Jaime Bayly - Career

Career

His first television appearance was in 1983 during Peruvian municipal elections, interviewing candidates and politicians. Later on, he began a career as a late show host interviewing celebrities.

Bayly's first late-night show, '1990 en America', got the attention of TV audiences and critics. The following year he hosted a copy of David Letterman's Late Show called 'Que hay de nuevo?', also highly popular.

During the 1990s Bayly hosted late-night shows in the United States at CBS Telenoticias Network Latin America and Telemundo for six years.

After President of Peru Alberto Fujimori sought asylum in Japan in 2001 following a ten-year term in order to avoid prosecution on charges of corruption, independent news media found itself in a better position. Bayly was able to host political programme 'El Francotirador' ('The Sniper'), interviewing candidates to the 2001 Presidential Election. In that program, he apparently offended several personalities with his political opinions, and finally had to quit. Inspired by the experience, Bayly wrote a book, taking the title from the show. Later he resumed the program. His interviewing style is somewhat incisive, irreverent & controversial leaving him looking calm & collected but reflecting poorly on his guests.

In 2006, he supported right-wing Lourdes Flores for presidency. In 2010, Bayly announced he intended to run for President in the Peruvian general election, 2011 to succeed Alan García. Later that year, he supported leftist candidate Susana Villaran in her successful campaign to become mayor of Lima. As a consequence, broadcasting company Frecuencia Latina cancelled his show.

On his U.S. program which airs on the Miami-based MegaTV channel, Bayly is well known for his right-wing views which has included sharp criticism of the autocratic nature of the Venezuelan government of Hugo Chávez.

Bayly routinely mocks Bolivian president Evo Morales on his television show and makes fun of his heavy native accent. When the democratically elected Honduran government of Manuel Zelaya was overthrown by a military coup in June 2009, Bayly stated he "would not shed tears over the coup" and poked fun at Zelaya's appearance, labeling him "El Mariachi Zelaya."

During his MegaTV program on February 2, 2012, Bayly announced that when Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez dies, he and the network would throw "a big party" to celebrate.

In March 2012 Bayly stated on his show that anyone who "is a coup plotter against Chavez will be considered a friend and ally..."

Bayly is an admirer of Colombia's right-wing government and has heaped praise on former president Alvaro Uribe on his program. In 2012 Bayly condemned peace talks between the Colombian government of Juan Manuel Santos and the FARC guerrilla group, he called the talks "a victory for Fidel Castro" after it was announced they would partially take place in Havana, Cuba.