Aurora — A few months ago, local Spanish-language radio host Roberto Martinez made a bet that the U.S. Congress would get something done.
Bad idea.
Martinez now finds his head bald and sorely in need of sunscreen after paying up on that bet today.
Earlier this year, as the U.S House and Senate debated immigration reform measures, Martinez bet a caller to his show on La Buena Onda 1150 AM that Congress would pass the measures. If it did, Martinez said, the caller would have to shave his head, and if it didn’t Martinez would shave his dome.
“I was really sure this was going to happen,” Martinez said. “I wouldn’t have bet this if I wasn’t sure.”
The Senate voted down the bill 46-53 in June.
So today, live on the air, audience members took turns taking the clippers to Martinez’s noggin. Martinez, who also writes a column for local Spanish-language newspaper El Hispano, touts his radio program as the only Spanish-language talk radio program in the market that focuses on issues in the U.S. He says he often clashes with his listeners over his views, such as his support for strengthening border security and his opposition to the strategy of those who participated in protest marches last year.
Indeed listener Olga Noriega sported a mighty grin as she gripped the buzzing razor today while taking a chunk out of Martinez’s once healthy head of hair. Noriega said later that she agrees with some of what Martinez says but thinks he stereotypes illegal immigrants too much when he attributes problems to them.
“That is what he deserves,” she joked shortly after taking her turn with the clippers. “I got revenge.”
Dozens of listeners showed up to the broadcast, which was held beneath a small tent near the radio station’s parking lot on South Parker Road. Many of those there said they were greatly saddened when immigration reform did not pass.
“It is our big dream,” said Salvador Huichapa, who brought his 5-year-old grandson to the broadcast. “Too many people live in the dark because they don’t have papers. Twelve million people are waiting for papers to come into the light.”
Huichapa, who came to America from Mexico 16 years ago, started this all when he called Martinez’s show earlier this year, which led to a conversation, which led to the bet. He said he enjoyed seeing Martinez lose his hair. He even brought an old rusty knife to the broadcast as a joke that he would use it to shave Martinez’s head.
But Huichapa said he would have been happier if it was his head getting shaved today.
“It would mean immigration reform passed,” he said.
But Martinez, who was born in Mexico City and is now a U.S. citizen, said he has come to believe that this year’s immigration reform measures were too rushed. Better to have more discussions and debates, he said. That way, when a good bill does pass, Martinez said people will be glad that the 2007 bill didn’t.
Even him.
“I want them to discuss it and fix it,” he said. “This is an issue that in 20 years I don’t want to have to shave my head again.”
Staff writer John Ingold can be reached at 720-929-0898 or jingold@denverpost.com.
