No wonder the world outside Italy ridiculed the Vatican’s ‘Nancy Brilli’ video

Published: February 3, 2015 at 2:33am

I wondered what all the fuss was about before I actually watched it. Why was the entire English-speaking world in fits of laughter about the Vatican’s ‘women’ video?

And now I’ve seen the thing and have understood. It is unbelievable that Italian mainstream culture is so permeated with ridiculous showgirls and 50-year-old women like Nancy Brilli trying to compete with them by rendering themselves idiotic, that even the Vatican thinks it’s normal and just doesn’t understand how completely alien it is to the civilised world.

Sofia Coppola, in her film Somewhere, sends it up beautifully in a couple of scenes set in Italy: the culture clash between her American actor and the bizarre Telegatto show in which he finds himself. I tried to find them online to upload here, but no luck.




14 Comments Comment

  1. ken il malti says:

    This Brilli woman reminds me of English actress Joan Benham, who played Professor Loftus’s wife in the Doctor in the House TV series.

  2. virgosign says:

    The Vatican is an all male denominated setup, and in the right circumstance Brilli is quite something. Running Commentary is open to be read by anyone, so I’d better stop there, but keep it up Daphne. It’s BRILLIant !

  3. Pontifex says:

    The entire concept is absurd. Why would the world’s women be gagging to send a photo of themselves to a council of cardinals?

  4. cat says:

    This fifty year old is the companion of one of the most famous plastic surgeons in Italy. Eliminating any signs of age make these women forget their real age.

  5. tinnat says:

    This reminds me of the Madrid mayor’s attempt two years ago to sell Madrid as the ideal Olympic venue for 2020. Her “relaxing cafe con leche” is epic.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRObfG3I-Q4

    • Conservative says:

      No comparison, Tinnat.

      Mayor Ana Botella was not a topless glamour model, like Brilli, and neither does she look like an upmarket escort lady. She is not sexualised in her manner of dress, speaking or features. She is an elegant, intelligent woman, who has a very poor elocution when speaking English.

  6. Conservative says:

    On a completely different subject to the ridiculous Italians:

    Lest we ever forget the fruits of socialism – Venezuela today is just like Malta under Mintoff:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/venezuela/11385294/Venezuelas-socialist-paradise-turns-into-a-nightmare-medical-shortages-claim-lives-as-oil-price-collapses.html

  7. Tabatha White says:

    I wonder if Joseph Muscat is aware that his beloved Alfa is seen as immigrant trash in a place like Switzerland?

    Instantly recognisable in a country tiered by language and bearing.

    European divides: North of Lugano and South of Lugano. And the Middle Kingdoms, the throwbacks of those who would have it written that they are crossing the Rubicon

  8. hmm says:

    It is pathetic. I had missed this. It is an insult to all intelligent women from beginning to the end.

  9. chris says:

    an antidote to nancy brilli’s video…
    a real woman at the vatican

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf_JYPtIHZ0

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