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Boris Izaguirre
Irony as a weapon
The hallmarks of this native of Caracas are sarcasm, impudence, authenticity and an amazing ability to surprise and stir up controversy. Just what is needed to make a name for oneself in show business and literature
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After consolidating his reputation in the media worldwide, Boris is now devoting himself to deepen his experience as an author (Photo: Josep Lago / AFP)
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ELIDES J. ROJAS L.
EL UNIVERSAL
 He made himself known internationally, especially in Spain, where television helped him make a name for himself and join the ranks of those who are both hated and loved at the same time, in other words: celebrities. In his opinion, "fame is a new ideology, almost a new religion. The morbid interest that fame stirs up is absolutely indefinable." At this point in time, it almost seems to be a profession in itself. And Boris has practiced it by striking away at traditions, styles and paradigms. He spent a short time studying in the United States. Upon returning to Caracas, he tried his hand at scriptwriting and, joining forces with José Ignacio Cabrujas, he wrote Rubí and La dama de rosa, two soap operas that were well liked in Venezuela but became even greater hits on Spanish television. A job offer arrived from Galicia and Sofía Imber, Director of the Caracas Museum of Contemporary Art, encouraged him to explore new lands. It was in Santiago de Compostela, the initial showcase for his talent, where the other story begins. From there, Telecinco was just one step away. What he was originally hired to do was write scripts for Crónicas marcianas; nevertheless, after a few appearances on camera he became indispensable with his ironic comments, ingenuity and, even, nudity. From being a witty writer he moved on to portray himself. Crónicas marcianas came to an end not long ago, but for a long time it provided the ideal environment for this Venezuelan to make a name for himself in the media and begin moving on to other stages. His main weapons are irony, impudence, authenticity and stirring things up. Just what is needed to make a name for himself on television. But television and radio are not all that he does. Boris has also produced some interesting written works, including four novels and four essays. Azul petróleo, in 1998, was the first. It was followed by Morir de glamour, Verdades alteradas, 1965, Fetiche, El armario secreto de Hitchcock, El vuelo de los avestruces and, more recently, Villa Diamante, a work for which he was among the finalists for the 54th Planeta Awards, 2007. That was the encouragement he needed to feel more secure in "that other world." His plan now is to spend all his time writing. He has regular columns in publications such as El País Semanal and articles by him can also be found in specialized magazines such as Fotogramas, Zero and Marie Clarie. He has been quite active in politics, too. He made public his support for José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the socialist who recently won re-election, when he joined a support platform of Spanish artists. In the case of Venezuela, he feels that Hugo Chávez will most probably end up betraying his people, and has compared Mr. Chávez with former Venezuelan dictator Marcos Pérez Jiménez. In Spain, in February 2006, Boris married his boyfriend Rubén Nogueira. In this, too, he is in the forefront. Translated by Francine Jacome |
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