Padre Alberto Calls the Faithful

Executives at the struggling Spanish-language television network wanted to pin their hopes on one man, one matinee idol who would lure God-fearing Latinos to the tube every afternoon. So, they launched an atypical manhunt: Their Latino star should be young, handsome, noble and ordained.

Enter Father Albert Cutie, the 30-year-old leader of Miami’s St. Patrick’s Church and now the first American priest with a talk show on the Telemundo network. He looks like a gangling Tom Cruise in a collar, and his executive producer says no topic is off-limits.

But after less than a month on the air, the lackluster ratings of “Padre Alberto” illustrate a dilemma for the network’s programming executives. How do they cash in on the devout Catholic Latino audience and keep pace with the steamy topics of afternoon talk shows?

Consider the recent promotional guest appearance for the new show on Telemundo’s evening magazine. Cutie (pronounced koo-tee-AYE) was asked if he had experienced sexual intimacy prior to joining the priesthood at age 18.

“Confession is on Saturday,” Cutie said, laughing.

Not much of a promotion for the show, and, in fact, that may be Cutie’s problem. His manner is so earnest, so discreet and so nonjudgmental that it’s difficult to imagine him outperforming his campy competition, a one-woman empire whose show dominates Spanish-language television.

“I don’t feel pressured in the sense of providing entertainment,” Cutie said. “What I’m trying to do is give inspiration and guidance, especially to the Hispanic family.”

The first half of “Padre Alberto” is an attempt to resolve a guest’s dilemma, such as domestic violence or family estrangement. There is no prayer on the show, but an occasional “Amen” rises from the studio audience. During the second half-hour, Cutie, several experts and at least one well-known Latino discuss the issue.

“He talks about topics that are good for the community and that are difficult to talk about in Latino families, like members of the family that are gay,” said Ingrid Iannotti of Anita Santiago’s advertising agency, which produces Spanish-language campaigns.

“Padre Alberto” airs weekdays at 4 p.m., the same slot as top-rated Spanish-language network Univision’s “The Cristina Show,” starring powerhouse Cristina Saralegui. She is Spanish-language television’s Oprah Winfrey, with the market’s highest-rated talk show. Her autobiography, “My Life as a Blonde,” was published last year by Warner Books, and after a decade on the air she will be honored next week with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Cutie has his work cut out for him.

“I thought he would take things by storm, but I don’t think Telemundo is doing enough promotion to let people know it’s there,” Iannotti said.

Telemundo does not reach nearly as many cities as Univision’s programming, and Father Albert’s show replaced an insipid Mexican telenovela, which pulls a different audience than do talk shows.

From Sept. 27 to Oct. 22, “Cristina” drew an average 1,434,000 viewers to “Padre Alberto’s” 336,000, nearly five times the audience.

“Latin people trust the priest very much,” said Father Ellwood E. Kieser, who runs L.A.’s Paulist Productions. “There can be a sellout to get ratings, but simply to have a priest as a host and to explore all the range of issues that people struggle with, especially in the Hispanic community, is going to be attractive to people.”

In theory, yes. But in reality, even the hippest priest around may have trouble entertaining viewers while keeping things very professional.

Cutie Outshone

500 Other Priests

Cutie, who was born to Cuban exiles in San Juan, Puerto Rico, grew up in Miami. As a teenager, he spun records at parties and then landed his own show on the city’s public radio station. He admits to a serious affinity for Donna Summer and “Madonna’s early songs.”

At a lean 6 feet tall, Cutie carries himself like an athlete and works out three times a week. He’s got a full head of black hair, bright blue eyes and a toothy grin. For a man of the cloth, he’s nearly dashing.

Network executives thought so, too. In fact, Cutie outshone 500 other priests around the country who auditioned for the part.

“The women love him,” said Father Eddie Bernal, host of “Gospel Feedback,” a weekly television program on San Antonio’s Catholic television channel. Callers into Bernal’s show praise “Padre Alberto.”

“He’s very charismatic, and I think it’s important to get someone attractive who people will watch. Surveys tell us that people won’t watch people who are unattractive. He’s used these gifts--his good looks, his speaking ability--in a positive way in service of God,” Bernal said. “He’s almost as good looking as I am.”

The financial details of Cutie’s contract with Telemundo are confidential, and since he did not take a vow of poverty he can keep the money, but said he will most likely put it toward needy causes. And despite five shows a week, he still juggles his duties of leading St. Patrick’s congregation.

“The people in my parish have known about [the show],” Cutie said. “I asked them to pray for me through the process.”

He also has the unconditional support of three other priest roommates, including an 86-year-old who critiques the show each evening.

His show, which is shot at Telemundo’s Hialeah, Fla., base, gathered local attention early on with a large spread in a September issue of the free weekly newspaper Miami New Times.

His Profile Has Risen

at Home in South Florida

Cutie cedes that the show has raised his profile in South Florida. Earlier this month, he had just finished leading a funeral service and was headed toward his 1991 Honda Civic when a pair of elderly women at the cemetery flagged him down. Their car engine wouldn’t turn over, and they needed help.

In Spanish and in unison, their voices carried clearly over the tombstones: “Padre Alberto! Padre Alberto!”

One of the women told him that she was a loyal viewer.

“Then she grabbed her cell phone and started calling her children, her husband and friends saying, ‘You’ll never believe this: Padre Alberto is jumping my car! He’s jumping my car!’ ” Cutie recalled.

A lot of people, especially women, whom advertisers such as Iannotti are hoping to reach, seem to be pulling for Father Albert. Iannotti made sure one of their big clients, California Milk Processing Board, advertised throughout this year in 10 California markets since women, the biggest buyers of milk, also compose most of Father Albert’s viewers.

His “natural audience” is women, ages 18-49, Iannotti said. Whether an increasing number of those female viewers tune into “Padre Alberto” in the coming weeks remains to be seen.

“I had big hopes for him, but I haven’t given up on him,” Iannotti said wistfully. “I think he’s a good-looking man and a beautiful person with charisma.”

* “Padre Alberto” is shown weekdays at 4 p.m. on KVEA.