Laura Bozzo
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Dr. Laura Bozzo |
Dr. Laura Bozzo-Rotondo (born
1951) is a
Peruvian television talk show host of
Italian descent who has become famous as a chat show hostess and for the
feminist social views she expresses on her shows.
The Start of Bozzo's Reign
Bozzo became well known in Latin America in the
1990s with her talk show
Laura en América, in which she opposes what she calls macho values. In her show, guests are often men who have allegedly cheated on their wives or partners, abandoned them when they became pregnant, or physically or mentally abused them. The men are often shocked when Bozzo shows them her own videotape of their questionable antics, with the familiar subtitle:
"A hidden camera caught Luis with another woman". Bozzo has also used her program at various times to criticize men and women who date much younger people.
The Start of Bozzo's Troubles
Bozzo has also gained notoriety with her own personal troubles. She once set up a charity to help abused women and children in Peru, but the organization was plagued by rumors that Bozzo was really bilking the charity for her own personal gain. Bozzo also had a friendship with the former President of Peru,
Alberto Fujimori, while he was in office. She was romantically linked to one of Fujimori's top aides,
Vladimiro Montesinos, who was arrested after Fujimori sought political asylum in
Japan. Bozzo soon fled Peru and settled in
Miami. A Peruvian court charged her with helping Montesinos steal public money.
Bozzo's Height and Fall
In
2001, Bozzo's fame only increased when a Spanish-language cable network,
Telemundo, decided to broadcast her show on its
U.S. affiliates.
Laura en América soon began to be shown all over
Latin America, and she even traveled to other Spanish-speaking countries—including
Mexico,
Bolivia,
Argentina and the U.S. territory of
Puerto Rico—to tape some shows.Although on her own show Bozzo sometimes railed against so-called "May-December" relationships, it was reported that in Miami she herself had a male companion who was about 25 years younger than she. Ultimately, Bozzo decided to return to Peru to face the charges against her. Because her Lima home had been confiscated after she left for Miami, she has had to live in the
Laura en América studios under court-ordered house arrest while her case was pending. Her companion moved to Peru to be with her. For a while, a Peruvian court allowed Bozzo to produce her show live from the studio. Later, a new court order mandated that she stop producing her show live, perhaps to prevent Bozzo from trying to use the show to turn public opinion in her favor.
Bozzo Released
On
July 17,
2005, Laura Bozzo was released from house arrest. Telemundo personnel from around Latin America, including
Carmen Jovet from Puerto Rico,
Ana Maria Polo (a Cuban based in Miami) and a Mexican TV host, went to Peru to greet her. The celebration was broadcast live as a special program in the countries where Bozzo's show is seen live.
The Possible End of Bozzo
In
2006, it was widely reported that Laura Bozzo had not renewed her contract with
Telemundo, possibly ending her five-year run with the network. Since then, Bozzo has desperately tried to get the attention of another U.S. Hispanic network,
Univision, in order to keep her show running. Perhaps due to her controversial reputation, Bozzo has not yet won a contract from either
Telemundo or
Univision, the two main Spanish-language networks in the United States.
Christina, the host of a long-running
Univision talk show, was quoted saying: "If that wannabe comes to Univision, then I will definitly take my talk show elsewhere." Though reruns of Bozzo's show still air on
Telemundo, the future of the show is unclear. Later it was reproted that Bozzo herself had stopped production on the program. It has also been confirmed that starting in fall
2006, the show will no longer be shown on the Telemundo network. No plans to renew the program are known. It has also been rumored that Laura will start airing her program in Mexico only, for supposly she has already made a deal with hispanic televison giant
Televisa, no confirmations of this rumor have been made.
Bozzo Convicted?
On July 11, 2006, just a few days before the one year anniversay of her release from house arrest, Laura Bozzo was convicted of all the charges against her and was sentenced to a four years in prison that is to be run consequtivly. Laura later informed a local televison station
Canal 9 that she planned to use a newly instated law in her favor and sue the country of Peru. She was reported saying the following:
"This a conspiracy against me. "It's been proven that he court reached an injust resoluition, and that is why I am going to sue them before Interamerican Court."
The law the former talk-show host is relying on, for the right to raise this lawsuit, is a law of the Assoication of American States (OEA) according to which if there is a not a friendly agreement between two parties (in the case, Bozzo and the Peruviuan Goverment) and it's found that a right has been violated, the Court can give a recommendation. According to People En Espanol, will Laura won't actually be imprisoned, but her sentence will force her to not leave her home without the prior authorization of a judge, and appear before a court every three months.
