Description: On 26 October 2026, Spanish writer Juan José Millás handed David Broncano an old reporter's notebook. Forgotten taxi receipts, cryptic lines and a bizarre sandwich turned into a comedy routine.
The funny part was that even the writer could not immediately reconstruct what some of his own notes meant. Broncano read the fragments as though they were revelations, and the panel improvised explanations. The humor came from missing context, not a proven secret in the notebook.[1][3]
What happened on the show?
RTVE's Spanish late-evening comedy talk show La Revuelta aired the episode on Monday, 26 October. Its usual announced start was 9:45 p.m. mainland Spanish time. Host David Broncano welcomed journalist and novelist Juan José Millás. RTVE lists a full episode of 79 minutes 40 seconds and a separate interview cut of 50 minutes 26 seconds.[1][2][4]
Millás was promoting the expanded Articuentos completos, writing that blends newspaper columns with short fiction. Instead of buying a present, he brought a notebook used during years of reporting, explaining that he had not had time to shop. Bringing the raw materials of his working life was already an unusual take on the show's gift tradition.[2][3]
Why did the notes become punchlines?
A paper clip held old taxi receipts that Millás apparently never submitted for reimbursement. The first discovery in a famous author's archive was a forgotten expense claim.[3]
Broncano then read isolated phrases about crying and doubts over the effect of a pill. Without a speaker, date or interview attached, ordinary shorthand sounded like a mysterious confession. When asked about another note, Millás struggled to remember the person behind it. His own handwriting had become a puzzle.[3]
Sergio Bezos linked the pill-related line to fellow cast member Grison as an improvised joke. It was not a factual claim about Grison. Millás jokingly regretted giving away the notebook, while Broncano delighted in how extraordinary the lines sounded without context.[3]
What was the strange sandwich about?
Broncano reciprocated with a sandwich assembled from two bottom halves of bread and a ball of cling film. Millás seriously admired the invention of the plastic wrap, imagining how much he would have enjoyed playing with it as a child. The gag reversed the value of everything: old work scraps became entertainment, and kitchen packaging became a wonderful toy.[3]
The callback for regular viewers
Millás appeared in a highly watched early episode in 2024 and later became associated with the show's joke about both its highest and lowest ratings. RTVE revisited that history ahead of this appearance, shortly after a record-setting interview with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.[4][5]
The notebook scene needs none of that background to work. Its details are based on the broadcaster's episode pages and a contemporary report, not a claim to have watched every minute of the footage.
Conclusion
The notebook was funny because its sentences had lost the stories that made them intelligible. Millás supplied the fragments, Broncano read them aloud, and the others filled in the gaps. By the end, even a ball of cling film could pass for a memorable gift.
References (5)
- [1] https://www.rtve.es/play/videos/la-revuelta/programa-26-10-2026-juan-jose-millas/17284308/
- [2] https://www.rtve.es/play/videos/la-revuelta/juan-jose-millas-quiero-ser-anciano-aseado/17284404/
- [3] https://www.20minutos.es/television/regalo-pasado-que-juan-jose-millas-le-da-broncano-revuelta-me-he-encontrado-recibos-taxi-que-no-pase_7053718_0.html
- [4] https://www.rtve.es/play/noticias/20261026/revuelta-broncano-juan-jose-millas-invitado-directo-programa-completo-26-octubre/17283919.shtml
- [5] https://elpais.com/television/2024-09-12/tercer-asalto-entre-david-broncano-y-pablo-motos-con-una-victoria-sin-peros-de-la-revuelta.html
