Gene Gnocchi
Encyclopedia
Gene Gnocchi best known by his stage name
is an Italian
television
presenter
, comedian
and footballer.
Gene Gnocchi was born in Fidenza
into a working class family. He was an aspiring vocalist in a rock band when he was younger, and also has a degree as a lawyer
; however, both these different roads produced quite unsuccessful results.
He took advice from the general public and took the road of a comedian. He started to appear on the then unknown stage of Milan
's Zelig
in the 1980s, as well as an emerging comedian on the Maurizio Costanzo Show.
Gene started enjoying success in the 1990s and now is mostly known for his role in Quelli che il calcio, a Raidue football-related TV show with Simona Ventura
, usually aired on Sundays.
, asking for an opportunity to play five minutes in a Serie A
match. He wants to prove that he's better than some of the overrated Serie A players, and wants to remind everyone that at the end of the day football is only a game.
A lot have encouraged this initiative, including Marcello Lippi
and Alessandro Del Piero
. Four teams, Atalanta
, Bologna
(of Serie B
), Siena
and Torino
in fact offered a trial to the comedian.
On 23 March 2007, at 52 years of age, he finally signed a three-month contract with Parma
, his favourite Serie A team, for a yearly wage of €18,000, the minimum salary allowed in Italy for a professional footballer. He chose to wear the #52 shirt, referring to his age, with the name "Gnoccao", a spoof on Brazil
ian footballers based on his name. He was initially expected to make his debut on the day of the last league match, May 27, 2007, against Empoli
. However, as Parma was still involved in the relegation battle
, Gnocchi's Serie A debut did not happen. He made his debut with the Parma jersey on May 31 in a friendly match against Carpenedolo
.
In February 2009 he signed a six-months deal with Genoa CFC.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
is an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
, comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
and footballer.
Gene Gnocchi was born in Fidenza
Fidenza
Fidenza is a town and comune in the province of Parma, Emilia-Romagna region, Italy. It has around 24,000 inhabitants. The town was renamed Fidenza in 1927, recalling its Roman name of Fidentia; before, it was called Borgo San Donnino.-History:...
into a working class family. He was an aspiring vocalist in a rock band when he was younger, and also has a degree as a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
; however, both these different roads produced quite unsuccessful results.
He took advice from the general public and took the road of a comedian. He started to appear on the then unknown stage of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
's Zelig
Zelig
Zelig is a 1983 American mockumentary film written and directed by Woody Allen, and starring Allen and Mia Farrow. Allen plays Zelig, a curiously nondescript enigma who is discovered for his remarkable ability to transform himself to resemble anyone he's near.The film was shot almost entirely in...
in the 1980s, as well as an emerging comedian on the Maurizio Costanzo Show.
Gene started enjoying success in the 1990s and now is mostly known for his role in Quelli che il calcio, a Raidue football-related TV show with Simona Ventura
Simona Ventura
Simona Ventura is an Italian television presenter.-The Beginnings:Ventura started in TV on "Domani Sposi" with Giancarlo Magalli on Rai Uno....
, usually aired on Sundays.
The Serie A dream
During the 2006/2007 edition of Quelli che il calcio, Gene Gnocchi challenged the entire world of footballFootball (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, asking for an opportunity to play five minutes in a Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
match. He wants to prove that he's better than some of the overrated Serie A players, and wants to remind everyone that at the end of the day football is only a game.
A lot have encouraged this initiative, including Marcello Lippi
Marcello Lippi
Marcello Lippi, Commendatore OMRI is a former Italian World Cup-winning football manager and former player. He served as Italian national team head coach from 16 July 2004 to 12 July 2006 and led Italy to win the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was re-appointed as Italian head coach in the summer of 2008...
and Alessandro Del Piero
Alessandro Del Piero
Alessandro Del Piero Ufficiale OMRI is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer who plays for Serie A club Juventus, of which he is also club captain....
. Four teams, Atalanta
Atalanta B.C.
Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio, commonly known as just Atalanta, Atalanta Bergamo or the abbreviation Atalanta BC, is an Italian football club based in Bergamo, Lombardy.They are nicknamed the Nerazzurri and the orobici...
, Bologna
Bologna F.C. 1909
Bologna Football Club 1909, known simply as Bologna, is an Italian Football League club based in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, formed in 1993. The club are nicknamed the rossoblù because of the red and blue striped shirts they wear. Red and Blue are the official colours of the town.During its history...
(of Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
), Siena
A.C. Siena
Associazione Calcio Siena is an Italian football club based in Siena.The club currently plays in Serie A, having gained promotion from Serie B at the end of the 2010-2011 season....
and Torino
Torino F.C.
Torino Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Torino, is a professional Italian football club based in Turin, Piedmont, that was founded in 1906. The club has spent most of its history in the top tier in Italian football....
in fact offered a trial to the comedian.
On 23 March 2007, at 52 years of age, he finally signed a three-month contract with Parma
Parma F.C.
Parma Football Club , commonly referred to as just Parma, is an Italian professional football club based in Parma, Emilia–Romagna that will compete in Serie A for the 2011–12 season, having finished in twelfth position last season. Founded as Verdi Foot Ball Club in July 1913, the club changed its...
, his favourite Serie A team, for a yearly wage of €18,000, the minimum salary allowed in Italy for a professional footballer. He chose to wear the #52 shirt, referring to his age, with the name "Gnoccao", a spoof on Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian footballers based on his name. He was initially expected to make his debut on the day of the last league match, May 27, 2007, against Empoli
Empoli F.C.
Empoli Football Club is an Italian association football club located in Empoli, Tuscany, founded in 1920 and played its first official match in 1921.In recent years, the club has all too often been bouncing between Italy's two top divisions...
. However, as Parma was still involved in the relegation battle
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
, Gnocchi's Serie A debut did not happen. He made his debut with the Parma jersey on May 31 in a friendly match against Carpenedolo
A.C. Carpenedolo
Associazione Calcio Carpenedolo is an Italian association football club, based in Carpenedolo, Lombardy.Carpenedolo currently plays in Serie D.The team's colors are red and black.-From Lega Pro Seconda Divisione to Serie D:...
.
In February 2009 he signed a six-months deal with Genoa CFC.