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By Larry Yepez Jr.

What do Colombian drug king pin Pablo Escobar and a little Argentine girl with Down Syndrome have in common?  Sure at first you might think "absolutely nothing", but they both were this year's audience choices for best films in the most respected Latino Film Festival.

The first, Pecados de Mi Padre, an autobiographical documentary made by Juan Pablo Escobar,  chronicles what was like growing up in the shadows of his infamous father.  And the second, a fiction film called Anita, tells the story of a girl with Down Syndrome whose life changes after the AMIA (Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina) bombing in 1994.

For the past two weeks, the windy city was witness to another very impressive rendition of the oldest Latino Film Festival in the U.S.  Backed up by the International Latino Cultural Center, the Festival's mission this year was to promote diversity in Latin America, Spain, Portugal and the U.S. by screening over 120 Films from 20 different countries.

The festival focused on very important subjects in special segments, such as "Made in USA", which showed films of Latinos made in the United States, and Latin Women in Film, a segment that showcased female filmmakers, directors and producers. The festival also took a firm stance against homophobia by screening several films portraying the lack of compassion towards the GLBT community.

The closing night film was Chicogrande, starring Mexican actor Damián Alcázar, who was awarded with the 2011 Gloria Career Achievement Award.

Tags Chicago, chicago film festival, damian alcazar, documentary, Festival, Film, juan pablo escobar, Latino, Movies

By Michael Lopez

Hearing this news proves our theory that you can’t keep talented people down. While still in mourning over Freddy Rodriguez's and America Ferrera's “Ugly Betty” finale, we got the word that Hollywood swooped them right back up again.

America is making moves for a major big screen career. She’s been critically acclaimed for her heavy drama “The Dry Land,” dabbled in comedy with “Our Family Wedding,” and even got animated with the hit, “How To Train Your Dragon.” So even though "Betty"’s gone, America definitely lives on!

Luckily, Betty’s main squeeze is also gearing up for a major comeback — Freddy Rodriguez has a starring role in "Chaos," one of next year’s most anticipated new shows. The series is being produced by big time Hollywood guy Brett Ratner (“Rush Hour” “X Men: The Last Stand”) and follows a group of rogue CIA agents taking on covert missions.

Freddy as an action star? We like it! He was awesome as the lead in Robert Rodriguez’s “Planet Terror” and definitely has the chops to mix it up within genres. This new show’s getting a lot of buzz on the TV fanboy sites. You can bet we’ll be watching when “Chaos” premieres in 2011!

Source: [Hollywood Insider]

Are you looking forward to Freddy’s new show? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags actor, casting, Chaos, Chisme, Freddy Rodriguez, Gossip, latin, Latino, show, Tr3s

By Michael Lopez

Usually we keep our comic news to “The Hulk,” “Spider-Man,” and the Hernandez Bros., but this time we’ve got a new character to focus on: Justin Bieber!

Yup, the “Biebs” is officially joining the ink and paint club, with “Fame: Justin Bieber” set to hit newsstands this October. No, he’s not going to be getting radioactive powers or heat vision. The new comic from Bluewater Productions is instead going to focus on Justin’s actual life story.

Think of it as a bio along the lines of Obama’s “Dreams From My Father,” except instead of spanning 48 years of life, it’s covering a mere 16. Considering his place in pop culture, it makes sense to experience Justin's story a 32-page comic over a full-fledged novel, right?

For more images, visit Radar Online's gallery.

Before you Marvel snobs turn the other way, remember this! Bluewater actually has some pretty talented artists on their staff (as evidenced by the unique color scheme on Justin’s cover) and a rep for cranking out colorful life stories (Lady Gaga & Robert Pattinson!).

Two new issues of Fame come out this month, featuring Twilight’s Kristen Stewart and singer Taylor Swift. Perhaps a Latina-inspired Selena Gomez comic could be next on their list?

Source: [Radar Online]

Would you pick up the Justin Bieber comic? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Chisme, comic, Gossip, Justin Bieber, Latino, Tr3s

By Michael Lopez

"Now, stepping up to the plate at Baltimore’s Oriole Park, First Lady Michelle Obama!" Not the first name you’d expect to hear a baseball announcer say at a MLB stadium, but that’s exactly what the crowd heard!

Last week, Michelle Obama made a public appearance to spread awareness for the “Let’s Move” campaign, geared towards fighting childhood obesity. In fact, her participation marked the start of major partnership with Major League Baseball that will include top Latino sluggers as spokesmen!

Carlos Gonzalez from the Colorado Rockies, the Anaheim Angels’ Joel Pineiro, Matt Garza from the Tampa Bay Rays and more will be featured in PSAs spreading the word about healthier eating and outdoor exercise.

When speaking to participants in the stands, Michelle said, "We've got to get you guys focused and moving. When these players were kids they found a sport that they loved. They practiced and practiced and practiced until they were better at it than anybody else. We want you guys to do the same thing."

“Let’s Move” is a relatively new program (it was launched back in February in cooperation with the USDA) and inspires kids to engage in physical activities and enjoy a healthier diet of nutritious foods. And seeing how beautiful the summer weather is, we couldn’t think of a better message to spread to right now. So put down that Xbox, go outside, and have some fun!

Find out more about “Let’s Move!’ at http://www.letsmove.gov/.

Tags Agentes De Cambio, childhood obesity, Health, Latino, Let’s Move, Michelle Obama, Sports, Tr3s

By Simone Hilliard

Bronx emcee Fat Joe will join MTV2's first ever "Sucker Free Summit," a round table of industry insiders selected to decide who will win the "Sucker Free" crown amongst nominated hitmakers from the year thus far.

The panel was created to shine the spotlight on emerging and established artists alike, and the Summit’s participants will pore over the nominated artists who have been continually grinding to take the genre to the next level.

Hosted by DJ Envy, the panel will include Fat Joe, Ron Artest, Bun B, DJ Drama, Elliott Wilson,· Miss Info, and Jermaine Hall.

During the Summit, Envy will lead the panel of avid hip-hop heads in a gritty debate about the artists nominated in each category. They will discuss the proven track records of established artists, decide which new music maker has the potential for greatness, and discuss the state of the hip-hop industry as a whole.

The ultimate decision of the “Sucker Free” crown winners, however, is determined by a collection of 57 music industry tastemakers representing the North, South, East and West. The Summit’s industry insiders have been pulled from backgrounds including print and online, radio and television and club DJs.

The road to the Summit kicks off July 18th, with a week of special “Sucker Free” episodes culminating with the “Sucker Free Summit” airing on Sunday, July 25 at 12pm ET/PT.

Will you watch? Let us know below, or @MTV3.

Tags Fat Joe, Latino, MTV, MTV2, Suck Free Summit, Television, Tr3s

By Simone Hilliard

Who doesn't Mel Gibson hate these days? Latinos were added to that list today (July 8th), when RadarOnline.com reported that the actor/director called one of his Hispanic workers a “wetback” during a recorded conversation with ex-girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva.

Gibson tells Grigorieva, “I will report her to the f****** people that take f****** money from the wetbacks.” This not-so-subtle threat indicates Gibson planned on turning the worker over to immigration authorities.

That's not the first of Gibson's rants, of course. It was reported last week that in other recorded conversations Gibson allegedly tells Grigorieva that “If you get raped by a pack of n*****s, it will be your fault.” He also told her, "You look like a f**king pig in heat... I am going to come and burn the f**king house down... but you will b*** me first."

Disgusting.

Source: [Radar Online]

Sound off on Mel's bigotry in the comments or @MTV3 ...and make sure you GO IN!

Tags Chisme, culture, Gossip, insult, latin, Latino, Mel Gibson

Team Blogamole would like to think we can spot anyone from our comunidad on a dime, but we were recently proved wrong by Latina's "Stars You Never Knew Were Latino" series.

We already knew that Jersey girl Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi was of Chilean descent (she was adopted and raised by Italian parents), but stars like Nicole Richie, Shar Jackson, and Chevy Chase's daughter Marisol Nichols had us taking a second look!

Socialite, reality star and sometimes actress, 28-year-old Nicole Richie is known as Lionel Richie’s adopted daughter—the key word there being, “adopted.” Richie was actually born Nicole Camille Escovedo to a Mexican mother.

For ten seasons, 25-year-old David Gallagher played Simon Camden, a member of one of TV’s whitest families on the long-running family drama, 7th Heaven. But who would’ve guessed that this blonde haired, blue-eyed kid—who also played Mikey Ubriacco (John Travolta’s son) in 1993’s " Look Who’s Talking Now" —was Latino? Gallagher was born in Flushing, New York to Cubana Elena Lopez.

"Secret" celebrity identities aside, the population of Latinos in the U.S. continues to grow by leaps and bounds. According to the Los Angeles Times, among Latinos, there are nine births for every one death, according to census data. For whites, the ratio is 1-1. "That's a huge difference," said Michael Stoll, a professor of public policy at UCLA. The Associate Press also reports that Multiracial Americans, the fastest growing U.S. demographic group, are also adding to minority gains.

For more stars you never knew were Latino, visit Latina.com.

Were you surprised by the stars profiled in this post or did you already know? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Cultura, David Gallagher, Latina Magazine, Latino, MTV Tr3s, Nicole Richie, Photos, Snooki

By Daniela Capistrano

Like all fans, I am excitedly anticipating "Glee"'s return to Fox tonight (April 13), directly after "American Idol" (9:28 -10:30 PM ET/PT). A slew of A-list guest stars are in the works for upcoming seasons, among them Jennifer Lopez — who's being asked to play a lunch lady. If you read the title of this post, you can take a stab at guessing how I feel about that.

Despite winning a diversity award last year, "Glee" execs apparently still feel comfortable with the same tired casting practices that for decades have relegated talented Latino actors to portraying "the help." One could argue "historical accuracy," but consider this question:

If we believe that McKinley High students and faculty can break into song, why can't we believe that their service workers could be anything other than Hispanic?

In 2009, Pop Matters dared to ask, "Is 'Glee' a little bit racist?" At the time (being an unapologetic Gleekster) I dismissed it as white guilt, but now — I'm not so sure. Something stinks, and it sure isn't Mercedes' High C.

"Glee" can't be all things to all people, but it certainly tries to be. Yes, one of the members is Latina — the practically dialogue-less cheerleader Santana Lopez. That's fine, she's not the only supporting character who barely speaks on camera. The show clearly has favorites, and if you're a fan, you put up with it.

Or at least I did, until last March — "Glee" announced a casting call for a Filipina or Hispanic actress to play the recurring role of Amelda, Sue’s maid. I guess they only have brown service workers in the fictional Lima, Ohio — a real metro area that is 88.3% percent Non-Hispanic White.

Do you still think I'm overreacting? Let's run through some of the confirmed guest stars in Season 2:

Neil Patrick Harris will play Mr. Schuester’s rival, Olivia Newton-John gets to perform a duet of "Let's Get Physical" with Jane Lynch, Madonna gets her own themed episode and (if "Glee" execs have their way) Jennifer Lopez will serve everyone lunch.

Granted, it would be hilarious to watch J.Lo pretending to be part of the working class again and yes, sitcoms have a history of placing big stars in unusual situations.

"Glee" — even with a flamboyantly gay character and an overweight African-American teen — isn't obligated to be the next Rainbow Coalition. It's just a TV show, right?

Or maybe (just maybe) popular culture is important. Beyond telling us what to wear or who to listen to, maybe it's also a reflection of our values. After all, doesn't popular culture inspire us to love previously unchartered realities?

Before "Glee," did you ever imagine that you would envy a boy in a wheelchair or stay home to mouth show tunes with your mom?

If this cultural zeitgeist of a show has the power to make a differently-abled kid cool and rebrand the social abyss that is chorus (saving countless real life teens from swirlies), what's stopping "Glee" from dropping Latino stereotypes?

After spending the first season challenging the status quo, why the step back?

Here is an excerpt from NALIP's 2010 open letter to the Federal Communications Commission:

An important area that all networks need to look at is casting. During our meetings this year it became apparent that there is a lack of diversity in the casting teams of each of the networks. Predictably, a diverse casting team will be better at reaching people of color through their networks and relationships. We have identified this as an area that requires greater focus, and we look forward to working with the networks in bringing more diversity into their casting teams.

Latinos can play more than maids, lunch ladies, farm hands, prostitutes, drug dealers and gang members. I can love "Glee" and take issue with the fact that most of what's on TV continues to fail at representing the true diversity of the Hispanic experience.

You can too — just don't expect many people to agree with you. It's so much easier to be sheeple, right?

Despite naysayers, I have faith that "Glee" fans of all stripes will hold the show accountable. The casting process isn't over yet (you can even audition on MySpace) so perhaps there's still time for "Glee" execs to change their tune.

The views expressed in this post by Daniela Capistrano do not necessarily reflect the views of Viacom, MTV Tr3s, Blogamole, MTV Networks or any other subsidiaries.

Tags casting, glee, Jennifer Lopez, Latino, Madonna, stereotypes

By Daniela Capistrano

According to the National Institute for Latino Policy, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans and Cubans are the top three Latino subgroups. In their latest report, Salvadorans have replaced Dominicans as the fourth largest, but there's a catch: these results came from analyzing 2008 data released by the American Community Survey. What could have changed in two years?

"Salvadoran Family" image via Tom Hocker's Flickr

"Dominican Family" image via *Slim Rocket*'s Flickr

The Salvadoran news is significant, considering that in both the 1990 and 2000 censuses, Hispanics could only choose to identify themselves as Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or other Hispanic. Respondents checking off this latter category could write in a specific subgroup such as “Salvadoran.”

If Salvadorans hadn't bothered to take this additional step, their population wouldn't have been effectively represented. This raises an interesting question: if more Dominicans participate in the 2010 census than they did in the 2000 census, what will change?

We will have to wait for the results of the 2010 Census to get the most accurate Latino subgroup findings. The Migration Policy Institute reported in 2004 that the Dominican population is projected to be 1.6 million in 2010.

MTV Tr3s Shows

Census data determines how more than $400 billion per year in federal funding is distributed to state, local and tribal governments. These decisions directly impact the quality of life for all Latinos and their families.

Tr3s Comunidad, have you mailed in your 2010 Census form? Represent in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Census, Latino, National Institute for Latino Policy, Salvadorans, studies

We never thought Robert Pattinson could get any sexier, guess we were wrong! There's a Spanish Twitter account for the actor, Robert Pattinson, only for his Spanish-speaking loves, aka fanáticos.  To follow RPatz en español check out Robsten Latino!

Photo via Getty Images

Tags espanol, Latino, Robert-Pattinson, Robsten Latino, Spanish, twitter