LONDON: Tributes have been paid to the man affectionately known around the world as “Spanish Laughing Guy,” who has died at the age of 65 after a “long illness.”
Juan Joya Borja, nicknamed “El Risitas” or “The Giggles” due to his distinctive laugh, first came to fame when he appeared on TV variety show “Ratones Coloraos” and couldn’t tell his anecdote because he was laughing too much.
The video of the interview filmed in June 2007, containing his joyous outburst, went viral and has become a legendary meme, used most often to signify the stupidity of someone.
Borja, who worked various jobs such as a stint as a chef and on building sites before finding fame, became a popular figure on the Spanish TV circuit following his famous interview.
He passed away peacefully at a hospital in Seville on Wednesday after spending months in recovery from a leg amputation.
