Sabina Guzzanti
Encyclopedia
Sabina Guzzanti is an Italian satirist, actress, writer and producer whose work is devoted to examining social and political life in Italy.
as the eldest daughter of celebrated Italian political commentator and journalist Paolo Guzzanti
(former senator of Forza Italia
, incumbent deputy and deputy secretary for Italian liberal party), she graduated from the Academy of Dramatic Arts of Rome. Her first appearances on stage were at the side of her brother Corrado
, a skilled comedian known for parody and imitation.
gave her popularity, and the Italian film director Giuseppe Bertolucci recruited her to star in his film I Cammelli. Her career in this period was at its apex, as she starred in several films, toured Italian theatres with her own comedy shows (such as Con fervido zelo in 1991, and Non io: Sabina e le altre in 1994), and even held her one-woman show La posta del cuore. Her first attempt at directing is the 1998 short Donna selvaggia.
In November 2003 Sabina Guzzanti wrote, directed and was featured in the first and only installment of Raiot, a late-night TV political satire show broadcast on Rai Tre
. After lampooning Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi, she was sued by Silvio Berlusconi
's Mediaset
lawyers (notably Cesare Previti
's law firm) for "lies and insinuation" and the show was pulled amid controversy; in the suing document Previti defined satire as "that thing which tends to minimize and to make a politician likeable, to diminish the social tensions" ("quella cosa che tende a sdrammatizzare e a rendere simpatico un politico, a diminuire le tensioni sociali") as the basis to accuse the show of not being satirical but a direct political attack. As a form of protest, the second instalment was recorded live in the Auditorium of Rome and broadcast by independent television networks; during the event among others Dario Fo
, Beppe Grillo
and Daniele Luttazzi
gave her their support. After that Sabina Guzzanti announced that the only official instalment of Raiot had completely vanished from the RAI
's archives.
Sabina Guzzanti presents her side of the story in her film Viva Zapatero!
(2005). In the film, she shows how not only herself but also critics of Berlusconi are cracked down on with means like firing and law suits. The film also illustrates that making fun of Berlusconi and his politics is not accepted in the media controlled by Berlusconi.
At the end of 2005 she was once again allowed on television to feature in the last installment of Adriano Celentano
's show Rockpolitik, but the producers "forbade" her to speak about Silvio Berlusconi
. After the victory of L'Unione in the 2006 elections
and the progressive fading of Berlusconi's influence on the RAI, she declared she still wouldn't return to work at the RAI unless serious reforms were launched to make the company's management independent from the politicians.
In July 2008, in front of thousands of cheering onlookers at Piazza Navona, Rome, Guzzanti made remarks about the Pope, saying that he would end up in hell as punishment for the church's treatment of homosexuals, saying that he would soon be "tormented by great big poofter devils - and very active ones".
Although threatened with punishments of up to five years in prison for these comments, she was not prosecuted. Guzzanti discussed it on the seventh season finale of Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, which was critical of the Vatican.
Since 1987, Sabina Guzzanti has been a member of Sōka Gakkai.
Early life
Born in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
as the eldest daughter of celebrated Italian political commentator and journalist Paolo Guzzanti
Paolo Guzzanti
Paolo Guzzanti is an Italian journalist and politician. He was previously a member of the Italian Socialist Party.-Biography:Born in Rome, he is the nephew of Elio Guzzanti and father to actors Corrado, Sabina and Caterina....
(former senator of Forza Italia
Forza Italia
Forza Italia was a liberal-conservative, Christian democratic, and liberal political party in Italy, with a large social democratic minority, that was led by Silvio Berlusconi, four times Prime Minister of Italy....
, incumbent deputy and deputy secretary for Italian liberal party), she graduated from the Academy of Dramatic Arts of Rome. Her first appearances on stage were at the side of her brother Corrado
Corrado Guzzanti
Corrado Guzzanti is an Italian actor, director, writer and satirist. He has been described as "the most interesting satirical author and actor today" and "among the comedians best loved by the Italian public."-Biography:...
, a skilled comedian known for parody and imitation.
Career
Guzzanti's career began when she took part in a series of successful television comedy formats such as Proffimamente... non stop (directed by Enzo Trapani), L'araba fenice (directed by Antonio Ricci), La TV delle ragazze and Scusate l'interruzione; her imitations of the famous Italian porn star Moana PozziMoana Pozzi
Moana Pozzi , often called simply Moana, was an Italian pornographic actress, actress, television personality, model, politician and writer.-Early years:...
gave her popularity, and the Italian film director Giuseppe Bertolucci recruited her to star in his film I Cammelli. Her career in this period was at its apex, as she starred in several films, toured Italian theatres with her own comedy shows (such as Con fervido zelo in 1991, and Non io: Sabina e le altre in 1994), and even held her one-woman show La posta del cuore. Her first attempt at directing is the 1998 short Donna selvaggia.
In November 2003 Sabina Guzzanti wrote, directed and was featured in the first and only installment of Raiot, a late-night TV political satire show broadcast on Rai Tre
Rai Tre
Rai 3 is part of RAI, the Italian government broadcasting agency, which owns other channels, such as Rai 1 and Rai 2 . Rai 3 first started transmissions on December 15, 1979. In the eighties it was under the predominant political influence of the Italian Communist Party...
. After lampooning Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi, she was sued by Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi , also known as Il Cavaliere – from knighthood to the Order of Merit for Labour which he received in 1977 – is an Italian politician and businessman who served three terms as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. Berlusconi is also the...
's Mediaset
Mediaset
Mediaset S.p.A., known as Gruppo Mediaset in Italian, is an Italian-based media company which is the largest commercial broadcaster in the country...
lawyers (notably Cesare Previti
Cesare Previti
Cesare Previti is a former Italian politician.-Biography:Born in Reggio Calabria, he grew up in Rome, where he started practicing law. In 1971 he became acquainted with Silvio Berlusconi, the construction magnate, later to be media mogul and Prime Minister of Italy...
's law firm) for "lies and insinuation" and the show was pulled amid controversy; in the suing document Previti defined satire as "that thing which tends to minimize and to make a politician likeable, to diminish the social tensions" ("quella cosa che tende a sdrammatizzare e a rendere simpatico un politico, a diminuire le tensioni sociali") as the basis to accuse the show of not being satirical but a direct political attack. As a form of protest, the second instalment was recorded live in the Auditorium of Rome and broadcast by independent television networks; during the event among others Dario Fo
Dario Fo
Dario Fo is an Italian satirist, playwright, theater director, actor and composer. His dramatic work employs comedic methods of the ancient Italian commedia dell'arte, a theatrical style popular with the working classes. He currently owns and operates a theatre company with his wife, actress...
, Beppe Grillo
Beppe Grillo
Giuseppe Piero Grillo, better known as Beppe Grillo , is an Italian activist, blogger, comedian, actor and politician, who also works in theatres and television.-Biography:Grillo was born in Genoa, Liguria....
and Daniele Luttazzi
Daniele Luttazzi
Daniele Luttazzi , real name Daniele Fabbri, is an Italian theater actor, writer, satirist, illustrator and singer/songwriter. His stage name is a homage to musician and actor Lelio Luttazzi...
gave her their support. After that Sabina Guzzanti announced that the only official instalment of Raiot had completely vanished from the RAI
RAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
's archives.
Sabina Guzzanti presents her side of the story in her film Viva Zapatero!
Viva Zapatero!
Viva Zapatero! is a 2005 documentary by Sabina Guzzanti telling her side of the story regarding the conflict with Silvio Berlusconi over a late-night TV political satire show broadcast on RAI-3....
(2005). In the film, she shows how not only herself but also critics of Berlusconi are cracked down on with means like firing and law suits. The film also illustrates that making fun of Berlusconi and his politics is not accepted in the media controlled by Berlusconi.
At the end of 2005 she was once again allowed on television to feature in the last installment of Adriano Celentano
Adriano Celentano
Adriano Celentano is an Italian singer, songwriter, comedian, actor, film director and TV host.-Biography:Celentano was born in Milan at 14 Via Gluck, about which he later wrote the famous song "Il ragazzo della via Gluck"...
's show Rockpolitik, but the producers "forbade" her to speak about Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi , also known as Il Cavaliere – from knighthood to the Order of Merit for Labour which he received in 1977 – is an Italian politician and businessman who served three terms as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. Berlusconi is also the...
. After the victory of L'Unione in the 2006 elections
Italian general election, 2006
In the Italian general election, 2006 for the renewal of the two Chambers of the Parliament of Italy held on April 9 and April 10, 2006 the incumbent prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, leader of the center-right House of Freedoms, was narrowly defeated by Romano Prodi, leader of the center-left The...
and the progressive fading of Berlusconi's influence on the RAI, she declared she still wouldn't return to work at the RAI unless serious reforms were launched to make the company's management independent from the politicians.
In July 2008, in front of thousands of cheering onlookers at Piazza Navona, Rome, Guzzanti made remarks about the Pope, saying that he would end up in hell as punishment for the church's treatment of homosexuals, saying that he would soon be "tormented by great big poofter devils - and very active ones".
Although threatened with punishments of up to five years in prison for these comments, she was not prosecuted. Guzzanti discussed it on the seventh season finale of Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, which was critical of the Vatican.
Since 1987, Sabina Guzzanti has been a member of Sōka Gakkai.
Works
Films
- Draquila - L'Italia che trema, script by Sabina Guzzanti, 2010
- Le ragioni dell'aragosta, directed and written by Sabina Guzzanti, 2007
- Viva Zapatero!, directed by Sabina Guzzanti, script by Sabina Guzzanti, 2005
- Bimba, directed by Sabina Guzzanti, script by Sabina Guzzanti, 2001
- Troppo sole, directed by Giuseppe Bertolucci, 1994
- La cattedra, directed by Michele Sordillo, 1991
- I ragazzi di via Panisperna, directed by Gianni AmelioGianni AmelioGianni Amelio is an Italian film director.-Biography:Amelio was born in San Pietro di Magisano, province of Catanzaro, Calabria. His father moved to Argentina soon after his birth. He spent his youth and adolescence with his mother and his grandmother...
, 1989 - Night club, directed by Sergio CorbucciSergio CorbucciSergio Corbucci was an Italian film director. He is best known for his very violent yet intelligent spaghetti westerns...
, 1989 - I cammelli, directed by Giuseppe Bertolucci, 1988
Books
- Reperto RaiOt., published by BUR Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, 2005
- Viva Zapatero!, published by BUR Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, 2005
- Il diario di Sabna Guzz, published by Einaudi, 2003
- Mi consenta una riflessione (anche se non è il mio ramo), published by Baldini Castoldi Dalai, 2002