Niko Liko

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[1] Niko Liko picture by Fernando Fabela

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Niko Liko was a clown-like TV character who appeared on XEJ-TV channel 5 from 1973 through 1992. This character's influence is until today a favorite topic to people who lived those years at the borderline of Cd.Juárez,Chihuahua-El Paso,Texas-Las Cruces,New Mexico.

Niko Liko's actual name is Antonio Gaytan Muruato, and was born in 1940.

One of his main features was that unlike every other clown, he wouldn't paint his face. Instead he would wear a mask (like a Mexican wrestler) with a red nose, a red round hat and a red suit coat with golden flap. Although he never considered himself a clown, most people would refer to him as such.

On 1954 at the age of 14, Antonio Gaytan started working at XEJ-TV performing multiple tasks like working the door to the studio, operating cameras, accommodating the audiences, answering phone calls, etc.

One day on 1973, Don Pedro Meneses Hoyos, owner and general director of the TV channel asked Antonio Gaytan to fill up right after clown Bimbon decided to quit the show at XEJ-TV due to the load of work he had, as he would also perform as a sidekick to Bozo in El Paso, Texas. One of the managers suggested that Antonio "would do good as a clown, for he's very nice to the kids that daily attend to the show".

After struggling with his own limitations as he hadn't received any proper formation as an entertainer, Niko Liko was born to delight hundreds of kids who would tune in from Monday through Friday, or visit the studio with the hope of getting a prize as a cake or a toy. Unlike his predecessor, who gave special attention to a very narrow list of special guests to his show conformed by sons and daughters of prominent attorneys, politicians, doctors, Niko Liko's main interest was to put attention to the kids of low economic resources.

At first, the show consisted of only a brief introduction by Niko Liko for one minute followed by cartoons until the end of the show where Niko Liko appeared again to wrap up.

Later the show turned more social service oriented. People would go to turn in documents found, or to try to locate missing relatives.

To see an actual interview, after the show went off the air, go to these links:

Niko Liko Pt.1 [2]

Niko Liko Pt.2 [3]