“Rai, which also organizes the Festival, could not and should not have made any censorship, any distinction. Roberto Benigni had already given the line the day before”. To underline this, in an interview with time.news, is the former president of Rai, Roberto Zaccaria. “Fedez, invited to the Festival, gave a monologue making personal and significant statements referring to article 21”, adds Zaccaria.
Which brings a personal memory: “In 1998 it was the then honorable Mattarella who friendly suggested that I take into consideration the proposal made to me by Violante of a possible return to Rai where I would be elected President. I know the tensions that accompany the birth of a Festival. I participated in the organization of no less than four editions of Sanremo, two of which were very informal, conducted by Fazio with great success”.
“I have always supported – continues Zaccaria – the performances of Benigni, one of the greatest artists, in satire and beyond. Sanremo is the flagship broadcast of Rai and I believe that it falls within the rights of public service broadcasts. institutional political attentions behind the scenes are enormous. I remember those linked to the presence of Eminem (it was 2001 and hosted by Raffaella Carrà)”.
“I immediately understood that in this year’s edition Rai had started off on the right foot, with two great news: the historic presence of President Mattarella in Sanremo and the debut with an extraordinary monologue by Benigni on the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Constitution. His words were pure music, no other constitutionalist could have done better,” says Zaccaria, who is a constitutionalist. “The President on a private visit seemed to like it, always with his discreet figure. Benigni quoted art. 11 on the repudiation of war and art. 21 on freedom of thought in an impeccable way. Even the public showed their appreciation a lot with record ratings. Immediately the distinctions, criticisms and grumblings were raised. Last night Fedez, invited to the Festival, made a monologue making personal and significant statements referring to article 21. Rai, which also organizes the Festival, does not he could and should not have made any censure, any distinction. The line had already been given by Roberto Benigni the day before”.