Corrado Guzzanti
Avanzi

In the distant 1991, Italian television was, in hindsight, still devoid of any marked satirical censorship, and first-run films were not scarce. RAI could still boast some advantages over the private TV channel of the future Cavaliere, and Mediaset, which was far from molding news like clay in its news broadcasts, but still on the right path. The Christian Democrats were on their last legs, and the Fantozzi series were almost semi-annual (television projection, not cinematic). Commercials on RAI were preceded by those mini animations like the toucan tipping its bowler hat and an ananas appearing, or the sun and the moon chasing each other. They were, in hindsight, good times. Times when a young person could still approach political themes thanks to satirical broadcasts such as those proposed by Bagaglino and those proposed on Rai3 starting with "La tv delle ragazze". If you think about it now, weren't they good times?

Before beginning with useless political struggles nowadays, it's good to clarify that I don't want to take an active part even if almost everyone might have labeled me as a communist just from the introduction which, in my opinion, doesn't stray far from reality. From the authors of the just-mentioned show, there soon emerged a more successful series of late-night satirical shows which then soared with "Tunnel". Meanwhile, on channel 5 (without stirring controversy, but simply reminiscing the past), they were airing Paperissima and Scherzi A Parte, while Corrado Guzzanti was providing a satirical demonstration of undeniable value and full of comedy, surrounded by comedians far removed from today's standardizations like those in the Zelig series with pre-made jokes and already decided line-ups (even the fake improvisation stunts were pathetic). I remember the various Rocco Smitherson, Moana (played by his sister), Critina D'Avena (a stunning Reggiani), Loche, the ridicule of the commercials of the time created by Broncoviz (Marcello Cesena, Maurizio Crozza, Carla Signoris, Ugo Di Ghero, and Mauro Pirovano), Masciarelli's scheds...

A comedy far removed from today's pre-cut farces like "Striscia la notizia" or the already mentioned "Zelig". A unique and pure comedy sprinkled with true and cutting satire that distanced itself from the semi-vulgarity of (a future) Luttazzi. Now these things no longer exist. To laugh, one just needs to look at the news. Only two clicks on the Internet and you already have a thousand parodies of any political situation, scandal, or news story. It just takes sound judgment. But who cares about politics anymore? Nowadays, people get the news they want to have and the truths they want to hear. Internet can't help because real or fake opinions are expressed by anyone passing by (which could be a random mentally unstable person) or a middle schooler wanting to say nonsense. It just takes sound judgment. I don't think anyone knows how to judge anymore. Sometimes I even wonder if something is right or wrong and I don't know the answer. Meanwhile, I go watch some lost puppies on the news at 12:35. Yet, there's an uprising in the schools, but the puppies lift my spirits...