Los Rayos Gamma
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Los Rayos Gamma is Puerto Rico’s most beloved political satire troupe, which originally had a short but popular stint in 1968 as the creative vehicle of the late satirical writer and journalist Eddie López.
The prototype of the show was conceived by Eddie López as an idea that he pitched to the Overseas Press Club of Puerto Rico, to incorporate a parody show during their annual gala, in which the award nominees could poke fun at that years top stories.
It wasn’t until López found out that he was severely sick with cancer and started radiotherapy, that he had the idea for a political parody stage show, in which he could lampoon current political wrongdoings and blame it all on his gamma ray treatments.
López recruited equally talented Jacobo Morales, Horacio Olivo, and Silverio Pérez to put the show together. The result was, “The effect of gamma rays on Eddie López” or "El efecto de los rayos gamma sobre Eddie López". The name, which paraphrases that of the play The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, was later shortened to “Los Rayos Gamma” (or “Los Gamma” for short). A tremendous success, the string of sold out shows in 1968 turned into a record breaking sensation.
After Eddie López passed away in November 1971 (his last show happening just three days before his death), Los Rayos Gamma would go on as scheduled per his request. “The show must go on” he insisted. Friend and fellow comedic actor, Efraín López Neris (who was already added to the roster) would take Eddie’s place, while an empty chair would be left on stage in his honor. Years later, Morales, Olivo and Pérez would resurrect the show, and after having recruited well known comedic actor Sunshine Logroño, Los Rayos Gamma became a popular TV show on channel 7. The TV show was eventually yanked off the air despite enjoying great ratings, apparently due to the rather direct jabs at then governor Carlos Romero Barceló.
Ultimately, Los Gamma would come full circle, making its way back to television just around each leap year (which is a general election year in Puerto Rico), and would go onstage slightly more frequently, still making politicians shake in their boots and keeping López’s legacy alive.
The "Rayos Gamma" motto is: "Ofendiendo a todos por igual" (“Offending everyone equally.”)
