''Infarto'' ( Spanish for

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

) is a

hidden camera A hidden camera or spy camera is a camera used to photograph or record subjects, often people, without their knowledge. The camera may be considered "hidden" because it is not visible to the subject being filmed, or is disguised as another obje ...

show on

Azteca 13 Azteca Uno (previously Azteca Trece), is a Mexican national broadcast television network owned by TV Azteca, with more than 100 transmitters across the country. Azteca Uno broadcasts on virtual channel 1. Azteca Uno programming is available in ...

in Mexico and Azteca América in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. People appearing on the show have been subjected to

pranks A practical joke, or prank, is a mischievous trick played on someone, generally causing the victim to experience embarrassment, perplexity, confusion, or discomfort.Marsh, Moira. 2015. ''Practically Joking''. Logan: Utah State University Press. ...

such as the victim believing that they will be sacrificed in a

cult In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This ...

ritual or believing that they will be murdered by axe-wielding neighbors amid a blackout. Because of the extreme and traumatizing nature of the show's content, the authenticity of the show is heavily debated.

Sci-Fi Channel Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Launc ...

's original show ''

Scare Tactics ''Scare Tactics'' is an American comedy horror hidden camera television show, produced by Scott Hallock and Kevin Healey. Its first two seasons aired from April 2003 to December 2004. After a hiatus, the show returned for a third season, beginn ...

'' is modeled after this concept.

Pop culture

In the

, despite Azteca América's limited availability as the network was shown on mostly low-powered TV stations, the show has caught attention of a couple late night talk shows. *The American television show ''

The Soup ''The Soup'' is an American television series that aired weekly on E! from July 1, 2004, until December 18, 2015 as a revamped version of ''Talk Soup'' that focused on recaps of various popular culture and television moments of the week. The ...

'', known for its lampooning week-in-review of celebrity and television stories, began airing short clips of ''Infarto'' since July 2006, mainly to mock the deep, menacing voice which utters "Infarto" when the show's title logo is displayed. This may, in part, be because "Infarto" contains the word " fart" and is therefore amusing to English-speakers. ''The Soup'' host

Joel McHale Joel Edward McHale (born November 20, 1971) is an American actor, comedian, and television host. He is best known for hosting ''The Soup'' (2004–2015) and his role as Jeff Winger on the NBC sitcom ''Community'' (2009–2015). He has performed i ...

has called ''Infarto'' "the most evil practical-joke show in the world". *Late night television show ''

Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, Los ...

'' aired a clip of the show featuring a knife-wielding old man.

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0449724, Infarto Azteca Uno original programming 2005 Mexican television series debuts Hidden camera television series