Best wishes to Pippo Baudo, the "king of presenters", a TV monument who turned 86 years old
.
A few months ago the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella received him at the Quirinale to give him the honor of Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
"A meeting - he explained that day to ANSA Baudo - warm and informal - that filled me with pride, because I didn't expect it. But even more so because it was Mattarella who was able to be close to us in the most difficult and dramatic, the citizens know it and it is loved by all ".
Pippo Baudo's distinctive phrase is "I invented it"
.
He has a unique flair, he discovered talents such as Heather Parisi, Lorella Cuccarini and launched Beppe Grillo in Rai, he holds a historical record: he conducted 13 Sanremo festivals.
That's not all: he also risked an international crisis with Iran during the 'Fantastic 7' he conducted due to a sketch by the trio Lopez, Solenghi, Marchesini on Ayatollah Khomeini.
Over 150 programs, several films and even musical pieces written for other artists as well:
"National Pippo"
, as he is called by his colleagues and the public, has passed his 60-year career and has involved several generations in his shows.
Born in Militello in Val di Catania on 7 June 1936, he graduated in law but, in love with the world of entertainment, he soon moved to Rome to pursue the dream of the small screen.
Baudo is the presenter who made the history of Italian television
.
His debut on television comes in the sixties and in his career he presents highly successful programs, including 'Settevoci', 'Fantastico', 'Canzonissima', 'Novecento', 'Domenica In' and is the record host of the Sanremo Festival. : he led thirteen editions between 1968 and 2008. He is one of the main presenters in the history of Rai, he also works for Mediaset and, despite a national career, he never forgets his Sicily, where he took his first steps on the stage and which he describes as a land of "infinite beauty, unique in the world".
In his story there is also the theater.
A career lived relentlessly.
In the '
91 suffered a bomb attack on his home in Santa Tecla in Sicily for attacking the mafia during a commemoration of Judge Chinnici (fortunately the villa was empty that night).
On the stage he appears in several shows and was also artistic director and president of the Teatro Stabile of Catania.
The fame of him, national and not only, however, remains linked to the small screen.
With 'Settevoci' his career takes off.
Soon, after the beginnings, Baudo and television become one.
Exceptional talent scout has brought to the fore among the many Al Bano, Gigi D'Alessio, Alessandra Martinez, Tosca D'Aquino, Beppe Grillo, Tullio Solenghi, Eros Ramazzotti, Barbara D'Urso, Andrea Bocelli, Giorgia, Irene Grandi, Gianluca Grignani, Anna Tatangelo.
In the meantime, there is no
it is only the "pure" show, the variety, the "Saturday evening" branded Rai, the two Canzonissime, the numerous Italian lotteries, the Sanremo Festivals, the "evenings of honor" from Montecatini Terme, the many game shows conducted on Rai1, Rai3 and the hundreds of Sunday afternoons of the public service flagship that bear his signature.
Baudo has crossed the difficult themes of contemporary history and culture in his programs, giving space to books, theatrical performances, auteur films, and conducting interviews with writers, directors, actors (such as Moravia, la Fallaci, Arbasino, Montanelli).
Among the anecdotes remembered by Pippo over the years, "when Benigni touched my private parts in his monologue in Sanremo. A member of parliament made a speech.
