Even while waiting in the Pearson International Airport, I was scanning for channels with my portable Eviant digital TV.
I managed to catch a few minutes of morning news with John Beard on Buffalo, NY's WGRZ (RF33) while waiting for our plane to start boarding.
In just over two hours, me and my pals had made our way to sunny Varadero, Cuba!
The beach was beautiful and it didn't hurt that I got to enjoy it while sipping on a Pina Colada!
It also didn't hurt that the resort gift shop carried Coke from Mexico with Wonder Woman on the cans!
April 13, 2012
My television adventures began when I checked out the resort's satellite TV selections. I came across Disney XD broadcasting in English, but the audio switched to Spanish a day later.
Montréal's CTV affiliate CFCF is carried at the resort, most likely for the large amount of Canadian tourists. Reporter Catherine Sherriffs certainly doesn't cop an attitude when she delivers the news!
I had to pull out my portable Eviant TV to catch Varadero's local stations, all in analog. Channel 18 was the home to some Divatastic program hosts.
Channel 24 featured a Cuban cartoon with what appears to be the controversial "Madama" figure. There are many debates about whether "La Madama" is a powerful mystic symbol, or a racist caricature. (Check out the article The Madama Mystique about an art show exploring the many interpretations of the imagery.)
I really had to wrestle with the idea of putting up that last picture. Channel 45 brought some good looking athletes and sports talk to my little TV that day.
April 14, 2012
CNN was also available via the hotel's satellite TV. I definitely wasn't sour about seeing openly gay anchor Don Lemon on air that day!
I also L-U-V getting to see Madonna when traveling! The Material Girl dared to be truthful about her new perfume on E-Talk, seen via Montréal's CFCF!
I probably shouldn't Dish about where the resort was pulling in their channels from.
There were many American based Spanish language channels carried on the resort's satellite TV. I scrambled to catch a pic of this fabulous group performing a dance remake of Starship's song "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now."
It wouldn't be a TV Garth recap without a wacky commercial popping up! I think it was on Disney XD that I spotted a commercial for "Bye Bye Tears" that made me cry with laughter. Picture kids throwing tantrums and tossing things out of the tub until Geordi's headgear from Star Trek: The Next Generation helps prevent the sting of soap in their eyes.
April 15, 2012
Channel 45 was carrying Beisbol Cubano Serie Nacional via the Tele Rebelde network. (Note the logo at the top right corner of the first pic!)
Since I wasn't too familiar with the local shows, I can't get too chatty about Channel 18's talk show.
I caught a nice station ID on Channel 24 for the CE2 network!
Soon after the ID, Channel 24 ran an X-Men cartoon dubbed in Spanish.
Channel 18 had me hooting with joy when they ran a kids show with wacky puppets!
I also wouldn't mind horsing around with the guy in red...
Later on, Channel 24 was showing School for Scoundrels with Spanish subtitles. The film starred Luis Guzmán and had a Dynamite performance from Jon Heder.
Meanwhile, Channel 45 tossed more athletics my way with Todo Deporte anchored by Marcial Hernandez.
My North American TV fixes mostly came with brief moments watching Montréal's CFCF. I sprinted through a few minutes of The Amazing Race with Bopper & Mark just before my friends and I saw a live show at the resort.
April 16, 2012
As we packed up to leave the resort, I saw a bit of Live With Kelly with D.L. Hughley and guest Ice T on Montréal's CFCF!
All in all, our group made a fabulous foursome during our four days of fun!
For more information check out Danny Oglethorpe's guide to Cuban TV as well as an interesting article called The Revolution, Televised about how Cubans view American TV shows.
Stay tuned to TV Garth for more Reception Reports from my own area as well as abroad!
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