Sábado Sensacional
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Sábado Sensacional (renamed Super Sábado Sensacional in 1990) is a Spanish variety show created in Venezuela Venevisión network in 1970. Shown on a weekly basis, every Saturday from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm – sometimes longer during special occasions– it is viewed internationally throughout Latin America, the Caribbean and the United States and it is considered as one of the highest rated television shows in the country. Throughout its run, there have been three major hosts: Amador Bendayán (1970 - 1988), Gilberto Correa (1989 - 1996) and Daniel Sarcos (present).
[edit] The Transition
The heavy schedule of a long running variety television show took its toll on Amador Bendayan's health at the end of the 1970s and throughout the 1980s. His abuse of cigarettes and his struggle with diabetes mellitus made it sometimes impossible to please his audience, forcing him to rest down, with his absence being covered by other hosts, including model and actress Miriam Ochoa, César González ("el amigo de todos" - "Everybody's friend"), journalist and broadcaster Napoleón Bravo and Gilberto Correa, who at the time was the host of another successful Venevision show "De Fiesta Con Venevisión". Meanwhile, people were patient enough to wait for Bendayan's constant returns, welcoming him with the now memorable slogan of "Ánimo Amador" (Cheer up, Amador) which later became a stample of the show during the entire decade.
Bendayan's wish for a better respect to artists around the country was fulfilled in 1985, when he hosted an event celebrating his idea of La Casa del Artista (The Artist's House, which was inaugurated officially in late 1988). But despite his efforts, Amador's health was rapidly deteriorating by this time and was forced to retire completely from the show, while the audience still watched his show and the many musical performers would sign a flipchart pleading for his return.
In late July 1989, agonizing in his deathbed, Bendayan made producer Ricardo Peña write a letter as a farewell message to Venezuela and his wish to continue producing the show with Gilberto Correa, who was in charge of reading Bendayan's last will on a special aired the day after he died, on August 4, 1989.
[edit] Sabado Sensacional after Amador Bendayan's death
Amador Bendayan's death was a hard blow on everyone who worked or participated on the show, particularly on Ricardo Peña. Despite the grief, the show kept on, generating higher ratings and focusing even more on multitudinary events, like state fairs, the "Super Bingo de la Bondad", and the "Festival de la Orquidea" (an event founded by Amador Bendayan in 1982, to celebrate the Maracaibo Chiquinquira Fair).
Sarcos's youthful energy caught the eye of Gilberto Correa, who at the time saw his own inevitable retire that same year."El Precipicio" thats it talent show. They have new segments covered many slots of the show's duration, generating criticism amongst its viewers, Super Sabado Sensacional still goes strong almost 40 years on air, maintaining its place as one of the longest running variety shows in Latin America.
