PIt could have ended worse. It could have ended like that John Travolta signed the release form for the ballet qua qua of Sanremo with Amadeus and Fiorellodelivering itself to the perpetual future in “Ciro” by Sandra Milo. And instead, slammed onto the green carpet of the Aristonello – and with the presence of mind of take off the beaked hat – decided it was better not to. Even though she was aware of the entire issue – as Amadeus underlined in today’s press conference on the third evening – and had signed an editorial agreement with Rai.
So that moment happened, but it no longer exists. This does not mean that we are not talking about it, that we are imagining it they will live on memes and jokes for monthsthat his drawn face will be the new metric of inability to maneuver foreign guests. With authorial ideas ranging from innocent interviews to a gag «among the most terrible in the history of TV» (copyright Fiorello). Where to the actor who is forever (and only) the one with the finger in the sky Saturday night Fever – a film released 46 years ago – and of Pulp Fiction – 30 years ago – it was thought well to make him revolutionize ballets.
Now, the curtain was actually from a village festival, but what else is it Long live Rai2! – now temporarily Long live Sanremo!- ? It’s a gag machine that may or may not work, and Fiorello, who succeeds most of the time, knows this well. He also knows how to recognize a delusional one, perhaps not on paper.
John Travolta dances with Amadeus and Fiorello. (Ipa)
The problem with this is very tangled TravoltagateIndeed, the problems are different. And each piece of the puzzle has its own headache. The only one without “sin” is certainly Romina Powerinterpreter of the song that no one mentions and which it’s nice to think is taken at this time to check if his Dance is grinding out new and fresh views.
Sanremo 2024: John Travolta, the qua qua qui dance, what happened
Meanwhile, was John Travolta forced to do the qua qua dance? «No», Amadeus always replies. «He was not forced to do anything against his will. No tricks. Everything had been planned. Fiorello is the greatest showman we have, it is part of his irony to involve guests in extraordinary undertakings. It happened that when the fateful moment arrived, John no longer liked it. But this is not a problem of the festival.”
Embarrassed? Far from it. «I had fun», she continues, «the children present during the number, too. Let’s say that’s what we thought got a good 10, and instead, due to the actor’s face, he only got an 8». Either they lowered the 8 to a poor 5 or Amadeus has his own whole scale of meritocracy.
He also quotes Jimmy Fallonthe American Fiorello from which the irreverent rituals for the stars derive Long live Rai2!. Jimmy doesn’t always hit the gag, he says, was a misstep among many beautiful things: “why don’t we talk about Giovanni Allevi’s speech instead?” Because there are other nuances overwhelming.
John Travolta’s fee at Sanremo and his shoes
For example, how much money did John get to come to Sanremo? After the hypothesis taken for granted by many newspapers of a compensation of 200 thousand euros, here’s the denial. Amadeus always responds: «There was no commercial agreement with Travolta. Just an expense reimbursement”. In fact, the actor asked to participate in the festival by taking advantage of a stay at the Monte Carlo. But what would be the benefit of a free appearance on the Riviera? Who on earth, at those levels, moves selflessly (apart from Russell Crowe, again according to Amadeus)?
The possible answer would be in sneakers (now sneakers) worn by Travolta: a model of U Power, a brand for which he has been a testimonial since last year. White shoes framed several times, not shamelessly with close ups, but certainly protagonists, given the dance numbers outside but also inside the Ariston. None of the Rai staff – in the conference they mention an assistant, a final control officer – would have verified and ensured the precise concealment of the logo.
Hidden advertising?
But always last night the president of that brand (Franco Uzzeni) was present in the audienceand images of John in action appeared on U’s social profiles (in addition to announcements of him at the festival), the connection was quickly made.
Is this perhaps a huge case of hidden advertising? Ready to explode after the Antitrust fine, which Rai appealed, for the Amadeus Instagram account launched live last year with the assistance of Chiara Ferragni? Meanwhile, the company promptly sent a statement in which it specifies that: «Participation in the Sanremo Festival is the result of an agreement between Rai and the actor of which U-Power is in no way a party».
Having reached this point, with the accusation by the press room of having uttered the brand claim live (“Don’t worry, Be happy”), Amadeus loses his temper: «It was said that John would dance, it was known. I don’t know the brand of the shoes, I don’t know the claimhidden promotion? Well, this is the real Fantasanremo. You’re looking for bullshit to cause controversy.”
And the blessed claim? «But I write the lyrics, cut, propose and rewrite with the authors right up to the end. For me that phrase – which I will have thrown into the mix – corresponds to the famous song (by Bobby McFerrin and released in 1988). Coincidences happen.” It’s not a good moment, it’s not even like he was subjected to a style interrogation Oppenheimer. But everything remains shrouded in a huge smoke bomb.
Mannino: «We are an American colony»
Finally, tick Teresa Mannino’s hypothesis – co-host of the third evening – on John’s drawn face. An idea that chills the press room a bitat least cools the initial enthusiasm for the irreverent tone with which he had broken up the boring reading of the positive data of the festival.
And that is that “we are an American colony”, we Italians. And therefore these actors arrive and do what they want in exchange for signed contracts: «We are subjects. What are we surprised about?”
A picture that seems to contain urgent current criticisms: to US war imperialism? to support Israel? Maybe. If she was a gag, she came out as bad as John’s ramshackle here.
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