VOTE FOR PEDRO TOUR
Tuesday, April 12
Coyotes
The phenomenon known as the "second banana" has become a shining beacon in the dark cave of pop culture. Every lead actor or actress has a requisite sidekick whose job it is to provide much-needed comic relief.
Like Horshack and Screech before him, Napoleon Dynamite’s Pedro has been passed the torch. But before his lease on fame expires, actor Efren Ramirez is going to make sure you get to party with Pedro.
Without question the breakout movie of 2004, Napoleon Dynamite is a story about two hapless weirdos, Napoleon and his best friend Pedro Sanchez (Ramirez), who had us all enthralled with tater tots, nunchuks, glamour shots and ligers (a beast that is part lion and part tiger and bred for its magic skills – it’s pretty much my favourite animal).
Ramirez played the part of Pedro with an understated elegance and the character touched a chord with moviegoers. Pedro’s quest to become student body president inspired many to join the cause, and soon everyone was wearing the one must-have fashion item of last year – the Vote for Pedro T-shirt.
Ramirez owes a lot to the role and says it’s changed his life in ways he never imagined. He was a working actor in Hollywood, landing small parts on shows like ER and Judging Amy, when the script for a low-budget movie called Napoleon Dynamite fell into his lap.
At the time, he was being considered for a role in the studio film The Alamo but something kept drawing him back to the quirky screenplay. He was torn between the two projects – should he take the small part in a big-budget Hollywood flick or take a chance on a great story and a memorable character?
"You get studio pictures and there is always a pattern of how studio pictures work but the structure of Napoleon Dynamite was completely different," he says. "I ended up asking my father what I should do and he said that I should follow my heart. It’s funny because that’s what Napoleon says to Pedro (in the film)."
As well as working in television and film, Ramirez is also a top DJ in Los Angeles and his company Nocturnal Rampage is known for putting on parties in California. Now Ramirez brings both his worlds together when he dons Pedro’s wig to make all your "wildest dreams come true." The actor will host the Vote For Pedro Tour 2005 which gives fans a chance to hit a piñata, participate in a dance-off and look-alike contest and watch Pedro spin a few records. It’s a natural extension of his musical and theatrical skills, but why is it necessary for Pedro to drop the needle.
"I think everyone can identify with the character because at one time or another, they were Pedro," Ramirez says with a laugh. "Everyone has felt like an oddball."
Ramirez says that the event will give him the opportunity to meet Napoleon Dynamite fans. He adds that he’s amazed by some of the enthusiastic reactions he gets when he transforms into the character of Pedro.
"It’s weird, when people see me, they just go bananas." |
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