Jô Soares

Jo Soares (born José Eugênio Soares, 16 January 1938 - 5 August 2022) was a Brazilian comedian, talk show host, author, musician, actor and writer. He was born in Rio de Janeiro and initially pursued diplomatic service, influenced by his great-grandfather, before returning to Brazil for acting classes and starting his career in Rio de Janeiro in 1958.

Soares' television career began at TV Rio in 1958, writing and performing in comedy shows for the station. In 1970 he began to work at Rede Globo. He moved to SBT in 1988 as the host of Jô Soares Onze e Meia, which aired until 1999. In 2000 he took his show's format, very similar to David Letterman's, back to Rede Globo, where it was named Programa do Jô and ran until 2016.

Soares was also a novelist. His first novel, O Xangô de Baker Street (translated as A Samba for Sherlock), was published in 1995, has been translated into several languages and was adapted into a film of the same name in 2001. His other books include Twelve Fingers (1998), Assassinatos na Academia Brasileira de Letras (2005) and As Esganadas (2011). He also released various jazz CDs and produced many plays, including a version of Richard III. A Roman Catholic who expressed devotion to Rita of Cascia, Soares is depicted in the 2024 Globoplay documentary film Um Beijo do Gordo.