Spanish-language variety show 'Sabado Gigante' is ending after 53 years on the air

 By 
Sandra Gonzalez
 on 
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Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Univision's long-running Spanish-language variety show Sábado Gigante is signing off after 53 years on the air.

The program -- which translates to "Gigantic Saturday" -- is set to take its bow in September.

In its time on the air, the show has arguably become best known for it's lighter fare -- cheeky games, skits and a segment called El Chacal de la Trompeta, where a hooded trumpet-playing figure judges singers competing for a cash prize. But the show has also leveraged its access to Spanish-speaking audiences into big-time interviews.

Back in 2004, in the midst of an election, host Don Francisco (real name Mario Kreutzberger) scored highly coveted sitdowns with President George W. Bush and Sen. John Kerry, who were courting last-minute support from Hispanic audiences.

The three-hour show, which began in Chile in 1962 before landing at Univision in 1986, is set to run its final episode Sept. 19.

Francisco is expected to remain part of the network, hosting various television events.

Though the show is decidedly less known to U.S. audiences, the show's popularity has crossed over into American pop culture before. See this Family Guy moment from a Season 4 episode:

Stephen Colbert also got into the action with Colberto Reporter Gigante.

The show, which boasts more than 3 million fans on Facebook, posted a thanks to its viewers on Friday.

(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));La gratitud.... #ConsejoGigantePosted by Sabado Gigante on Friday, April 17, 2015

Roughly translated, the note says:

"Gratitude gives a sense to our past, brings peace to the present and creates a vision for tomorrow."

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