The irreverent puppets of Chile’s ’31 Minutos’ hope to win over the world with ‘Calurosa Navidad’

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For 22 years, audiences have loved Tulio Triviño, a self-absorbed news anchor, and his friend Juan Carlos Bodoque, a reporter with a gambling habit. Remarkably, they haven’t aged a bit! That’s because they’re actually hand puppets – a monkey in a suit and a red rabbit with stripes – who star in the popular Chilean TV show “31 Minutos.”

“31 Minutos” started as a kids’ show on Chilean public television, first airing in March 2003 and running for four seasons. It’s a funny, offbeat take on a news program, starring a large cast of quirky puppets who live in the made-up town of Titirilquén. The show follows their silly adventures and news reports, all set to original songs filled with wordplay and humor.

Speaking from Santiago, Chile via Zoom, co-creator Pedro Peirano explained that ‘The Muppets’ and ‘Sesame Street’ were major influences. However, they also infused their work with a uniquely Latin American flavor, making it both recognizable and distinct.

I absolutely love how Peirano brings Tulio to life with his voice and puppetry! And it’s so cool that Álvaro Díaz, who created the show with Peirano, plays Bodoque – did you know Bodoque started as a green toad before becoming the adorable rabbit we know now? The show is full of amazing characters made from fabric, like Tulio’s niece Patana, who’s a sweet duck, and the hilarious Mario Hugo, a Chihuahua always dressed in a suit reporting from the field. Then there’s Juanín, the producer – he’s this super fluffy white creature who doesn’t have any visible eyes, which just adds to the charm!

Peirano explains that they didn’t intentionally aim to create perfect characters. Instead, they wanted people with both strengths and weaknesses – and often, more weaknesses. Tulio, for example, is a flawed character, even a villain, but he’s also the central figure of the show.

As “31 Minutos” became increasingly popular throughout Latin America, it expanded beyond television. The show’s creators, Díaz and Peirano, through their company Aplaplac, developed live stage shows that tour the region, a movie released in theaters, and a large-scale museum exhibition.

This fall, the popular puppet show “31 Minutos” is going international with its first special for Prime Video, “Calurosa Navidad” (One Hot Christmas), which will be available to stream on Friday. This comes after a recent highlight for the group – a performance of their songs on NPR’s “Tiny Desk” last month.

Álvaro Díaz and Pedro Peirano, the creators of “31 Minutos,” are pictured on the set of their holiday special, “31 Minutos: Calurosa Navidad.” (Photo by Sebastian Utreras)

Despite starting as a children’s show, the creators of “31 Minutos,” Díaz and Peirano, chose not to focus on delivering specific lessons or messages in their episodes.

Díaz explains that in Latin America, there’s often a blurred line between kids’ entertainment and educational programming – it’s as if all TV for children needs to be like school. They aimed to change that, creating shows that the whole family could enjoy together.

The two met while studying journalism at the University of Chile in the late 1980s, a time when Chile was moving from a dictatorship to a democratic government. They bonded over a similar sense of humor, a love of film, and a shared ambition to work with different creative formats.

Díaz explains that they had plenty of time to pursue their hobbies and passions. She adds that connecting with others through shared interests is often more meaningful than connecting based on personality or background.

Díaz and Peirano had backgrounds in writing and television before creating “31 Minutos,” so they naturally decided to make a humorous take on the news as they knew it.

Díaz explains that the puppets came about naturally when they were first developing the show, which they were able to produce thanks to public funding. Both he and Peirano preferred to avoid being on camera, and since the show was intended for children, puppets felt like a good fit.

Díaz remembers thinking that using puppets – starting with very basic designs – would instantly connect with children, reducing the need to overly focus on how the child actors sounded. Instead, the puppets became a way to share the stories they wanted to tell.

Although Díaz initially came up with the idea of using puppets, Peirano, a comic book artist, had always loved the work of Jim Henson and his imaginative creations, even some of his more mature projects like “The Dark Crystal.” They started with puppets Peirano had made when he was a child. Both Díaz and Peirano taught themselves puppetry and improved their skills as they went along.

According to Peirano, using puppets to build imaginative worlds is more affordable and quicker than making animations. He also notes that puppets offer a directness that makes performing and improvising with them really enjoyable.

Like many children’s programs, this show required music. Luckily, Peirano knew Pablo Ilabaca, the guitarist and composer for the Chilean rock band Chancho en Piedra, who happened to have some existing songs that would fit perfectly.

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When he played us the music, I instantly recognized the unique sound of ’31 Minutos.’ It had a really raw, unpolished quality – almost like it was captured spontaneously. It wasn’t necessarily for kids, but it definitely felt light and cheerful, and we all knew right away it would be perfect to add lyrics to.

The songs aimed to simply reflect what it’s like to be a kid, focusing on relatable feelings and using humor, rather than trying to teach a lesson.

Díaz explains that the song ‘Diente Blanco’ [White Tooth] isn’t about dental hygiene. Instead, it’s about a child saying goodbye to a beloved tooth.

As a dad of three kids he hopes will one day continue his work, Díaz believes young viewers deserve well-made content that respects their intelligence and isn’t dumbed down.

Díaz points out that children’s entertainment, both in Latin America and worldwide, often falls short. He feels many options prioritize profit over quality, leaving parents dissatisfied. With ‘31 Minutos,’ the team aims to help change that and offer genuinely better choices.

“31 Minutos” quickly became a beloved part of Chilean culture. Peirano recalls the specific moment he understood just how much the show appealed to people of all ages.

He recalls hearing someone whistling the theme song – not a child, but an adult sweeping the street. That’s when it first struck him that people were actually watching the show.

Díaz realized the show was truly taking off when he started hearing the album – released about four months after the premiere – playing in record stores all over Santiago. Soon after, unofficial merchandise began appearing – small Mico, el Micófono toys, which were simply microphones with googly eyes that street vendors could easily copy and sell.

Mexico quickly became a very important country for the show “31 Minutos.” The creators discovered how popular it was there when they noticed the email address for fan mail to the character Tulio received more messages from viewers in Mexico than from those in Chile.

In 2009, a tribute album called “Yo Nunca Vi Television” (I Never Watched Television) featuring Mexican and Chilean bands covering songs from “31 Minutos” was released. Following its debut in Santiago at Centro Cultural La Moneda, the show’s accompanying exhibit, “Museo 31,” toured Mexico City and Monterrey between 2024 and 2025.

Díaz feels that “31 Minutos” thrived because it grew up with a young audience who readily embraced its unique qualities. He observes that modern entertainment often requires every story element to have a clear and significant purpose.

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Díaz explains that writing now requires a clear purpose and a strong sense of connection between ideas, as if everything in life is linked. He believes a show like ’31 Minutos’ wouldn’t be possible to create in today’s environment.

As a movie fan, I’ve always been fascinated by how seriously the U.S. entertainment industry takes the idea of pure enjoyment. They really believe you have to completely understand what makes something fun, right down to the little things, before you even start making it. It’s all about nailing the fun factor from the ground up.

“Much of the fun of making ’31 Minutos’ has to do with spontaneity,” says Díaz.

However, their performances for the ‘Tiny Desk’ concert series and their Christmas special have helped them connect with American audiences more than ever before.

The team behind “31 Minutos” rebuilt their iconic set in Santiago to get ready for their “Tiny Desk” performance. The “Tiny Desk” set is known for being very small, with bands performing squeezed between a desk and lots of bookshelves. As Díaz explains, they had to simplify their usual 31-minute show to fit the 20-minute space, and do it without any fancy lights or effects.

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A running joke about their performance on the “Tiny Desk” is that their visas will expire right after they finish playing.

Peirano explains they didn’t set out to make a political point, but being in the United States brought a certain joke to mind. He says there’s a common stereotype that the U.S. wants to expel Latin Americans. Ultimately, the show became a commentary on this idea, and they used a crocodile puppet to represent an immigration agent, staying true to the satirical style of ’31 Minutos.’

Creating “Calurosa Navidad” for Prime Video allowed them to finally break into streaming. Amazon was looking for films within specific genres, and a Christmas movie was a good fit.

Those who enjoy “31 Minutos” will immediately recognize the plot – Bodoque’s quest to find Santa and bring him to the hot town of Titirilquén. This story actually started as a segment in a previous Christmas special and later became a live stage show. The show’s signature playful spirit is still present, and now it’s available for viewers around the world.

I’m a big fan of Pedro Peirano, and it’s amazing to see what he’s doing! While he’s known in Latin America as the creator of the hugely popular “31 Minutos,” he’s actually working as a screenwriter here in the US. He’s even got some really impressive credits, like writing for the HBO series “Perry Mason.” Right now, he and Mauricio Katz are developing a horror project with Blumhouse, and they’ve just signed a deal with Sony Pictures Television to work on even more projects – it’s fantastic to see his career taking off!

Don’t anticipate seeing Tulio and Bodoque speaking English or having adventures set anywhere other than South America. Díaz is committed to remaining in Chile and keeping their stories rooted there.

I live about five kilometers from the hospital where I was born, and that’s as far away as I ever want to be. Chile is where I truly feel at home and where I find my strength. I enjoy traveling, but I always want to return and share my experiences with the people I know and love here.

Díaz explains that their approach is similar to how director Peter Jackson built WETA FX in New Zealand, choosing to stay local instead of moving operations overseas – although on a much smaller level.

Díaz explains that ’31 Minutos’ aims to showcase high-quality art originating from Chile. They hope to first gain recognition throughout Latin America, and ultimately share Chilean artistry with a global audience.

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2025-11-21 14:03