kids encyclopedia robot

Gus Rodríguez facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Gus Rodríguez
Gus Rodríguez (cropped).jpg
Born
Gustavo Rodríguez

(1958-05-27)May 27, 1958
Mexico City
Died April 11, 2020(2020-04-11) (aged 61)
Mexico City
Nationality Mexican
Known for Club Nintendo, Nintendomania, Power Up Gamers, Zero Control, Retro Game, Game-Volution
Children Javier Rodríguez Ávila

Gustavo Rodríguez (born May 27, 1958 – died April 11, 2020) was a famous Mexican publicist, comedian, actor, and TV director. He was also a passionate gamer and a pioneer in video game journalism. Many people in Mexico and Latin America know him as the person who helped video games become popular. He was also well-known for his funny work with Mexican comedian Eugenio Derbez.

Gus Rodríguez's Early Life

Discovering Video Games

Gus Rodríguez loved video games from a young age. He said his interest began in 1976. This was when he played NESA PONG, a home version of the classic game Pong.

Later, he bought an Intellivision console. He really enjoyed games like Burgertime and Night Stalker. He even traded games with his friend, José Sierra. José later became his business partner.

In 1988, Gus got a Nintendo Entertainment System. It came with Super Mario Bros., Duck Hunt, and Legend of Zelda. The Legend of Zelda was his first big experience with Nintendo games.

Starting in Publicity

Gus Rodríguez began studying publicity in 1977. After finishing school, he started his own company. It was called Network Publicidad. He founded it with his friend, José "Pepe" Sierra.

Their company worked with big clients. These included the Mexican branches of Berol and Casio. They also worked for a Mexican government agency. For this agency, Gus and Pepe created the idea for "Melate." This is a popular lottery in Mexico.

One of their clients was Jorge Nogami. He wanted to import video games to Mexico. In the late 1980s, Nogami opened the first official Nintendo store in Mexico City.

Gus and Pepe decided to create a special brochure. It was all about Nintendo products and video games. This brochure was given out for free. It started as a weekly publication. Later, it came out every two weeks.

Gus Rodríguez's Gaming Legacy

Club Nintendo and TV Shows

In December 1991, Gus Rodríguez and José Sierra launched the Club Nintendo magazine. This project grew from their earlier brochure. It became one of the first and most important video game magazines in Latin America.

The magazine published over 200 issues. Its last issue came out in February 2019.

The idea of Club Nintendo also became a TV show. It was called Nintendomanía. The show started in 1995 and ran until 2000. Even though it was very popular, it was canceled. This was because the internet was becoming popular. Production costs also increased.

From 2014 to 2015, Gus hosted a similar show. It was called Power Up Gamers and aired on FOROtv.

In 2015, he hosted Zero Control on TeleHit. Later, in 2016, it moved to Televisa Deportes Network. It was renamed E-Sports de Zero Control. This version focused on Esports, which are competitive video games.

In 2019, Gus joined Televisa Networks again. He hosted two shows there: Retro game and Game-Volution. Both shows were broadcast on BitMe.

Gus Rodríguez's Comedy and TV Work

Screenwriter and Comedian

Gus Rodríguez and José Sierra once wrote a script for a live event. It was very well-received. Because of this, Gus was asked to work with comedian Anabel Ferreira. Through her, he met the famous comedian Eugenio Derbez.

In 1991, Eugenio Derbez was on a TV show called "La Movida." Gus Rodríguez and José Sierra wrote his comedy material. This was the start of a long working relationship. Derbez was the comedian, and Gus and José were the main writers.

Gus Rodríguez was best known for writing and acting in shows starring Eugenio Derbez. These shows included "Al Derecho y Al Derbez" (1992–1995) and "Derbez en cuando" (1998–1999). He also worked on "XHDRbZ" (2002–2004) and "La familia P. Luche" (2007–2012).

In "XHDRBZ," Gus played a character named "Simón Paz." He appeared in a segment called «Las 5 herencias».

Eugenio Derbez said that Gus Rodríguez helped create his famous character, "Armando Hoyos." Gus also helped create other characters during Derbez's time on "La Movida."

From 2005 to 2010, Gus Rodríguez directed "Vecinos" (Neighbors). This was a popular TV sitcom produced by Eugenio Derbez.

Gus also wrote funny sections for the news show «Primero Noticias». He worked on this from 2004 to 2016. He collaborated with Mexican journalist Carlos Loret de Mola.

Dubbing and Adapting Shows

Gus Rodríguez also helped adapt scripts for Latin American audiences. He worked on dubbing roles for many movies. These included Wreck It Ralph, Shrek 2, and Ghostbusters. He also worked on Pixels and Night at the Museum 2. He even lent his voice to George Westhouse in the video game Assassin's Creed: Syndicate.

In the 2010s, he helped adapt the Spanish TV comedy "Aquí no hay quien viva". It became the Mexican sitcom "Vecinos" (Neighbors).

Gus Rodríguez's Personal Life

Gus Rodríguez enjoyed many things besides video games. He loved theater, drawing, and TV series. He really liked "The Big Bang Theory". He admired how the writers created different versions of the nerd character. He also liked how the scripts stayed true to each character.

During his life, Gus visited Japan about seven times. Some of these trips were for his work as a video game journalist.

Gus Rodríguez's Passing

Gus Rodríguez was diagnosed with an illness in October 2019. He passed away on April 11, 2020, at 61 years old. He was with his family.

Gus left messages and instructions for his son, Javier Rodríguez Ávila, and his family. Javier found a self-portrait Gus drew after his diagnosis. These pictures were later shared on Gus Rodríguez's Instagram account.

Javier Rodríguez Ávila plans to keep his father's social media accounts active. He also wants to create a tribute to his father. The family decided to auction some of Gus's personal items. The money raised will go to a foundation that helps fight the illness Gus had.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Gus Rodríguez para niños

kids search engine
Gus Rodríguez Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.