Mexican comedian known as Polo Polo, whose full name goes by Leopoldo Roberto Garcia Pelaez Benitez, passed away at 78 on Monday in Mexico City.
According to Deadline, a US-based news outlet, the comedian's son Paul Garca confirmed the news to Ventaneando, stating that his father had passed away at his house at around 5:15 a.m. (local Mexico City time). Following several strokes, Garca claimed that his father developed vascular dementia.
"He had been with family, my sister had been taking care of him," Garcia said in a report by Deadline. "We fulfilled his last wishes, he didn't want to be checked into an institution, he wanted us [family] to take care of him and my sister did a great job."
Describing his father, Garcia said that Polo Polo was someone "pleasant and didn't use a lot of bad words. That was something he only did for his show. He liked to read, play music..."
According to Deadline, Polo Polo was raised as a shoe salesman. According to Garca, talking to family members at the business helped him connect with audiences and understand what made them laugh.
Mexican stand-up comedian Polo Polo, who was born in 1944 in Leon, Guanajuato, is regarded as the "father" of the genre. When he was performing in the 1960s at Keops Nightclub, his potential was found.
His popularity increased in the 1980s due to his performances in movies and on television. Los Angeles and Las Vegas were among the sites of Polo Polo's U.S. comedy tour.
He hosted a program called Con Ganas in the 1990s, providing aspiring comics with a chance to perform their stand-up performance.
Other television appearances by Polo Polo include La Escuelita VIP, Cuento de Navidad, and Que Nos Pasa? on Televisa. His most recent film role was in Cronicas Chilangas, which was released in 2009.
READ ALSO: