without public comment the following article from the site of Corriere della sera online.
And fortunately the U.S. are friends of Italy!
"Too old to go to Beijing - were not spared even the Italian athletes: see for a few seconds as those in Mali and Gabon "
New York - Italy that has a little , Italy from joke. And 'This is the image that millions of Americans received Friday night in watching the opening ceremony of the Beijing Games, broadcast during prime time - with a deferred for no less than 12 hours - from NBC. That has paid 894 million dollars to get the exclusive rights for the United States. When, towards the end of the show, the spotlight has affected Italy, the tone of the two announcers Bob Costas and Matt Lauer went from serious to the ridiculous. "The Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has decided not to be here tonight along with more than 80 heads of state," explained chuckling the two talking heads of NBC, "Why it's hot in Beijing. Too hot for him. " After Berlusconi joked immense fortune (the richest Italian media magnate who is also Prime Minister of the country), and his age ("72 years is too old for such a trip " ), the two presenters concluded by explaining to viewers that "if you're rich and powerful as he can afford to just stand at home watching the ceremony. Comfortably seated in front of the TV. "
The teasing tone against the Italian leader was in sharp contrast with that, serious and respectful, reserved for other leaders present on stage in the VIP - French President Sarkozy to the United States George W. Bush. But the slap in the face of Italy did not spare even the Italian athletes who were shown for a few seconds, like the mini-delegations of developing countries such as Mali and Gabon, and unlike those of other European countries such as Spain, Germany, England and France , which Lauer and Costas have devoted detailed portraits in tribute to past records of their athletes . Why this double track? Why so humiliate Italy? What they thought million Italian-Americans who followed the ceremony from home? It is not the first time that NBC ends up in the viewfinder during the Olympics. Two years ago the network was criticized by the newspaper USA Today because, during the live from Turin for the Winter Olympics, he refused to mention the history of the Holy Shroud, which ended on all U.S. newspapers. "We want to keep religion out of the game ', it was justified then a spokesman.
Alessandra Farkas
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