# Silvio fucking Berlusconi, you're a tacky thug. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 3, 2003, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041 "2003-07-03T15:01:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/1 "2003-07-03T15:01:23Z")
The prime minister of Italy, arguably one of the cradles of modern democracy, appears to be going off the deep end. He’s been defending himself in court a lot recently - he’s being charged with multiple accounts of fraud. To make matters a little easier in the future, he pushed a new law down the throat of the (admittedly weak) Italian parliament, stating that members of the cabinet are from now on to be granted total immunity from legal proscecution. God knows it’s annoying to have to show up in court for money laundering, when you really should be busy running AC Milan, I mean, the country. Yesterday, Italy took over the position of chair of the European Union. It changes among the member states every 6 months. As a protest to the immunity law Berlusconi passed, some left wing German MP’s were holding signs saying “Everybody is equal under law”, in Italian. What happened next is a scene straight out of an old Spitting Image episode. > [@](#): > > \*\*_[From the BBC:](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3040714.stm)_ > " I know that in Italy, there is a man producing a film on Nazi concentration camps - I shall put you forward for the part of guard" > > - Silvio Berlusconi, speaking to German EU MP Schulz\*\* Fuck this shit. Berlusconi already is a threat to Italy with his Mafia style emporium of media companies, football clubs, newspapers, and what have you (he’s incidently the wealthiest man in Italy as well). And now this thug thinks THIS is the proper way to address a critical MP? I don’t know who has the power to pull Silvio from his seat of power after a mere 48 hours, but for the love of God, rid us of this disgusting piece of shit hiding behind a tanned face, a fake smile, and expensive suit, and a shitload of money. What a complete fucking **dolt**. [Read about more Berlusconi gaffes here.](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3041288.stm) He’s giving GWB a run for his money, in the “Stupid Things Our Nation’s Leader Said” competition. ---
**Author:** ![Tansu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@Tansu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tansu)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/2 "2003-07-03T15:20:20Z")
He’s a fucking shit. A spoiled, whiny little shit who wouldn’t know accountability if it fucked him up the arse with a ski pole. You know, I was thinking if the EU were an internet messageboard, he’d have had his arse kicked from here to Rome and back. He’d have been warned publicly and privately, and quite possibly already banned for previous misdemeanours. And everyone would say “Godwin’s Law. You lose” and he’d have automatically lost the argument. You’d have given him very short shrift here (I’m thinking you personally as well as the other mods), as would the general Doper populace. Same thing on other boards where I post and mod. ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/3 "2003-07-03T15:37:39Z")
Am I the only one who caught that it was a _Hogan’s Heroes_ reference? Yes, not a very good one. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/4 "2003-07-03T15:57:53Z")
I was _sure_ that Italy was going to have its ass handed to it after the police brutality at Genoa. Instead, we get this _asshole_ as head of the EU. I think he’s the foreign leader I’ve Pitted most often. (Last year I believe it was about how we should convert Muslims to Christianity, or maybe it was something homophobic, I don’t recall and his ass is not worth the time for a search.) ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/5 "2003-07-03T16:14:55Z")
Coldie, I belive you owe tacky thugs as a group an apology - sure, they’re thugs (and tacky, to boot), but do they deserve to be tarred with that specific brush ? (Tarring Berlusconi, on the other hand - now there’s an image to dwell on.) He generally speaking opens his mouth only to replace what foot was previously lodged in there. But in his little deluded egomaniacal world, I’m sure he believes he’s a tell-it-like-it-is straightforward kind of guy. :mad: One of the better arguments I’ve seen so far against the EU chairmanship moving among the member states. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/6 "2003-07-03T16:54:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mojo \* > \*\*Am I the only one who caught that it was a _Hogan’s Heroes_ reference? > > Yes, not a very good one. \*\* Is it? Could you elaborate? I haven’t really seen very many episodes. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/7 "2003-07-03T16:54:32Z")
Two links: Scary - [RAI fails play the remarks](http://famulus.msnbc.com/FamulusIntl/reuters07-03-080237.asp?reg=EUROPE) Funny: UK Minister advises [“Don’t mention the war. I mentioned it once but I think I got away with it.”](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/07/03/international1231EDT0566.DTL) I think this is good. He’s no more of a scumbag than he was yesterday (or five years ago), but now more people know. ( **matt\_mcl** : click clogboy’s link.) ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/8 "2003-07-03T16:58:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Snooooopy \* > Is it? Could you elaborate? I haven’t really seen very many episodes. The man he was addressing has the surname of Schulz. There was a character in the TV show named Sgt. Schulz (trivia: who was played by a Jewish actor). ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/9 "2003-07-03T19:12:43Z")
On the plus side, Berlusconi makes George Bush look positively statesmanlike. No mean feat, that. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/10 "2003-07-03T19:30:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > Italy, arguably one of the cradles of modern democracy, That’s news to me. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/11 "2003-07-03T20:27:18Z")
Thanks to **hawthorne** ’s link: > [@](#): > > “As I understand it, Mr. Berlusconi is talking to the chancellor at this moment … and it will no doubt prove a very interesting conversation,” British government minister Peter Hain told the House of Commons. “Maybe he will take Basil Fawlty’s dictum: `Don’t mention the war.”’ _I_ want legislators who can reference Fawlty Towers and Monty Python. (The Brincess Bride would be good too.) ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/12 "2003-07-03T20:35:00Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Coldfire_ > **Italy, arguably one of the cradles of modern democracy** > > \*Originally posted by grienspace \* > \*\*That’s news to me. \*\* Yeah, it’s pretty obscure. It was called “Rome,” and they had this thing called a “Senate.” Somebody should write a book about it or something; it’s pretty interesting. No reason it should have disappeared into the mists of history the way it has. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/13 "2003-07-03T21:12:50Z")
uh **Cervaise** , ever heard of the term oligarchy? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/14 "2003-07-03T21:22:10Z")
Um, did someone resurrect Mussolini? Didn’t Italy once elect a porn star as PM? ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/15 "2003-07-03T21:31:31Z")
True story, one which only the Irish dopers will appreciate. Bunch of Leinster House employees sitting around in the canteen talking about the Berlusconi incident. One comments that it sounds like something Michael McDowell [sub](right wing Minister for Justice)[/sub] would say. Suddenly guess whose voice comes across the room (from far enough he definitely could not have overheard the employees’ conversation) saying “Well I don’t blame him, the way that German guy was winding him up …” ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/16 "2003-07-03T22:03:38Z")
Hey, at least his daughter is cute :p. [http://members.lycos.co.uk/yukimatsuoka/barbara/barb6.jpg](http://members.lycos.co.uk/yukimatsuoka/barbara/barb6.jpg) - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/17 "2003-07-03T22:09:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*Didn’t Italy once elect a porn star as PM? \*\* No, as a deputy: [Cicciolina](http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicciolina) She was (is?) deputy for Rome. Sounds pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/18 "2003-07-03T23:33:15Z")
She was a member of parliament too, once. Which might explain the MP/PM mistake Guin made. Cervaise, thanks for stating the obvious - it’s apparently required for some. ---
**Author:** ![Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boo_Boo_Foo)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/19 "2003-07-04T01:01:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tamerlane \* > \*\*Hey, at least his daughter is cute :p. > > [http://members.lycos.co.uk/yukimatsuoka/barbara/barb6.jpg](http://members.lycos.co.uk/yukimatsuoka/barbara/barb6.jpg) > > - Tamerlane \*\* Wow! Hey Tamerlane, is that true? Is that his daughter? I looked at the URL you quoted and it was almost like someone’s private photo journal if you know what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boo_Boo_Foo)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041/20 "2003-07-04T01:09:34Z")
And **Coldfire** … great thread… and I must say… incidents like this remind me how tenuous the European Union can be at times. It strikes me as being far more of a co-op held together by good will than it is a cohesive nation state. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/silvio-fucking-berlusconi-youre-a-tacky-thug/186041.md?page=2)