Adalberto Rodríguez

Who was Adalberto Rodríguez?

Adalberto Rodríguez, better known as Machuchal, was a Puerto Rican comedian.

Rodríguez was born in the town of Sabana Grande, in southwest Puerto Rico. In his boyhood years he imitated animal sounds for his elementary school peers. His "Machuchal" stage name is that of the Sabana Granda barrio where he grew up. He enjoyed calling himself "El alcalde de Machuchal",. The joke not only prevailed, it also helped launch him into stardom.

Rodríguez played the role of Puerto Rico's mountain man, known as Jíbaro. He would wear the typical Jíbaro straw hat and the farmer's typical shirt for many years on his daily appearances on Telemundo Puerto Rico's midday show, El Show De Las 12.

Rodríguez also participated in La Taberna India, a show that was sponsored for many years by the Puerto Rican beer of the same name. When La Taberna India moved to WAPA-TV in 1985, Machuchal also moved to Telemundo Puerto Rico's fiercest rival.

Rodríguez once prompted Mexican comedian Cantinflas to compliment him, saying that nobody in the world made him laugh like Machuchal did. Machucal also participated in some movies, more notably Machuchal En Nueva York and El Agente 0.