Jaime Bayly

Mr. Bayly, Peruvian born, funny as hell and not remotely literary, is my favorite writer. He joins a list that had been populated first by John Steinbeck, then Ray Carver, and more recently Luis García Montero.

Jaimito has nothing in common with any of them. Like García Montero, he writes in Spanish and is rarely translated. Unlike Luis, his writing is vulgar, has no style and barely counts as literature.

Why do I love to read Jaime Bayly?

I love him because he makes me laugh. He makes me laugh at Perú, at life and at myself. I think that's the task of good writing. I love him because he's corageous- openly bisexual in a country that makes hair dressers out of anyone remotely different. I love him because he shares his life- he gives it to his readers at his own peril.

In New York I made a base attempt at defending his literary prowess. You could easily compare Jaimito to David Sedaris- short, hilarious monologues at the expense of the writers' family. But Mr. Sedaris lives and writes in a world that accepts him- he is This American Life. Jaime also has his media fame- a television program broadcast throughout the Americas. But his fame is as someone who is easy to hate- an effeminate Peruvian making an ass of himself by interviewing more beloved pop divas.

I don't care what the world thinks of Jaime Bayly. I don't care that in his own narcissism, he has declared himself candidate for president of Perú. I would never vote for him. Then again, half the people here want to elect another Fujimori.

I love Jaimito not for his self-deprecating farse of a life, but because he knows how to survive and laugh in this country. I hold these qualities in high regard.

These are things that I've learned from Jaime Bayly:

-To be in Buenos Aires for the World Cup is the best thing you can do with your life.

-Sometimes the best solution to life's problems is to find a hotel room, hide from the world and sleep.

-It's ok if all you want to do is stay at home all day and read and write. It's more than ok- it's a noble occupation.

-It's best to love whichever person your heart wants to love. Nobody else matters.

Apart from what I've learned from Jaimito, I've also gained a valuable friendship. The personal nature of his writing makes me feel close to him, and I share this with Clau. Jaimito's writing is powerful enough to form the bond of frienship. I'm grateful for this.