NEWS | Wednesday, 23 April 2008

Benigni jokes about Italian electoral outcome

David Darmanin

Entering the Old University Building for a press conference yesterday, Italian Oscar award winning thespian and film maker Roberto Benigni made an attempt at starting his address in Maltese, but soon gave up after mispronouncing “hbieb” (friends).
Known for his explosive character, Benigni admitted that no matter how hard he tries, he has never managed to let life’s tragedies affect his permanent jolly mood.
“Once I told Walter Matthau that I thought of him as being very lucky to have dined with Chaplin. ‘Worst day of the week’, he said. I have always tried reaching Charlie Chaplin’s level of doom, but never managed.”
However, known for his disliking of Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi, Benigni did not seem too pleased with the outcome of Italy’s recent electoral result.
Asked whether he would fit best if Dante had to decide on hell, purgatory or heaven, Benigni said: “I wasn’t expecting this question on me. I was expecting a question more on the lines of where Dante would put Berlusconi.”
Answering to a more direct question on the outcome of Italian elections, Benigni sarcastically said: “I’m very happy with Berlusconi really, I have just enrolled with PDL as a member in fact… I wonder why Veltroni entered politics when he has no idea.
“In Malta you have a lot of knights, in Italy we only have one, and he’s not like the ones you have in Malta,” he added. “I will be asking Gonzi for help to send the knights up to Italy and confront the Guelfi.”
At another event in the afternoon, during his speech after being conferred at Honoris Causa Doctorate by the University of Malta, he said: “I have sought refuge in this island after the elections in Italy,” proceeding to address President of Malta Edward Fenech Adami, who was seated at a distance of some fifteen metres, Benigni shouted: “Ghinuni! Ghinuni!” (Help me, help me!) He then darted off to the President’ seat, knelt down before him and asked him for asylum, since Berlusconi was elected to power.
Moved by this stunt, Fenech Adami, helped him rise, hugged him warmly and kissed him on the cheeks.
“Inhobbkom! Inhobbkom hafna,” (I love you, I love you a lot) he said, this time pronouncing his Maltese flawlessly.