Wanderley Tribeck, first performer of the clown Bozo in Brazil, dies
Wandeko Pipoka, aged 73, died of a heart attack, as shared by family members in a broadcast on social media.
Wanderley Tribeck Photo Reproduction/Personal Archive
The world of children's entertainment lost one of its most iconic figures on Tuesday night (18). Wanderley Tribeck, the first interpreter of the clown Bozo in the country, died at the age of 74, in Balneário Camboriú, on the North Coast of Santa Catarina. According to his family in a broadcast on social media, he was the victim of a heart attack. He felt unwell in the morning and received care from the Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU). He was then taken to the Ruth Cardoso Municipal Hospital, in Balneário Camboriú, but unfortunately he passed away at around 11pm.
Currently, he was an evangelical pastor and was part of the Assembly of God in Criciúma, in the south of Santa Catarina. According to the family, Wanderley's wake will take place at the Mourning Center in Camboriú, located on the North Coast of Santa Catarina.
Career and Contribution to Television
Wanderley Tribeck, known artistically as Wandeko Pipoca, began his career on television at a time when Brazilian TV was still in its infancy. In 1980, he was selected to give life to the clown Bozo, a character originally created in the United States by Alan W. Livingston. In Brazil, the program "Bozo", broadcast between 1980 and 1982 on TVS (currently SBT), quickly became a phenomenon, winning the hearts of children with its games, music and Tribeck's charismatic personality.
The program not only entertained but also educated, teaching values such as friendship, respect and solidarity. Tribeck's performance as Bozo was marked by his infectious enthusiasm, his naive jokes and the famous catchphrase "Always laugh, always laugh!" which became a mantra for many children. Behind the scenes, Wanderley was known for his cunning and stubborn personality, didn't bother to memorize texts and often used obscene words when he wasn't on air.
After a disagreement with the management, the artist ended up leaving command of the program, giving the position to Luís Ricardo. Rumors suggest that the disagreement occurred due to Wandeko's refusal to carry out telephone contests, proposed by Silvio Santos, other rumors stated that Pipoca did not have the ability to deal with children. The artist ended up leaving the station later. After leaving the role of Bozo, Tribeck continued to act and participate in events related to pop culture and television.
Wandeko recorded an album and a single under the name Bozo. The LP received a gold and a platinum record in recognition. Even with the reputation that preceded him, TV Gazeta decided to hire him and invest in the project to bring the circus world to television, creating the children's program "A Turma da Pipoca" in 1983. Initially, the program was taken over by Wandeko and several tests were carried out with 15 clowns from all over Brazil to form the cast of the comedy sketches alongside Wandeko. Among the clowns who passed the test, Eduardo dos Reis and Carlos Alberto de Oliveira, known as Atchim and Sneeze (Atchim & Sneeze).
At first, Espirro had another name and worked with his son from 1982 to 1985. However, when Turma da Pipoca underwent changes and only the two clowns remained in the cast, Eduardo and Carlos decided to form the duo, giving the band a new name. character by Carlos Alberto de Oliveira. Espirro, formerly known as Atchim and Janela, used to receive mail from fans of all age groups who admired the duo and wanted to meet them in person.
The disagreement between Wandeko Pipoca and the management of TV Gazeta resulted in his leaving the program. Due to the success of the clown duo in their sketches, the management decided to hand over the continuation of the program to Atchim and Espirro. Thus, in 1985, Brincando na Paulista was born. After working at SBT and Gazeta, Wandeko also became the presenter of children's programs on other broadcasters, such as Palhaço Pipo na Band.
Depression, drugs and conversion
After facing instability in his career, he ended up developing depression and getting involved with drugs, which resulted in the loss of everything he had, leading him to live homeless in Balneário Camboriú. However, some time later, he had a religious conversion and became an evangelical. Since August 2000, he has followed this new faith and began preaching the Gospel in 2011. He also opened a restaurant in Balneário Camboriú called Ex-Pertinho do Wandeko, which was in operation for 12 years. Furthermore, in 2010, he ran for federal deputy for the state of Santa Catarina.
In 2014, he worked as a merchandiser in a clothing store located in Balneário Camboriú. In 2023, he published his autobiographical book entitled "From death to life", in which he tells his professional journey from the beginning, including the recognition he achieved when working with Bozo, and also discusses his life away from the spotlight.
