Pope Francis: how the ‘casting’ that took Cacau Protásio, Dona Florinda, Whoopi and Porchat to the Vatican was done

The Vatican was funnier this Friday (14). Around 200 comedy artists — including actors, screenwriters, writers and cartoonists, met with Pope Francis at around 12:30 pm (7:30 am, Brasília time).

The list had three Brazilian representatives: Fábio Porchat, Cacau Protásio and Cris Wersom. Florinda Meza, Dona Florinda from the series “Chaves”, was among the Mexican artists, as was actor Chume Torres.

North American names included Whoopi Goldberg, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jim Gaffigan, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock, Tig Notaro and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

From Argentina, the pope’s home country, actress Malena Guinzburg was invited; from Colombia, artists Paula Arcila, Liss Pereira and Maribel Trujillo Botello; and from Spain, Cristina Castaño, Belén Cuesta, Sara Escudero and Victoria Martín.

In an interview with F5, Father Arnaldo Rodrigues, representative of the Dicastery for Communication at the CNBB (National Conference of Bishops of Brazil), explained that the guest list was drawn up jointly by the Dicasteries for Culture and Education and Communication. Dicasteries are bodies within the Vatican dedicated to dealing with different matters.

Members of the two dicasteries in each country were able to suggest names, which were evaluated by the cardinals who preside over each department and sent to the Vatican.

Father Arnaldo himself gave one of the names, Cacau Protásio. “The cardinal who heads the Dicastery for Culture asked me if I had someone to recommend. I immediately suggested the name of Cacau Protásio, who I know personally. In addition to being Catholic, she has a great deal of work in the area of ​​humor”, says the priest . “The other artists were chosen by the dicastery.”

GOD ALSO SMILES

This was the first time that the highest name in the hierarchy of the Catholic church met in person with comedians from different countries. The Vatican explained in a statement that the meeting aimed to emphasize how the “art of comedy can contribute to a more empathetic society and a supportive world.”

According to Father Arnaldo Rodrigues, the pope’s main idea was “to celebrate the beauty of human diversity and promote a message of peace, love and solidarity”. In his message sent to guests, the pope highlighted the capacity of the comic arts to “dream new versions of the world.”

In his speech in the Sala Clementina, in the Vatican, this Friday (14), the pope said that, although communication today often generates contradictions, comedians know how to unite different and, sometimes, even opposing realities (…) ” You denounce the excesses of power; you give voice to forgotten situations; you highlight abuses.