Melcochita

The stage name Melcochita was given to Pablo Villanueva by Augusto Ferrando, and his career began in Ferrando's own La Peña Ferrando. Television followed with a debut on Trampolín a la fama, and he went on to become a familiar face of Peruvian humour programmes such as Risas y salsa, A reír, Estrafalario and Recargados de risas, where catchphrases such as ¡No vayan! became part of his act.

Music is the other half of his story. With the salsa and boogaloo orchestra Karamanduka he recorded for Fania Records, he played percussion on a record by the Lima group Traffic Sound, and he has performed alongside Johnny Pacheco, Willie Colón, Tito Puente and Celia Cruz before joining the Perú Salsa All Star orchestra. He was also a guest on Late Night with David Letterman. In cinema he played a thief in Mala leche and starred with Miguel Barraza in No vayan!!