Todo Concostrina – “Acontece que no es poco | Nace Fleming… Ian Fleming. El padre de Bond… James Bond”

Host: Nieves Concostrina with Carlos
Date: May 28, 2024

Main Theme

In this lively and satirical history episode, Nieves Concostrina celebrates the birth of Ian Fleming (May 28, 1908), best known as the creator of the legendary spy James Bond. With her trademark irreverence, Nieves explores both the real-life Fleming and the mythos of Bond—examining the blur between fiction and reality, the social context behind their creation, and the problematic traits inherited from their inspirations. The episode deconstructs the glamor, machismo, and British pride tangled up in the Bond legend, while highlighting lesser-known anecdotes and offering sharp commentary on their cultural legacy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Natalicios y Mitos Nacionales (00:19–02:57)

• The episode opens playfully with Carlos and Nieves reminiscing about the old newspaper section for “natalicios” (birth announcements), using the opportunity to introduce Fleming’s birthday.
• Nieves underscores how figures like James Bond and El Cid become fanciful national icons, despite their roots in fiction or distortion:

  “En realidad nadie puede ser James Bond, como nadie puede ser Batman.” (01:27)

• She draws a parallel between the British adoration of Bond and the Spanish mythologizing of El Cid, highlighting how nations often cling to invented heroes for nationalist pride.

2. Ian Fleming: El Hombre Detrás de Bond (03:02–05:17)

• Carlos asks about Fleming’s time in British intelligence. Nieves debunks the idea of him as a secret agent:

  “No es que hiciera grandes cosas. Solo le dejaban ocuparse del papeleo. Chupó despacho. Chupó. Sobre todo despacho.” (03:13)

• Fleming’s modest intelligence work contrasted with his mother’s influence, failures in the military (expelled after contracting gonorrhea!), and his many personal vices.
• She colorfully juxtaposes Fleming’s debauched reality with Bond’s sophisticated fictional persona:

  “Lo del martini agitado, no mezclado. Eso es una moñería pija comparado con lo que le pegaba al jarro el Bond de las novelas.” (02:55)

3. La Creación de Casino Royale y la Sombra del Machismo (05:17–06:36)

• Fleming wrote "Casino Royale" at age 44, ostensibly to escape the “shock” of marrying after getting a widow pregnant:

  “La escribió casi por desahogo, porque se vio obligado a casarse con 44 años y tenía un cabreo del 7.” (05:29)

• Discussion on the problematic and fantastical portrayal of women in Bond films—total servility, sexualization, and objectification. Nieves calls out how even “the bad girls” could not resist Bond, regardless of the actor.

4. Los Primeros Bond en la Pantalla y el Origén del Nombre (06:36–07:47)

• Many assume Sean Connery was the first Bond, but Barry Nelson played him first on U.S. TV.
• The name "James Bond" comes from an American ornithologist, chosen for being “breve, poco romántico y muy masculino” (short, unromantic, and masculine). However, the man himself was rather uninspiring.

5. El Guiño a Goya en el Cine de Bond (07:47–09:45)

• Nieves uncovers a fun Easter egg: In Dr. No, Sean Connery as Bond pauses to look at Goya’s missing portrait of the Duke of Wellington—a nod to the real-life theft from the National Gallery:

  “El director de la peli de Dr. No, Terence Young, hizo un guiño a los espectadores y situó el cuadro robado en la guarida del mal como si lo hubiera robado el doctor No.” (08:26)

• She recommends the film "El duque" for the full real story behind the painting’s theft and recovery.

6. Inspiraciones Reales: Porfirio Rubirosa, el Playboy Model (10:10–13:02)

• Ian Fleming found his Bond prototype in Porfirio Rubirosa, a Dominican playboy, diplomat, and legendary womanizer:

  “Fue espía, tuvo cinco esposas... Por sus contactos políticos y sociales. Pero además de esposas, tuvo mujeres por un tubo… Fue campeón internacional de polo, submarinista, esquiaba, conducía coches de carrera…” (10:32–11:45)

• Rubirosa’s virility was so legendary that large pepper grinders in Paris restaurants were nicknamed after him!
• He was violent, jealous, and tied to dictatorial regimes—the “virtues” that fed into Bond’s dangerous charm.
• Nieves delivers a wicked punchline describing Rubirosa’s fatal Ferrari crash:

  “Iba haciendo el imbécil a toda leche con su Ferrari... Se estampó contra un castaño y oye, allí se quedó. Y el chiste viene solo, literalmente, casco de un castañazo.” (12:46–13:02)

7. Sean Connery y el Machismo Heredado (13:02–14:37)

• The legacy of Bond’s (and Connery’s) misogyny is addressed frankly:

  “A Connery le persiguió toda su vida aquella declaración en 1965... mantenía aquello de que una bofetada con la mano abierta a una mujer estaba justificada.” (13:29)

• Fleming himself was deeply misogynistic, which colored both the original character and his cinematic incarnations.
• The glamour of Bond is shown to be a cinematic illusion compared to both Fleming’s reality and that of his “musas.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sobre los héroes inventados:
  “James Bond es un personaje divertido, pero es mentira. Ya está. Que es que a veces los británicos parecen todo Boris Johnson, de verdad.” (02:04, Nieves)
• Sobre la verdadera vida de Ian Fleming:
  “Lo suyo, lo que le gustaba de verdad, era acumular amantes de forma compulsiva, se habla de cientos...” (04:09, Nieves)
• Sobre el referente Rubirosa:
  “Era un tipo muy violento y cómplice de un asesino porque trabajó como espía para el régimen criminal del dictador Dominica Leonidas Trujillo.” (12:20, Nieves)
• Sobre Connery:
  “Una bofetada con la mano abierta una mujer estaba justificada... Si una mujer es una perra o una histérica, yo lo haría.” (13:29, Nieves citando a Connery)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:19–02:57: Introducción y conexiones entre mitos nacionales (Bond, El Cid)
• 03:02–05:17: Ian Fleming: vida, personalidad y contrastes con Bond
• 05:17–06:36: Casino Royale, misoginia y el machismo en Bond
• 06:36–07:47: Primeros Bonds cinematográficos y origen del nombre
• 07:47–09:45: El guiño a Goya en Dr. No y la historia del cuadro robado
• 10:10–13:02: Porfirio Rubirosa: playboy y modelo real de Bond
• 13:02–14:37: Sean Connery, misoginia y el tramo final de la relación entre realidad y mito

Tone & Style

The episode is lighthearted, ironic, and at times sharply critical. Nieves employs humor, sarcasm, and cultural references to debunk myths, highlight uncomfortable truths, and provide vivid, colorful storytelling—staying true to her unique voice throughout.

Perfect for listeners seeking a witty yet unflinching look at history’s icons—and the uncomfortable realities beneath their legend.