No rubbing or lemons in the audience, no mistreated flowers, zero protests. It's the Sanremo where, at least for now, nothing happens. Having archived the Pucci case some time ago, with a political tail and a meme of La Russa with the comedian's bust instead of that of the Duce, we have to settle for minor controversies, funny phrases, threats of legal action and an “am I disqualified?”. Waiting to see if the discussion will ignite on the transport of Mogol from Sanremo to Rome with a Fire Brigade helicopter (Piantedosi: «Mogol also wrote the firefighters' anthem»), here's a summary.
I'm not lying
The first twist came thanks to Morgan, who else? Four days before the start of the Festival he pulled out of the duet with Chiello because, he says, it would have made him look bad. He will have a role, but not on stage. Ronnie explained to Red that «the moment I sat down at the piano, instead of saying wow they pissed themselves off, because they had to do their homework». In the press conference Chiello avoided polemical tones, he shook his head when he said the words “Morgan's reverse”, he explained that he respects him as an artist and that “he can say whatever he wants”, but “we did a few tests, we didn't find each other, no artistic alchemy was created and therefore we decided… I decided (smirk) not to bring it”. He also added that the arrangement of I fell in love with you it was done by Saverio and Fausto Cigarini. So what about Morgan's role behind the scenes? Ghost of the stage.
The spy who comes in from the cold
Irina Shayk is a robot. When asked about the war – sorry, about the special military operation in Ukraine – he replies that he is here for the love, the music, the positive energy (for the money, right?) and therefore makes no political comments. Unscratchable, not even cannon fire or drones can move it. Unlike Laura Pausini, she doesn't have a problem with Z.
Lessons of discomfort on YouTube
Title: “Vincenzo Schettini's guest at the Festival is skipped”. In recent days the teacher and YouTuber was criticized for the words on online and paid school said on Gianluca Gazzoli's podcast “tutte belle le Nuove Proposals”, which were followed by the testimonies of some former students (there are also some in favour, it must be said). In short: he is a good teacher, but he used classroom lessons to set up filming sets on YouTube, with students sent to listen to explanations online, half a point more in exchange for views, likes, comments. The denial was made at the press conference this morning: Schettini will be there and will talk about youth hardship and alcohol, drug and digital addictions. The dream: he begins the speech on digital addiction at the Ariston and then sends the audience back to YouTube to listen to the ending.
Miss Italia must not… sing
What links Jack Savoretti, Patty Pravo and Ditonellapiaga? They all made a record entitled Miss Italy. Savoretti's is from two years ago, Pravo's from 1978 (it contained Wonderful thought), the one by Ditonellapiaga will be released on April 10th and will contain a song with that title. Since Miss Italia is a commercial brand, the organizers of the competition consider the use of the name by the singer to be “seriously detrimental to the exclusive rights connected to the name, as well as to the image and reputation of the competition and its participants”. Ditonellapiaga said that “I don't even know if they've heard the song, it hasn't been released yet” and that “the meaning of the album is the relationship with canons and beauty, I was hoping for a bit of irony”. For Patrizia Mirigliani there is nothing to laugh about and she said to Adnkronos that the lawyers will move forward. Absurd? Yes I know.
«You can't say Palestine»
If on stage there was no reference to conflicts around the world, but only generic and universal appeals for peace and not to kill children. At the press conference Ermal Meta said that «we inflict a silence on ourselves: you cannot use certain words, you cannot say Gaza, you cannot say Palestine as if it were blasphemy. Silence is the great theme of today's world.” He is one of the few political thrills, beyond the rumors about the government's preferences for this or that Conti heir.
Patriarchy yes, patriarchy no
If there is eternal peace on stage, some attempts to argue remain in the press conferences. For example, we witnessed an exchange between a journalist and the Rag Dolls. He: «Ours is not a patriarchal society. There is equality. Behind every great man there is a great woman. In my house my wife is in charge.” Them: «But women shouldn't have power in the home. We want equality everywhere.” He: «Women today work outside the home just as much as men». Them: “It's not true, equal pay doesn't exist yet, there's a lot of research that proves it.” From the gender gap to pink quotas. Yesterday at the conference they asked Conti's opinion on the minority presence of women, 9 and a half out of 30 competitors: «If there are no songs, you can't choose female singers. Evidently it is a recording moment in which the male presence is superior to the female one. I choose the songs.” Chorus of protests because Conti defined Lollobrigida (Francesca, not Francesco) as a “golden mother”. In the conference they explain to him why he shouldn't have done it, peak of cultures clash. «Would you ever call him golden dad Ramazzotti?». “But he didn't win a medal.” The country is real.
Journalists yes, journalists no
Waiting for someone to blame the press room for not letting Sal Da Vinci win, during the question time morning sessions with the leaders of Sanremo there are conflicting requests: on the one hand there are those who complain about the lesser impact that the jury of journalists has compared to televoting (not a question of percentages, we are at 33% against 34%, but of mechanisms and distribution of votes), on the other there are those who ask whether it makes sense for the press to be part of a machine about which it is called upon to write. More power! No, less power! Controversy dormant for now, we'll see on Sunday morning after the victory of Fedez and Masini.
“Am I disqualified?”
In front of the journalists Arisa hums a few seconds of her song. Someone shouts: «It can't be done!». Panic. «Am I disqualified?», asks Arisa with her mouth open. «Shit, what now?». From magical fairy tale to bad drama it takes a moment.
Flop, or rather success
One of the certainties of Sanremo is the controversy the following day, the one about ratings. Take a seat. On the one hand there are those who if it's not a record, it's a flop. On the other, the optimists who always find a positive fact. As is known, this year Sanremo was seen less in terms of “heads” than the Festivals of the most recent editions, but the share remains very high, one step away from 60% (exceeded on the third evening), stuff of the top 5 of the last thirty years. Soft controversy, like the show on stage.
And congratulations to Ermal Meta for the Italian
Ermal Meta was born in Albania and if we have done the math correctly he has lived in Italy for 31 years. He participated in six Sanremo Festivals. After the 2018 victory he represented Italy at Eurovision with You haven't done anything to me in duet with Fabrizio Moro. But for Matteo Salvini he is an Albanian who speaks Italian well. Responding to a joke from the singer (“I'm a foreigner, don't let Salvini know, otherwise he'll feel bad”), the vice-president of the Council released a note yesterday: “I congratulate Ermal Meta and his perfect use of the Italian language. Millions of women and men born in a foreign country and perfectly integrated into our society live and work in Italy: for me they are precious and welcome. I have always fought against illegal immigrants and criminals and I am sure that Ermal Meta also shares this thought of mine. A hug to the proud Albanian people, long live Sanremo, the Italian language and music.” And long live the asylum seekers of Gjadër's CPR, who knows if they watch Sanremo now that “geolocalization” has been removed from RaiPlay.
Bonus track: the bilateral parties
It's not a controversy, but the quote fits. Six years ago it was all “very light music”, this year the catchphrase is “bilateral parties”, an expression coined by Elettra Lamborghini who can't sleep due to the hubbub near her hotel. This is followed by skits on the Ariston stage and at After festivalwith the Lambo suddenly taking on the role of the caramba that shows up at your door called by your neighbors. Luckily she's there, she said on Radio 2 that her husband (Afrojack) is present in Sanremo, but “I don't feel like bombing, I'm too tired, if he blows me away I won't sing anymore tomorrow”. And she said it with the microphone stuck between her tits. Yesterday we glimpsed the happy ending. «Tonight I'll screw you», Elettra tweeted, «I'm going to Monte Carlo to sleep. TIÈ!». Last (for now) twist: Lamborghini arrives in Monte Carlo and “uncle penguin, there's a bilateral party down here too, I'm persecuted”. All's well that ends in memes.
Antonio Santini for SANREMO.FM
