This article is published in number 11 of Vanity Fair on newsstands until March 14, 2023
“A tsunami, a blender. I’ve never felt like this.”
Will be. But Loretta Goggi she looks as politely subdued as ever, as we’ve known her for 60 (and counting) years. Although she is out of breath for the preparation of Blessed spring, a show with which he returns to TV as a protagonist, after a long time. Only the frequent laughter with which she punctuates this chat betrays an unprecedented tinge of nervousness.
Back on TV with a one woman show. It’s about time, isn’t it?
“I think it’s very late!”
A year ago he declared: «A program on TV? Yes, but not self-congratulatory.” And instead…
“I hope it’s not too much. I will act as Cicero and tell the world of entertainment, but with many guests. We’ll try to figure out if it was better yesterday or today. There will also be a good comparison with the universe of young talents. But it’s not a race.”
You don’t like racing, do you?
“You have to be willing to win them. I’m interested in doing well. Then, of course, life is competition. For us women, always».
In what sense?
“For most of my career I have always had a man by my side. As if a woman is unable to lead a program on her own. That was my challenge.”
Was your last run?
“You don’t remind me! Thirty years ago, Birthday party».
Forget Miss Italy in 2007.
“Oh, sure. If Mike Bongiorno had let me drive it… It wasn’t my own agenda».
Was it after that experience that you decided not to present anymore?
“No, it was a coincidence.”
In 2012 he declared: «I did a lot of TV, but at a certain point nobody called me anymore».
“When ever! I left when I realized that the TV was taking the road of phone calls, people in the audience, games. I was used to shows with a long preparation, with ideas. On the contrary, I have refused many offers».
The most sensational?
«Sunday into and two more Sanremo».
So, TV: better yesterday or today?
«In terms of preparation, that of the past. In terms of pace, great strides have been made. That’s why my new adventure is such madness.”
Isn’t she already repentant?
“Yes!”.
What are you afraid of, listen to them?
«Not that, I’m talking to my audience, the one who grew up with me. Let’s see if he still loves antiques. I just hope that, after 30 years, you find me, maybe a little older and fat, but in a program that suits me. I would like to express myself freely, as I did in the theatre. You never came to see me, did you?’
Not yet. But there is time.
“I do not believe. Now tours aren’t like they used to be, when you spent a month in a city. Imagine me, alone, with my briefcase, three days here and three there, eating cold tuna in front of the hotel mirror. How sad.”
List your great loves: cinema, TV, music and theatre.
«The wedding and the sail are missing».
I was talking about the artistic ones.
“I am polyamorous. Today I would like to go back to acting: I would take my age by the arm and care about everything. I wouldn’t be afraid to appear aged in my voice, in my trembling legs, in my wrinkles».
What moment of your TV career has given you the most joy?
«The return to Rai with Loretta Goggi in quizin 1983. I wanted it a lot, I felt like the prodigal daughter».
What was she ashamed of?
“Never ashamed. Repent, perhaps.”
When?
«Crazy in love: a program that had nothing to do with me».
What he never wished he had experienced?
“The ones I didn’t want to experience, I didn’t experience. I learned from everyone, even from Miss Italy. They offended me, they said that I was in menopause. She fortified me: I understood that my battle in defense of women in the world of entertainment was right. Mine was an example, I think that no colleague in my place would have held up».
What do you think the artists you’ve worked with would say about you?
«That I’m a helpful person, I hope. But many could also say that I stayed away from TV because my husband was a gendarme and he made decisions for me. It is not true”.
Who did you work best with?
«Gigi Proietti, Johnny Dorelli and Pippo Baudo. Big three.”
It’s worse?
“Put it this way: men have always been the conductors, and alongside them the woman has always been decorative. In this context, it is difficult to answer ».
I read between the lines: is the world of entertainment chauvinist?
“Between the lines? Write it in big letters. The whole of society is, of which TV is a mirror. Now we have Giorgia Meloni, I hope she does well ».
We also have Elly Schlein. Who do you prefer?
«Schlein I don’t know much about, but I like her breaking the mold. However, as a simple citizen, I reproach the Democratic Party for always and only being “against” the right, without having a plan, a project, an idea. Being against doesn’t solve problems. Schlein seems motivated to me: the opposition is needed, otherwise we end up in a regime».
What do you think of female quotas?
«I would like the merit to count, beyond the genre. I would like whoever gets to govern, or to present Sanremo, get there because they are capable. I would hope that there was no longer any need for quotas: I would not like women, pass me the term, to settle down. Can I tell? We always have to fight; we have to break the balls ».
Politics courted her.
«In the times of Pannella, Bonino and Cicciomessere the Radicals contacted me. I did a little thought. Then I realized that in politics you have to make compromises. I’m too passionate, I don’t think I would have been able to smooth my ideas to find a collaboration with the other parties. Or with party colleagues. Italians don’t know how to team up.”
Leftmost or rightmost?
“The right has leaders capable of leading the group, there is no doubt.”
Could political engagement still interest you?
“I would like to be an active citizen. But without tiles. I would like to join my voice with that of others who think like me».
Do you hear any voices similar to yours on the Italian scene?
“No. I’d like to find a movement like that of round dances or sardines. But I don’t see any.”
What makes her change the channel on TV?
«The programs where we see the worst of us».
reality shows?
«Even certain talks. We artists should get on stage and make the audience say: “That’s good, but how does he do it?”. Instead now the human part of the artist works, his normality. Which often isn’t exciting.”
Of the characters we see on TV, how many really deserve to be there?
«Real artists are also recognized by the public. There are good colleagues, but they are almost all of my generation. There is no replacement.”
He says? Ilary Blasi, for example?
“It’s spontaneous. But I haven’t been able to see her artistic completeness yet. I’m talking about artists at 360 degrees: Virginia Raffaele, Paola Cortellesi, who aren’t really kids…».
Alessia Marcuzzi?
“It’s modern, it’s delightful. But what do I know if she can act, sing, dance… ».
Vanessa Incontrada?
“I admire her a lot. My two loves are her and Anna Valle».
Michelle Hunziker?
“Here, I like you! Even if she is over 40 years old. When I left, I was 22».
Not even half a bad word about any.
«They all do their job well: on TV, if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t last long. But are they complete artists?».
Friends in the environment?
“Only good acquaintances. I don’t frequent this world. And then friendship is a difficult thing. Like love.”
Is there something, in the world of entertainment, that women are not forgiven and men are?
«The ability to be self-sufficient, on stage and in life. An example: the artistic director of Sanremo is forgiven for the choices he makes, but the monologues are not forgiven for the woman who works alongside him. Which, moreover, are requested of her and we don’t even know why. You should go to the Festival for who you are. Without having to justify yourself.”
Is it superstitious?
“In no way”.
So I ask you: in a hundred years, what will we remember her for?
«I’ll be honest, people of me won’t remember a woodpecker. I’ve never been a point of reference.”
What, on the other hand, would you like to be remembered for?
“Perhaps for Cursed spring, could remain in the collective imagination. But I just did the
my job. Do you think that is enough for imperishable memory?’
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Source: Vanity Fair
I’m Susan Karen, a professional writer and editor at World Stock Market. I specialize in Entertainment news, writing stories that keep readers informed on all the latest developments in the industry. With over five years of experience in creating engaging content and copywriting for various media outlets, I have grown to become an invaluable asset to any team.
