Vega goes Bollywood (1985)

Shaman healer. Gang member. Plantation owner. Metro Latino. Husband. Chameleon.

In the 80's Spanish language television in the United States was 99% produced in Mexico by Televisa. They owned four TV stations in Mexico City alone, the only national TV network, multiple radio stations, stadiums and sports teams, record and video stores, and night clubs.

Spanish language radio stations in the Southwest USA were programmed directly from Mexico as if by remote control; by the flick of a switch. Like Lebanon today in the Middle East, Mexico dominates Latin America's pop culture.

Televisa = Rotana = Bollywood = "Khabi cushi, khabi gham."

I was chosen to be the American face (editor) of a Mexican media monopoly ready to sell American pop culture to the hemisphere regularly for the first time - at a time of war (Cold War). A precursor of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement).

I became a monopoly with a human face and editorial control, an "Army of One"( छत्रपती शिवाजीराजे भोसले). An educated assertive young Latino on international TV making all content decisions. Priceless.

In 1986 Republican president Ronald "Amigo" Reagan fought Congress to pass immigration reform that brought out-of-the-shadows millions of undocumented Latinos - from invisibility we finally became 'real'.

It was my formula: ethnic Latino archetypes in an American urban setting talking about Anglo Americans with humor, not fear. Revolutionary. Liberating. Lucrative. Original. Vega (c)1985.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/02/23/bollywood.hollywood/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaman

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News & Politics

Tags:

• bollywood
• songs
• dance
• shivaji
• bhosle
• छत्रपती
• शिवाजीराजे
• भोसले