MIAMI — Rolando Barral, who calls himself the “Johnny Carson of Latin America,” is out of work after being arrested on an outstanding sexual assault warrant in New Jersey and later charged with cocaine possession.
Barral, 48, a fixture on Spanish language television, was stopped by Coral Gables police for a routine traffic violation early Thursday morning. A records check revealed the New Jersey warrant, resulting in Barral’s arrest.
Barral was taken to the police station, where he asked to the use the bathroom. According to police, he then tried to throw a small plastic bag into the urinal. The bag contained about a gram of cocaine.
Barral was charged with possession of a controlled substance and taken to Dade County Jail. He was later released on $5,000 bond.
“Things are not what they seem. I hope everything turns out well,” Barral said as he was leaving the jail.
New Jersey officials do not plan to extradite Barral on the outstanding warrant, which charges the television host with sexual assault on a minor.
In 1984, Barral was arrested by Coral Gables police on charges of indecent exposure and sexual assault. The charges were later dropped.
WLTV-Channel 23, which produces and broadcasts Barral’s twice-weekly talk show, responded to Thursday’s charges by suspending Barral and production of Lunes Y Viernes con Barral.
“It is our position that all persons charged with a crime are innocent until proven guilty,” said Joaquin Blaya, general manager of WLTV. “Nevertheless, in view of the serious nature of the criminal charges, Channel 23 is suspending Rolando Barral until the charges are resolved in a competent court of law.”
Barral’s late-night talk show is broadcast nationally over the Univision network. The show, which went on the air in October, is the latest Barral production in a career spanning more than three decades.
Barral first gained prominence as a child actor in his native Cuba, starring in live radio plays. In the early 1940s, Barral was a well-known galan, or hearthrob, playing romantic leads in movies and television soap operas.
From 1977-85, Barral was host on his first talk show on Channel 23 — El Show de Rolando Barral. The show cemented Barral’s image as a charismatic, bold interviewer and spread his fame into Latin America.
In a recent interview, Barral said he wanted his latest show to become the Spanish-language Nightline — cashing in on current events and an 11 p.m. broadcast time.
