Carlos Otero's Unwavering Stance: "I Would Never Work with Carlucho Again"

Cuban host Carlos Otero candidly revealed that he would never again collaborate with Carlucho, his former colleague at the now-defunct América Tevé in Miami.

This candid admission came during the podcast "Esto no es un Podcast," when the hosts asked Otero if there was anyone he wouldn't consider working with. His answer was quick and clear: Carlucho.

Otero clarified that the rift wasn't due to a public clash but stemmed from professional jealousy. "Friendships are like marriages. There are disagreements, and sometimes, you want to do things I can’t agree with, so we part ways, like a divorce," he explained.

Professional Rivalries and Their Consequences

According to Carlos, the problems began when Carlucho, who had been in the United States for quite a while, aimed to advance further in his career. "And that's fair. Wanting to excel is valid. But it was more about professional jealousy," Otero recounted.

The duo shared the stage on TN3 for four to five months until Carlucho secured the coveted 7 p.m. slot, after which their friendship deteriorated rapidly. "There's no relationship now," Otero emphasized.

A Friendship Tested by Career Moves

Otero shared that when Carlucho left Channel 41 for Gentevé in April 2009, taking several colleagues with him, the project flopped. Carlucho then turned to Carlos for help, who intervened with Omar Romay, Channel 41's owner, to facilitate Carlucho's return. Otero even lent him money, which was repaid within a week.

"He came back to Channel 41. I was there for him when he was struggling, but I've never talked about it because I don't boast about good deeds," Otero remarked.

Remaining Cordial Despite Differences

Despite their fallout, Carlos made it clear he harbors no ill will. He mentioned that if Carlucho faced hardship, he would quietly help: "If he had a problem tomorrow and I learned about it through the grapevine, I'd find a way to help him."

In December 2017, when Otero was in Canada with his family, Carlucho helped him by facilitating his contract with Romay and supporting his transition.

Otero eventually relocated to Miami, where he became a staple on Channel 41 for 15 years, primarily hosting the successful TN3. Meanwhile, Carlucho was the star of "El Happy Hour" on the same channel for six years, accumulating 17 years before his dismissal on February 2, 2019.

The Evolution of Public Acknowledgments

In August of that year, Otero publicly acknowledged his debt of gratitude to Carlucho, saying, "I owe him a lot," on TN3. However, months later, Carlucho attacked him on his show, "El Show de Carlucho," calling him a "freeloader" and regretting his decision to bring him on board.

The podcast episode also provided an opportunity to revisit Otero's extensive career, which began in 1979 with "Para Bailar" on Cuban television and peaked with "Sabadazo," a show that captured 82% of the Cuban audience during the Special Period of the 1990s.

Otero also shared that he was fired from Channel 41 on May 3, 2022, at 2:00 p.m., and by 11:00 p.m. that same day, he had launched his own YouTube show, a move he had prepared for in advance.

Summing up his resilience, Otero invoked a simple mantra that inspired the podcast episode's title: "Water and garlic. Endure and deal with it."