Comedian behind “Spanish laughing guy” meme passes away at 65

Juan Joya Borja,the comedian behind the famous “Spanish laughing guy” meme, has passed away at the age of 65, BBC reported.

Borja, better known by the nickname El Risitas (“giggles” in Spanish), was admitted to the hospital due to complications last year.

In March 2020, he publicly thanked his fans for organising a fundraising campaign to purchase an electric mobility scooter after one of his legs was amputated.

Looking beyond the laughter

The Spanish comedian began his career as a co-host on television shows presented by Jesus Quintero 20 years ago.

In one episode, Borja shared how he once left 20 paella dishes in the sea, only to find them swept away by the tide when he returned the next day, evoking the now famous cackle.

You can watch the show here:

The clip was initially uploaded on YouTube in 2007 but was made famous by netizens who reposted the clip multiple times to describe humorous situations in the following years.

His laughing face has also been immortalized as a Twitch emote, where it’s often paired with the word ‘KEKW’ to express scornful laughter over misplays made during an online game.

Sources: BBC, Cover image via Youtube/ratonescoloraos

Editor: Raymond Chen
Proofreader: Sarah Yeoh