My walk with ‘Machete’: The inside story of Pasadena mayor’s unexpected Rose Parade stroll with actor Danny Trejo

It was the Rose Parade moment that neither Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo nor Danny Trejo saw coming as the two friends bundled into a 1907 Autocar bus Monday morning – fulfilling a dream of being in the parade together. The mayor. The beloved actor. Vintage car. Classic moment. Crisp morning. All smiles.

And then, it all came to a stop — or maybe never really got going. The old classic malfunctioned in the Tournament of Roses house driveway, and the rest is now another chapter in those unscripted Rose Parade moments.

And that is fine with Gordo, who on the day after was still re-living the high of a rare chance: a walk down Colorado Boulevard with Trejo during the 134th Rose Parade on Monday, Jan. 2.

Gordo became the first mayor in recent memory to walk the parade route.

The pair was forced to trek “about 40 percent,” Gordo said, of the 5.5-mile procession through Pasadena, which sounds like a strenuous ask for even the fittest of 50-year-old men.

Gordo, though, has always wanted to walk the Rose Parade route, so he considered the chance to do so with his good friend, Trejo, “a once in a lifetime experience.”

Danny Trejo walks along Colorado Boulevard after Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo's car broke downduring the 134th Rose Parade in Pasadena on Monday, January 2, 2023. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Danny Trejo walks along Colorado Boulevard after Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo’s car broke down during the 134th Rose Parade in Pasadena on Monday, January 2, 2023. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

A Blossoming Friendship

Trejo, a famous actor known for his roles in “From Dusk Til Dawn,” “Machete” and the “Spy Kids” franchise, has been a mentor and good friend for some time, Gordo said in an interview Tuesday, Jan. 3. “We talked about him joining me in the parade one year, so I told him this is the year.”

Taking two feet to the street is far from new for the mayor, who explained he regularly walks in the annual Black History Month Parade and the Latino Heritage Parade. The Tournament of Roses, however, has always “strongly recommended” that Gordo traverse Orange Grove Boulevard by car.

This year, Gordo’s loved ones piled into an autobus once used to haul passengers up to Pike’s Peak Hotel in Colorado.

The bus, possessing a top speed of 18 mph, was found back east in 1980 and restored over six years by the current owner’s father. Like Trejo, it has been featured in many movies, including “Titanic” and “Around the World in 80 Days.”

It proved much less reliable than Machete’s leading man.

In fact, according to Gordo, the vintage vehicle didn’t even make it out of the driveway after his family and friends loaded up for the start of the parade.

“Danny and I, we looked at one another and said we’re not going to be pushing this thing or getting towed through the parade,” Gordo said. “So we jumped out and I said, ‘let’s go.’”

A security guard immediately jumped to warn the two about the risks of walking.

“Machete opens his jacket and says: ‘Don’t worry about it!,’” Gordo recalled, attempting to echo Trejo’s trademark voice.

The inside of his jacket embroidered with machetes, Trejo then turned and said: “Let’s go mayor,” Gordo added.

The ensuing reception from the fans was unlike anything he’s experienced in the parade, which is quite the assertion, considering Gordo’s participation in the annual procession and Rose Bowl Game dates back decades.

Screaming fans hurried to the front of a packed sidewalk while the pair weaved back and forth to greet the thousands who sought a high-five, selfie or a quick glimpse of the Echo Park native.

Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo and tough-guy actor Danny Trejo were forced to walk the Rose Parade route after their historic vehicle shut down. (Photo by Clara Harter, SCNG)
Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo and tough-guy actor Danny Trejo were forced to walk the Rose Parade route after their historic vehicle shut down. (Photo by Clara Harter, SCNG)

“They became alive in a different way than I’ve seen before,” Gordo said, “and we were going to follow that.”

He’s glad he did, too, “because the energy was electric,” according to Gordo.

“You can sometimes feel like a potted plant, waving in the wind,” Gordo said. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s a tremendous honor and privilege to be in the parade. But I think riding in the middle of the street from a car takes away the interactions and an opportunity to connect.”

Unfortunately for those at the end of the 5.5-mile procession, the Autobus eventually started, allowing the group to finish the parade intact as planned.

“On behalf of my friend Danny, I want to thank the public for being so gracious and embracing,” Gordo said. “The walk down Colorado was very special for the two of us, and I hope everybody found it as engaging as we did.”

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