Saw this drawing on the side of an abandoned building on the Argentine coast. I’m told that it’s rather funny to anyone familiar with Argentine pop culture. (Indeed, I think a book about Argentine pop culture would be a best seller to the growing expat community).
Here’s an attempt at an explanation (readers: please feel free to elaborate):
Pancho Dotto is the name of a guy who runs the leading modeling agency in Buenos Aires, Dotto Models. From his photos Pancho Dotto seems to be one of those media celebrities with a lot of dark hair and fancy suits. A pancho is also slang for a hot dog (see photo).
Isabel Sarli is an Argentine movie actress from the 1960s and 1970s, mostly known for her nude scenes. You occasionally can catch one of her old movies on late night cable TV here in Buenos Aires where she surely will be swimming around on her back. (Here she is in the April 1960 Playboy). She was nicknamed la Coca. Why? Her addiction to Coca-Cola or because her body was shaped like an old-fashioned Coca-Cola bottle? (see photo).
Update – For readers not familiar with Pancho Dotto, here’s a photo I saw this weekend of him in his usual environment:
December 16th, 2006 at 12:07 pm
Coca is the usual nickname for Isabel.
Pancho Dotto is famous for living a dandy life, it´s almost like if he were a pimp with his models.
December 19th, 2006 at 11:42 pm
Pancho Dotto is quite a character. “Pancho” is the usual nick-name used for people called “Francisco”. Why? I haven’t the slightest idea. :-))
December 21st, 2006 at 4:39 pm
Muy bueno!! pero nunca sucedería en la realidad que fueran parejas. Pancho solo sale con veinteañeras y la Coca Sarli cuadriplica el promedio!
December 24th, 2006 at 6:30 pm
Here’s the link I was telling you about the other night: Rosario Cine
December 25th, 2006 at 8:51 pm
That *is* funny. It’d be funnier if that were a hotdogs & Coke place… is it??
December 25th, 2006 at 8:52 pm
Oh- it’s an abandoned building… never mind.
December 26th, 2006 at 11:53 am
Sofia – The building, at one time, might have been a place that sold hot dogs and Coke…I seem to recall that it did have the feel of a former restaurant or some kind of eatery.
Robert – that’s a great link to movie posters of Isabel Sarli. Thanks.
September 20th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
Hola a todos Como van?Soy Maria Elena y alguna vez me gustaria conocer a Pancho Doto.No se como andara hace mucho que no se nada de el.Lo unico que me acuerdo de Dolores y nada mas.No tengo el perfil pero me gustaria que me invitaran.Tengo 90-70-100 ni mas ni menos cuando era chica queria tener 90-60-90 pero no lo pude lograr,Un Beso a todos y me hubiese gustado viajar a todos lados no por las fotos sino a conocer el mundo.Besos a todos
March 12th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Jeff (and Sofia, too): this places WAS in fact a hotdogs and coke place, years ago.. that was the joke. I’m from Argentina, but if I’d have to explain this I wouldn’t have done it better than you did, congratulations!
And yeah, just as Ernie said, Pancho Dotto is quite a character XD
March 12th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Sere – thanks for confirming that this actually was a hotdog/coke place. How funny!