Iris Chacón 'La Boricua Bomba' Honored

By Alicia Cruz

Editor-in-chief

Theblackurbantimes

Who can forget La Bomba de Boricua of the early 1970's and 1980's, Iris Chacón. Back then she wowed television audiences in Amalie car coolant ads, movies, a telenova, Yo Se Que Mentia as well as shows like "The Merv Griffin Show", "Geraldo" and "David Letterman."
Letterman once described Chacón as the "Dolly Parton and Loni Anderson of Puerto Rico" and Griffin told her that she was the answer to " 'Where's the beef?' " in reference to the famous 80's Wendy's commercial.
Both were right. Chacón was famous for "shakin' what her mama gave her" as she let loose on stage showcasing her well-endowed derriere in a revealing outfits leaving thousands of men drooling for hours - my father included.
Clad in a black gown that accented her ample cleavage and hugged her (still) curvaceous figure with that long, red hair flowing like La Mina Waterfall in the El Yunque Rain Forest in Puerto Rico, 59-year-old Chacón was honored Friday night with a Nuestro Orgullo award along with Cubano Mexican actor Fernando Allende of NBC's Flamingo Road (as "Julio Sanchez") fame.
The Institute for the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Elderly celebrated its 35th annual gala at the Hilton where sang for 350 guests, who included Mayor Bloomberg and city Controller William Thompson.
The 59-year-old Chacón was honored with a Nuestro Orgullo (Our Pride) award along with Cubano Mexican actor Fernando Allende of NBC's Flamingo Road (as "Julio Sanchez") fame. Chacón said she was honored with the recognition from the nonprofit which serves Latino seniors.

Chacón wrapped up the night with a rendition of her hit “Si Tu Boquita Fuera,” which starts, “If your little mouth was made of chocolate, I would spend all my time whipping it and whipping it” except that in Spanish, it rhymes
Chacón’s legendary "booty dances" were repeated in “El Cantante” when Jennifer López dropped it like it was hot, Chacón style, in front of the TV in an effort to take her on-screen (and off-screen) husband, Marc Anthony’s, eyes off Chacón’s show. That scene was memorable!
Chacón, La Vedette de America (America's Showgirl), reached the height of her career in 1984 and ended her show in PR. Her guest appearences continued, but la Boricua dropped out of sight for awhile.
We got a momentary fill when spicy Spaniard Charo nee María Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Moquiere de les Esperades Santa Ana Romanguera y de la Najosa Rasten (no, for real, that's her entire legal name) and her trademark phrase "cuchi-cuchi" came along, but it just wasn't the same. At the ceremony, Chacón revealed that she is about to become an Abuela. Her daughter, Katiria, is expecting her first child.

Congratulations, La Bomba!