Cape worn by Walter Mercado

This red cape was used by Walter Mercado, a well know television astrologer whose programs aired during the evening news on the Spanish networks’s Univisión and Telemundo throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Spanish Caribbean. Ask any Latinx Generation X, millennial, or as often identified for Latinos; Generation Ñ, that had Univisión playing on in their household and they would all recognize Mercado’s flamboyant new age persona and elaborate sets that often changed from day to day. Today his image and personality spans generations and nationalities.

Mercado, born in Puerto Rico, successfully navigated broadcasting at a time of change, crossing over from radio to stage, then from stage to television. His iconic costumes were used in his segments and at public events and were inspired by different signs of the zodiac to reflect love, peace, and enthusiasm. Drawing on his theater background, he used costumes to make his character stand out, thereby launching the career of arguably one of Latin Americas most recognized figures. He practiced astrology, star readings, Orientalism, Hinduism and other forms of spirituality throughout the rest of his career and in his personal life. The props, such as a small crystal ball, and other talismans, objects, and small tabletop props used on set, reflect his universal and cross-cultural beliefs and traditions.

In a time of quickly changing viewing habits and channel creations, Mercado, along with handful of newscasters, daytime personalities, and a few telenovela actors, were part of the media explosion of Spanish language television in the U.S. His slot was between the hard hitting, often disturbing, world news and between the often-female oriented telenovelas (soap operas.) His popularity throughout Latin America draws on the syncretism between Catholicism and nature spirituality. He was a trusted calming voice in the community, of those who often live on the margins. He navigated the social and cultural Latinx landscape as a flamboyant character in a culture that was often very conservative, becoming an icon for the LGBTQ community.

Currently not on view