Colombian TV Legend Alfonso Lizarazo Dies at 85
Obituary: Bogotá
Key Facts
—Who. Alfonso Lizarazo Sánchez, the broadcaster who created Colombia’s comedy institution ‘Sábados Felices,’ has died at 85.
—When. He died on 4 August 2026 at his home in the El Golf district of Barranquilla; reports cited cardiac problems in his final years.
—Legacy. He devised ‘Campeones de la Risa’ in 1972, the show that became ‘Sábados Felices’ and has run for more than five decades.
—Record. The program is recognized among the world’s longest-running comedy shows, an achievement tied to a Guinness World Record.
—Beyond TV. Lizarazo was also a radio pioneer, a philanthropist through ‘Lleva una sonrisa,’ and a Colombian senator from 1998 to 2002.
Alfonso Lizarazo, the Colombian television pioneer who created and hosted the enduring comedy show ‘Sábados Felices,’ has died at 85, closing a defining chapter in the country’s broadcasting history.
A Pioneer of Colombian Television Dies at 85
Alfonso Lizarazo Sánchez, one of the founding figures of Colombian entertainment television, died on 4 August 2026 at his home in the El Golf neighborhood of Barranquilla. He was 85. His death was confirmed by figures from the comedy world he helped build, including the comedian known as ‘Don Jediondo,’ and reported across Colombian media.
According to those reports, Lizarazo had been dealing with cardiac problems in recent years and spent his final period largely out of the public eye. For a broadcaster whose name was synonymous with Saturday-night laughter for half a century, the news drew an immediate wave of tributes.
Born on 29 December 1940 in Bucaramanga, in the department of Santander, Lizarazo built a media career that spanned radio, television and, later, national politics. He came to embody a particular era of Colombian broadcasting, one in which a single host could shape the country’s popular culture.
From ‘Campeones de la Risa’ to ‘Sábados Felices’
Lizarazo’s place in Colombian cultural history was secured in 1972, when he devised and presented a comedy program called ‘Campeones de la Risa.’ The format evolved into ‘Sábados Felices,’ the show that would define weekend television for generations of Colombian families.
He directed and hosted the program for more than two and a half decades, turning it into the flagship of Saturday-night schedules. Under his guidance, the show became a launchpad for wave after wave of Colombian comedians and stand-up performers.
More than fifty years after its origins, ‘Sábados Felices’ remains on the air, a longevity that has earned it recognition among the world’s longest-running comedy programs and an entry in the Guinness World Records. Few entertainment formats anywhere have matched that continuity.
A Radio Innovator and the ‘Nueva Ola’
Before television made him a household name, Lizarazo was a force in Colombian radio. In the 1960s he became a central figure in Bogotá’s broadcasting scene, leading stations such as Radio 15.
From that platform he helped drive the celebrated musical tours of the ‘Nueva Ola,’ the youth-oriented pop movement that swept Latin America in the era. Those tours connected radio audiences with live performance and helped shape the tastes of a generation.
That grounding in radio gave Lizarazo an instinct for mass audiences that he carried into television, where he understood how to package humor for a broad, cross-generational public.
A Senator and a Philanthropist
Alongside his media work, Lizarazo built a reputation for social projects. Through the initiative ‘Lleva una sonrisa’ (‘Bring a Smile’), he promoted charity drives and the construction of educational and social infrastructure in Colombian municipalities that lacked resources.
In 1998 he stepped away from the cameras to enter public life, winning a seat in the Congress of Colombia as a senator for the 1998-2002 term. After completing his legislative work, he settled permanently in Barranquilla, where he spent his final years in retirement.
Colleagues have described a man whose influence extended beyond the screen. The comedian Marco Antonio Amaya, in a public tribute, called Lizarazo his ‘teacher, friend and mentor,’ crediting him with training many of the humorists working today.
Tributes Pour In Across Colombia
News of Lizarazo’s death prompted an outpouring of messages from performers, public figures and fans. Social media filled with condolences and memories of a program that, for many Colombians, was a fixed part of family life.
The tributes underscored a shared sense that his passing marks the end of an era in Colombian television, one defined by a more communal, appointment-viewing culture that predated streaming and fragmented audiences.
For the comedians he mentored, the loss is also personal. Many built their careers on the stage he created, and their tributes framed ‘Sábados Felices’ as a school as much as a show.
What His Legacy Means for Newcomers to Colombia
For expatriates and newcomers trying to understand Colombian popular culture, Lizarazo’s name is a useful key. ‘Sábados Felices’ is one of the country’s most recognizable cultural reference points, cutting across regions, ages and social classes.
The show’s humor, catchphrases and recurring characters remain part of everyday conversation, and its longevity offers a window into how Colombian comedy has evolved over five decades.
Understanding who Lizarazo was, and why his death resonates so widely, helps explain a strand of Colombian identity that formal histories often overlook: the shared national habit of gathering on a Saturday night to laugh together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Alfonso Lizarazo?
Alfonso Lizarazo Sánchez was a Colombian broadcaster, radio pioneer and politician best known for creating and hosting the long-running comedy show ‘Sábados Felices.’ He died on 4 August 2026 at the age of 85.
What is ‘Sábados Felices’?
‘Sábados Felices’ is a Colombian comedy program that grew out of Lizarazo’s 1972 show ‘Campeones de la Risa.’ It has aired for more than five decades and is recognized among the world’s longest-running comedy shows.
What else did Alfonso Lizarazo do?
Beyond television, Lizarazo was a radio innovator in 1960s Bogotá, a philanthropist through his ‘Lleva una sonrisa’ initiative, and a Colombian senator from 1998 to 2002.
Sources
Connected Coverage
More arts, culture and expat life across Latin America from The Rio Times.
Sources: El Tiempo; Infobae; El Espectador; El Colombiano.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error
Read More from The Rio Times