"Bayly has always been very popular here but never loved," Salinas adds. "He achieves what he wants to — grabs people's attention, makes himself known — but he doesn't win over people. The proof is that for years he never convinced people to support a single initiative of his."
Soon, Bayly grew tired of working in the Peruvian TV industry. From 2003 to 2005, he focused on writing, cranking out several more sex- and scandal-filled novels. Then in 2006, he began a three-year stint on Mega TV in Miami. The show, Bayly, drew steady ratings, but serious health problems and an on-air fight with the station's vice president led Bayly to quit in 2009. After recovering at his friend Shakira's house in Uruguay, Bayly moved back to Lima and announced he would run for president.
At first, he was courted by the right-wing party Cambio Radical. But when he outlined his libertarian platform — ending state subsidies to the Catholic Church, legalizing abortion and drugs, and dissolving the armed forces — and then criticized Cambio Radical's candidate for mayor of Lima, the party dropped him. As an independent, Bayly initially polled well, pulling in eight percent of votes. But he lacked the hundreds of thousands of signatures required to run. Without a party or a real campaign office, people soon understood that his candidacy was mostly a publicity stunt. His poll numbers fell to a few percentage points. By 2010, he had dropped his bid for office.
"I think he took the joke as far as he could," says Fernando Vivas, a TV critic for Peruvian paper El Comercio. "But actually running for president was a magnificent public relations stunt by someone who has never lost his ability to command an audience on television."
Since dropping out of the race, Bayly has won back popularity — or at least legitimacy — in Peru with a series of devastating political reports on TV. This past September, only a few weeks before the October 3 mayoral election, he aired an audiotape of conservative candidate Lourdes Flores saying her critics could "stick the mayor's office up my ass." Bayly was questioned in court over how he obtained the tapes, but the damage to Flores was done: She lost to the candidate Bayly endorsed, center-leftist Susana Villarán.
Then Bayly picked a fight with Peru's current president, García, who had been elected for a second time after weathering past accusations of human rights abuses and embezzlement. Shortly after the September election, "the sniper" set his sights on García in a column that ran in newspaper Peru21. This past December 6, Bayly described a dinner with García in which the president urged him to run for office. When Bayly protested that the job paid too little, García allegedly said: "Don't be an idiot. The money arrives on its own." In the column, Bayly also claimed García's comments were a "subtle and deceitful way of saying that the money arrives under the table, in suitcases, in bribes, and secret accounts."
According to Bayly, García also threatened to use the army to stop Ollanta Humala from taking office if the leftist candidate wins in 2011. García has since said his comments were taken out of context, but it's too late. This year's election has been thrown wide open.
"Those two revelations have caused a minor scandal here," says Vivas. "So even when he's not on TV in Peru anymore, he can stir things up with his newspaper columns. And his columns have started ringing much truer than in the past. Before they were more works of literature, but recently his columns have become more of a settling of personal accounts."
Jaime Bayly may be a good journalist, but he's a fickle friend and phlegmatic lover. He has built a career out of criticizing anyone and everyone, but he rarely forgives even small slights. The double standard stems from his romanticization of writing. Any good artist, he argues, is ultimately self-loathing and alone.
"I was always the kid at the party who still wasn't totally comfortable being there," he says. "A writer is always an outcast, a menace, a party pooper — the guy who is in the party but afterward tells all the secrets he saw or heard. That's my life."
The secrets Bayly has revealed haven't nailed just politicians. They've also hurt friends and family. In 2008, two years after his father died of cancer, Bayly interviewed his mother on El Francotirador in Peru. During the hour-long show, Letts admitted that her son's first novel had stung her and her family.
Bayly has also burned many in the journalism world. The night after his testy interview with María Antonieta Collins — who had appeared on his show several times before — Bayly called her "an annoying old lady" and said she had "the IQ of a bird, but not a crow because they are actually quite smart."
In September of 2008, Bayly was nearly fired from Mega TV after complaining on-air for 18 minutes about the temperature of the television studio. The signal was cut when he claimed the station was violating his contract. An on-air make-up with Mega TV chief executive Cynthia Hudson the next night saved his job. While some viewers took the fight as a publicity stunt, Bayly says the tension between the two contributed to his leaving the station in 2009. He returned only after Hudson moved to CNN en Español. (Hudson declined comment.)
El tristemente celebrado Bayly , este hombre que lo unico que sabe es criticar a grandes personalidades , cuando el mismo no es mejor , ciertamente debe tener un gran complejo. ah casi me olvidaba talves alguien pueda persuadirlo que cambie de look , especialmente ese peinado que semeja a un casco Aleman que lo lleva mas de 20anos , oye jaimito bufon de pueblo tu repertorio ya cansa , vete y descansa.
JAIME: Aqui tienes unos links para que veas que te has quedado corto en tus criticas a La Presidente de Argentina ... que ella tenga o no titulo de abogada no es en realidad lo mas grave:
http://argentinasalvajizada.wo...
jaimen i was see your program in canal sur, why only you talking about oyanta , and no keiko, if im no wrong, this is the 3 week, you still talk about the same person, mr ollanta humala, I wish next sunday your program will be different
I've been on another Galaxy-Space travel does work Wonders...Finally. as we are coming in for the landing---I can hear a distant Roar---People are Cheering-Excited-Mesmerized...I ask the Crew-Is it a Concert? a Star? or a new Prophet??? Max replies-No-It's Jaime Bayly-One of Earth's own MEGASTARS...Actually-I'm from right Here-Earth-but I feel as if I've been Re-Awakened...Jaime Bayly is Enthralling...
POCOS HOMBRE EN EL MUNDO COMO JAIME BAYLY,SINCERO,CORAZON Y ALMA NO EXISTE HOMBRE QUE SE SIENTA AL FRENTE DE LAS CAMARAS DE TV Y CON ESA SERIEDAD QUE LO CARACTERISA DICE LOS QUE OTRO CALLAN Y CON UN SENTIDO DEL HUMOR ADSOLUTOS , LOS QUE LO CRITICAN SON LOS IPOCRITAS ENVIDIA A JAIME NADIE LE ATA LA IMPROVISACION Y A LA VEZ ,VOCABULRIO POETICO...PERDONEN MIS FATAS ORTOGRAFICAS.SOY ANALFAVETA .MIUQUEN TAN..
JAMAS HE CONOCIDO UNA PERSONA CON UN SETIDO DEL HUMOR COMO ESTE SENOR,IMPROVISACON UN LENGUJE SACADOCON PALABRAS PAUSADAS QUE A LA PERSONA DEDICADA ,CREO QUE REISE ONO LE QUEDARA MAS REMEDIO QUE ASECTAR LA FAMA,FELIS ME SENTIRIA CAER EN BOCA DEL TAN QUERIDO Y RESPETADO DE MI PARTE,, MIQUEN TAN..
That's right, who is paying for this and WHY is it still on the front page? Oops, my apologies. Forgot Miami news is now run by the majority, which is the Hispanic community. I love them, even married to one, but they gotta get past the communistic way of thinking.
Mr Michael E. Miller If you thing people believe on what you are saying about Jaime Bayly you are out of your main, Jaime Bayly is an excellent journalist and writer. His stile is unique that is how he is so popular in the Latin community. What I don't understand how Yahoo have in there headline a article so racist and so negative. Jaime we are with you, don't lasing to this racist columnist.
Los tontos siempre expresan su propia negatividad en otro, pero ese otro solo tiene 16 novelas y saliendo de una droga adiccion que cualquiera queda loco, escribio uno de sus mas premiadas novela, es comparado solamente con Letter man y Charlie Rose, es un millonario y con el talk show mas visto de America latina para los que pueden apreciar al artista de Bayle frente alas camaras solo un baboso puede hablar mal de un homre tan exitoso salido de latino America. espero se recupere Sr Bayle, hay babosos esperandole para tener deque hablar.!ha pordonen si ofendi
Many of you have missed the tongue-in-cheek title of this article. it is meant to poke a little fun at him for saying so, for wanting attention, and it is ironic because it really sounds as if Bayly is alive and well and reinventing himself.
What a silly, sensasionalist and misleading headline. Jaime Bayly is an excellent journalist and writer. He deserves more respect from a no so brilliant columnist...
hola jayme yo soy cubana pero te adoro jamas he dejado de berte me encanta las bromas del padre alberto yo tanbien lo beo como un sinbolo sexual me he orinado por tu culpa por haserme reir te quiero mucho haydee
Hey Jaime, don't be so long in mouth(- no pun). Take comfort in the fact that there surely will be more than five people taking a shit on your grave. You were a colorful cliche, roaming amongst a culture of sheep. Love, Dad.
I don't understand why so many people admire this man. Being articulate doesn't mean you're brilliant. While he is clearly clever, I believe it is a far cry to depict him as this frustrated genius type that he so desperately claims to be. The narcissism coupled with his apparent self-loathing makes this man exactly what he hates in others: hypocritical. And, truth be told, he knows and accepts this.
My personal belief is that this man is a greedy fame-whore, who will sacrifice anything or anyone to make a buck. Is he that different from the politicians he so criticizes? The best part is that he rationalizes his antics by assigning them to his inability to be a liar; it's the "I'm just being honest, unlike the rest," excuse. It is, and always has been, all about the money. There's no honesty in this man. How can someone who doesn't believe in monogamy propose marriage to another, not once, but twice?
He has played his part very well, and has effectively earned the admiration of many people who, for some reason, seem to think that he's some kind of revolutionary.
Does he really think that he's the first to "expose" the duplicity of human nature? Anyone can write a book about how fucked up and utterly hypocritical their family can be. When did being a rebel and an inconsiderate dick suddenly become more accepted than being a person with integrity and self-control?
If you're going to be an ignorant fuck at least spell it correctly it's FAGGOT.....
This article is what's wrong with the New Times articles in general. The article is titled "Jaime Bayly is dying" yet the reader msut endure endless pieces of minute detail before getting to the point of the title. jesh
great article. 6 pages is lenthy, but how can you possibly sum Bayly up in less than that? i think this piece really captures his essence. irreverent, controversial, publicity-starved, charismatic, intelligent, eloquent. glad he's back and i'm sure he'll be around for a long time, regardless of what he says. kudos to the writer.
My father had a comfortable, even luxurious life, but demons and phantoms were eating at his soul." Bayly says: it is the same thing happens to him. Poor guy!!!!
Great story, but why does it need to spread over 6 pages?! Fix your website, stop splitting stories over multiple pages just so you can give advertisers more views. Ad-Block Plus FTW!
I think JAIME BAYLY is really unique. I admire his Guts and his Panache. He is a Unique figure in Latin Television. He is one of the Smartest, most sophisticated People I have ever seen. His interviews are incredible. I can't believe he is Dying....But if he is, I feel Sorry and Lucky just the same. Like Jack Paar, Carson, Cavett, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin and ALL the Greats, JAIME BAYLY is an icon and I am Lucky to have lived in his Lifetime.
deberia de ser un poco mas profesional y no hacer chistes tan malos especialmente de senoras respetables , se nota q es un envidiosa estupido ! no se como esta otra ves en la mega. ! tonto!
I HOPE IS NOT TRUE THAT JAIME IS DYING I LIKE TO SEE HIS TALK SHOWS. MAY GOD BE WITH JAIME AND GIVE HIM PEACE.
JEANLL
The man carries himself as a unique brand and icon, nothing wrong with that. The 5th most powerful person in Peru? I live here (Peru), he's a dime a dozen to all the scandalous types of Cholowood. In a country where a busted stripper was elected a congresswoman I highly doubt that even a bogus ranking of 5th most powerful man in Peru is something to be too proud of. Who's first on the list, Tongo (only Peruvians will get that one)?
Read his books, like the ones he wrote when he was much younger. Back when he was considered El Nino Terrible in Peru, and so many Peruvians hated him. Then he went to the States, the foreign latins loved him, and then the Peruvians began to care about him.
I like him, he is cleaver, mean spirit and have a dark sense of humor, but so what? That makes him different from the rest of the hispanics journalists.
I don't beleive he is dying though, but if that is the case, then he should sign up for a possible organs donors list. Yes, I know, he doesn't want to use other people's organs, but what the hell...If the donor is already dead, it's fair game.
I have to admitt that what I must admire about him is his relentless attacks to Chavez and Castro. He is a Libertarian, but for sure is an anti-communist. My favorite kind of people.
I wish him well. I can of respect a guy that live his life to his own standards, like Sinatra said in one of his songs, "I did it my Way".
Would be true that he is dying or he needs publicity for his new book??????????, he is a very smart, clever guy. He is the kind of person that needs to be in hurricane eye.
I like Bayly a lot.Despite that I don't watch him every night..!! But he's fun...!! He makes me laugh ..!!
He makes one of the best shows in Spanish on TV... definitely better than Laura Bozzo, Niurka Marcos or Maria Antonieta Colllins... and he makes people laugh...period!
being a proud peruvian myself, he is a total disgrace to PERU...dislike him very much! cholo mierda...huevon!
Great articule ..besides all his personal and professional controversy ..I like him because he fihgts hypocrisy,.unmasking all those liars that goes through this live preteding they are perfect.
I wish you him a healthy and long life. Hope he will let his ego and hate go away from him. There is not need to live like that, say whatever you want but forgive your parents and sit and talk to your kids.
