Rafael José

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Rafael José

Dr. Rafael José Diaz (born April 22, 1955) is a Latino television show host born in Manatí, Puerto Rico, where his father, a physician born in the Dominican Republic, was the medical director of the local hospital. His family eventually moved to Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, where he was raised. While living in Mayagüez he sang and acted in various amateur radio and television broadcasts, as well as in high school talent shows. His reputation as a powerful singer followed him to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he attended medical school. His family supported his singing career on the condition that he finished the dentistry program at the University of Puerto Rico's Medical School. He interrupted his studies for close to eight years when his singing career took off, but eventually finished his degree and became a dentist (although he rarely practices his profession nowadays).

He won the Festival OTI with his interpretation of Contigo Mujer, a song that was an instant hit all over the Puerto Rican radio. Another radio hit was "Yo Quiero Hacerte Olvidar" the theme song for the soap opera "Martha Llorens".

José's singing career did not go much further, but he soon began acting in soap operas and got a job co hosting the Saturday night program A Millon in 1983, along with Hector Marcano, on WAPA-TV. He proved to be a talented show host and lasted there a long time. During this time, he and his then wife, actress Magali Carrasquillo, had a baby son, Juan Pablo, who now is starting his own artistic career.

In 1986, José moved on to join future Senator Roberto Vigoreaux in hosting another WAPA-TV game show, Sabado En Grande, when A Millon was moved to Sunday nights. The show lasted only a couple more years, and Jose found himself doing odds and ends until he signed a contract with Univision in Miami, Florida in the 1990s.

José then became popular with Latino audiences with the movie showcase show Tu Pelicula. This experience helped him get casted to participate in Univision's show of Despierta America, along with Mexico's Fernando Arau and Ana Maria Canseco, Honduran Neyda Sandoval and fellow Puerto Rican Giselle Blondet.

Living during the week in Miami and flying back to Puerto Rico for the weekends became too hard for him and in 2000, he signed another contract with Puerto Rico's WAPA-TV and obtained a partial release from Univision, so currently he's doing a new TV show in Puerto Rico and just flies back to Miami every once in a while to do special shows.

On July 28, 2004, Univision announced that José will be hosting a television show named "Ay, que rico!", which. although hosted by him and fellow Puerto Rican (and Mayagüez native) Gricel Mamery, will be geared towards the Mexican audiences in the United States.

On 2005, he started hosting Univision's successful night show Anda Pa'l Cara.