Cepillin
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Ricardo González (born approx. 1945) is a Mexican television clown who became famous all over Latin America from the 1960s on, using the artistic name of Cepillín.
Ricardo González actually was a dentist, and became a clown by painting his face so children would not be afraid of the dentist. It worked, and he got some interviews on local TV, in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, where he's from.
His nickname, Cepillín, is a diminutive of 'cepillo', which means 'brush' in Spanish, as in toothbrush.
Cepillín became famous when Televisa started producing a show called El Show de Cepillín. His show included learning, comedy and interview sections, and he interviewed a large variety of guests, from singers to boxers. During the 1970s, El Show de Cepillín became very popular among children in countries such as Chile and Puerto Rico, apart from the popularity it reached in Mexico.
Cepillín also released various albums with children's songs. One of his most famous songs was La Fiesta de Cepillín (Cepillin's Party). He had two greatest hits albums released, one to commemorate his 15 Greatest Hits and the other one to commemorate his 20 Greatest Hits.
Cepillín's show showcased many young Mexican and international singers. One singer who benefited from exposure in his show was Yuri.
Cepillín is also a circus performer. Although long retired from the television cameras, he is still on tour, taking his act to many circuses across Mexico.
On Tuesday, May 24, 2005, Cepillín suffered a heart attack in Puebla, Mexico, requiring hospitalization.