Vogue Ball: Babu says Arthur’s victory at BBB ‘is the face of Brazil today’

When choosing his costume for the Vogue Ball, actor Babu Santana didn’t even think twice: he launched a Zé Pelintra costume to go to the event, which took place this Friday (29), at Copacabana Palace, and had as its theme “Fantastic Brazilianity”.

Zé Pelintra is a spiritual guide who is part of the line of rascals in Umbanda, considered the patron spirit of bars, gambling places and gutters. “It’s all about me,” he explained. “It’s the trickery of high society in Rio,” he said, in a joking tone — but in a speech that, he knows, was filled with truth.

Despite being a Brazilian movie star, with praised performances in films such as “Cidade de Deus”, “Tim Maia” and “Estômago”, Babu did not know the Copacabana Palace, scene of resounding parties in the city of Rio, many of them linked to the audiovisual, by the way.

“I spent many years at the door, I never entered,” said the former BBB, the main spokesperson for racist themes in the 2020 version of the program. He used the adjective “wonderful” to define the feeling of finally being one of the “very important person” at Copacabana Palace, but said he knows that “there is still a long way to go” for blacks to feel comfortable in environments where they are the majority only among employees.

“Belonging is a strong word, this will never be easy for me,” he said, pushing away the possibility that he was feeling insecure. “It’s not that,” he countered. “But if it was a samba or a pagode, I would be more comfortable”. The question about “how did you feel there” was recurrent among the journalists who approached him.

Asked about the edition of the BBB that just ended and had Arthur Aguiar as the winner, Babu —survivor of 10 walls two years ago, when he came in fourth place— said that the victory of a “white, cute and middle class” man is the face of Brazil today. “I have nothing against Arthur, but he represents a centuries-old narrative.”