13 January: on Canale 5, debut of TG5, the first Finivest news program, directed by Enrico Mentana and hosted, besides the same Mentana, by Cristina Parodi and Cesara Buonamici. The first edition is troubled by several technical problems but is gratified by a greeting message from London of the president Francesco Cossiga. Soon, the Canale 5 journal, focused on current news instead of politic and conducted by Mentana with a pressing rhythm, becomes a serious competitor for the high-flown RAI news programs.[1]
26 February: during the opening evening of the Sanremo festival, hosted by Pippo Baudo, Crazy Horse (alias Mario Appignani), infamous serial jammer of public events, takes the stage crying “The festival is rigged and Fausto Leali will win it!”, before being moved away by the staff. The prediction doesn't come true: the winner is Luca Barbarossa with Portami a ballare, while Leali gets only the 9th place.[2]
March 3: two weeks after the arrest of Mario Chiesa, Bettino Craxi is guest at TG3. The socialist leader, answering to a viewer’s question, calls Chiesa “a scoundrel who casts a shadow on a party that in Milan … in fifty years never had an administrator sentenced for serious crimes.” Instead, the Mani Pulite enquiry, originated by the Chiesa affair, in the following months spreads like wildfire, overwhelming the whole Italian political system.[3]
23 May: at 10 PM, in an interlude of the variety show Scommettiamo che..., an extraordinary edition of TG1 announces the death of Giovanni Falcone in the Capaci bombing .[4] Despite the tragic event, RAI chooses to continue the show, against the will of the same host Fabrizio Frizzi (son-in-law of another Mafia victim, Carlo Alberto dalla Chiesa).[5]
25 May, RAI airs from Palermo the burials of the victim; the tears of Rosaria Schifani, widow of a police escort, upset Italy.[6]Paolo Borsellino declares to the TV journalist David Sassoli: "When I picked up Giovanni Falcone's last breaths in my arms, I thought it was just a postponed appointment";[7] On 19 July, Borsellino is in turn killed in the Via D’Amelio bombing.
Debuts
Rai
Serials
Cinico TV – by Ciprì & Maresco, series of black-and-white shorts, hosted in various other programs; 4 seasons. The series, set in the Palermo suburbia and with freakish characters, is inspired, as the future films of the two authors, by a dark and upsetting humour.[8]
News and educational
Milano, Italia – political talk show, broadcast from Milan and hosted initially by Gad Lerner, 2 seasons; it's now a precious document about the season of Mani Pulite and the Mafia bombings.[9]
Fininvest
Serials
Gommapiuma (Foam rubber) – satirical comedy with puppets, Italian version of the English Spitting Image; 3 seasons.[10]
Variety
Karaoke – karaoke contest from the squares of various Italian towns, hosted by Fiorello and later by his brother Giuseppe; 3 seasons more a restart in 2015.[11]
La sai l’ultima? (Do you know the latest story?) – contest of joke tellers, with various hosts (Gerry Scotti and Natalia Estrada the most active); 11 seasons and 6 spin-offs.[12]
Scherzi a parte (All kiddings aside) – candid camera show, with various hosts (Teo Teocoli the most active) and known personalities as the victims of the jokes; 14 seasons and 8 spin-offs or special editions.[13]
Su la testa! (Up your head!) – satirical show broadcast from the Baggio tent-theatre. The host Paolo Rossi (at his TV debut) is sided by several stand-up comedians coming from the Zelig cabaret, as Aldo, Giovanni e Giacomo.[15]
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