Eddie "Piolín" Sotelo is a Mexican radio personality, born in Ocotlán, Jalisco, in 1972. His show, "Piolín por la Mañana," runs weekday mornings on KSCA in Southern California. His nickname means "Tweety Bird" in Spanish, a nickname he acquired as a child.[1] The LA Times ranked Sotelo in 2006 amongst the 100 most powerful people in Southern California. His show, broadcast entirely in Spanish for a Spanish speaking audience, is one of the most popular shows on Los Angeles radio, with a 9.9 rating.[2]
In 2005, Sotelo provided illegal alien rights supporters four hours on his program.[3] His support of the illegal alien rights protests in 2006 is often credited as the main reason for their enormous turnout, even though many other media personalities helped to make it. He has explained that his own experience of crossing the border and living in the United States as an illegal alien helped him identify with the situation. He is now residing legally in the United States where he encourages illegal aliens to readjust their status and to engage in peaceful political activism for immigration reform.
In 2007, Sotelo encouraged listeners to have U. S. citizens sign a letter proposing an immigration reform. Over 1 million letters were recruited. Sotelo and his team led a caravan to Washington, DC were they turned them over to Congress. The 1 million letters plus awakened political leaders and took place to pass a law for immigration reform. The law was not passed, but showed the perseverance of Sotelo, his team, his listeners, and the Hispanic community.
Sotelo provided the voice of Rafa, one of the dogs in Disney's 2008 movie, "Beverly Hills Chihuahua."
Apart from his commitment to his listeners, Eddie “Piolín” Sotelo is also one of the most televised radio personalities in the nation with regular appearances on national shows like Sábado Gigante, Cristina, Escándalo TV, Qué Dice la Gente, Don Francisco Presenta, and interviews on CNN, Fox News Channel, Larry King, MSNBC, Anderson Cooper, and Good Morning America, to name a few.
This philosophy for putting the audience first has earned Piolín por La Mañana the top ranking for morning shows in Los Angeles (regardless of language) and its 50 syndicated markets and growing make it the #1 Radio Show in the country. Piolin can now be heard on over 100 radio stations on the Spanish language format, such as KLOB 94.7FM of Palm Springs where it is also #1 in ratings in that radio market.
Though "Piolín por la Mañana" is often noted for its political consciousness, it claims to be mainly for entertainment only, comparable to a combination of Howard Stern with standard drivetime banter.