Television & Humor

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Television & Humor

A very funny double act

In the TV program “Os Caras de Pau”, comedians Leandro Hassum and Marcius Melhem make simple everyday scenes into the funniest stories

Dating, work, leisure [1], relationships with neighbors, relatives and friends ... It's all part of everyday life for millions of Brazilians.  This routine is also part of life for friends “Pedrão” and “Jorginho.” However, when they come into play [2], the most common everyday-life situations start to look like comic strips [3].  Pedrão and Jorginho are the two main characters in “Os Caras dePau,” aired early Sunday afternoon on Globo. Marcius Melhem plays Pedrão, while Leandro Hassum brings the character Jorginho to life. Their humor appeals [4] to kids and adults alike [5]. It is somewhat naive [6] but very creative and funny humor. They prove that it is possible to produce good comedy programs without resorting to malice [7].

A great friendship

Marcius and Leandro have been friends for over ten years. On television, their first partnership began in 2005, on the 'Zorra Total' show.  They stood out [8] as a bumbling pair of bodyguards [9]. The double-act's success led Globo to create a special program for them, “Os Caras de Pau.”  The "Hassum Melhem" partnership has also been a success in the theater. They have worked together on the hit play "Nós na Fita" for over five years.

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Journalist-turned-comedian

Marcius Melhem worked for several years as a journalist, specializing in economics, before becoming a comedy star

Marcius Melhem is really a surprising artist. In addition to making successful comedy shows, he has also worked on Globo soap operas.   Melhem stood out on the award winning soap opera "Caminho das Índias" (2009), playing the character Radesh.  Some years before, Marcius had played two bit parts in Globo soap operas: Mulheres Apaixonadas (2003) and Da Cor do Pecado (2004). Besides being a great actor, Marcius has written several plays and has also worked as writer on various Globo programs. But the most surprising fact in this 38-year-old Carioca father-of-two's career is that he used to be a journalist, specializing in economics.

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        Leandro:

  music as a hobby

   Leandro Hassum, 37, is also a Carioca. Before starting his career, he used to tell jokes to friends and relatives, but never thought of being an actor. It was thanks to a girlfriend that he decided to take a drama class. He enjoyed the experience and soon discovered he had talent. But before becoming a television star, Hassum worked as an actor in several plays (some of them for children).When not working, Hassum enjoys painting [10]  and playing guitar. In a recent interview he revealed to newspaper Extra that he was picked [11] on as a child because he was fat [12].

Matéria publicada na edição de número 58 da Revista Maganews.

Narração (CD de áudio) – David Hatton e Aasita Muralikrishna

Fotos – Rede Globo

Vocabulary

1 leisure – lazer

2 to come into play – aqui = entrar em ação / em cena

3 comic strips – história em quadrinhos

4 to appeal – atrair / conquistar

5 alike – da mesma forma

6 somewhat naive – um tanto ingênuo

7 without resorting to malice

 – sem recorrer à malícia

8 to stand up –  destacar-se

9 bodyguards –  guarda-costas

10  painting – pintura

11 to be picked on - aqui = ser menosprezado / sofrer preconceito

12 fat - gordo