TIJUANA The local participant in the Mexican reality show "La Academia 2011" had a dramatic family reunion in last week's installment.
Frank Diaz's father paid a visit to the show, someone he had not seen in years.
The son said that his father, Juan Manuel Díaz, has battled addiction, and that he grew up in a dysfunctional home.
"It was hard for me to see the violence since I was a kid. He could not be a role model for me," Díaz said about his father in a television interview. "It's been tough. But if he was in front of me I would help him nonetheless because he is my dad."
For Sunday's show, Diaz performed "Un Montón de Estrellas," after which his father emerged onto the set in a surprise visit.
The son did not hesitate, and walked over and hugged. His father then dropped to his knees and asked him for forgiveness.
Diaz's mother, who was sitting in the audience, joined them on stage, with tears in her eyes.
In the end, the judges liked Diaz's performance and allowed him to continue in the show.
The goal of the popular program, aired by the Mexican network Azteca América, is to discover the next great entertainer. Participants, who are from the United States and Latin America, attend an "academy" where they fine tune their singing, dancing and acting skills.
Then they perform during a prime-time Sunday show for a panel of judges, who decide who should be dropped. TV viewers can vote during the show to overturn the judges' decision, however.
Diaz, who lives in Los Angeles, grew up in the border region, where he performs on both sides of the border.
andrea.garcia@sandiegored.com
