dose of humor.