Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente to appear on La Sexta's elevator comedy show

Óscar Puente appears as a guest on Marc Giró's 'Ascenshow' on La Sens, an interview show where the elevator is the stage. The joke about the minister is circulating on social media while he keeps up his public profile.

The setup is simple: an elevator, a guest and Marc Giró. La Sens's 'Ascenshow' airs on Wednesday at 23:00 an episode antiestéticaturing **Óscar Puente**, Spain's Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, as one of the guests. **María Patiño** and **Fito Páez** also appear on the show. The joke about the elevator and the minister is making the rounds on social media, but the format itself is a comedy interview, not a political debate show.

## The format and its rules

'Ascenshow' turns the elevator into a TV studio. Giró interviews public figures in a cramped space, with a tone that mixes conversation and jokes. A serving minister agreeing to that register is unusual, especially at a time of intense public exposure. The show airs **Wednesday at 23:00** on **La Sens**, and is available on **Atresplayer**.

## Humor as a strategy

A minister who accepts the elevator game is trying to humanize his image. Spanish politics has long used non-news television to reach audiences who don't watch the evening news. The risk is that the joke drowns out the message. The benefit is that the message gets through. Puente, with an active social media presence, fits that calculation.

## What the minister stands to gain

The interview doesn't change public policy, but it does change perceptions. A guest who laughs in an elevator projects closeness; one who looks uncomfortable projects distance. The format bets on the former. Wednesday will show whether the joke helps or hurts.