It was the initials of Maurizio Costanzo Showto accompany the applause of the hundreds of people in Piazza del Popolo who also joined Maria DeFilippi next to his son Gabriele, the exit of the coffin of Maurizio Costanzo from the Church of the Artists, where the solemn funeral of the journalist who died on February 24th in Rome at the age of 84 was celebrated. The basilica was packed with dozens of protagonists from the world of journalism, politics and entertainment, from Pier Silvio Berlusconi, who sat in the front row next to Maria De Filippi, to Paolo Sorrentino, to Gerry Scotti, who gave him the prayer of the Artist read to Sabrina Ferilli. Along with, among others, the Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano, the Mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri, Fedele Confalonieri, the CEO of Rai Carlo Fuortes, Fiorella Mannoia, Christian De Sica, Lorella Cuccarini, Vittorio Sgarbi, Marianna Madia, Luca Di Montezemolo, Giancarlo Giannini, Mara Venier, Enrico Mentana, Giorgio Gori with his wife Cristina Parodi, Carlo Conti, Alessia Marcuzzi, Amadeus, Aurelio De Laurentiis, Giorgio Panariello, Ermal Meta, Milly Carlucci, Rita Dalla Chiesa, Luxuria, Carmen Russo and Enzo Paolo Turchi , Gabriel Garko, Alessandra Celentano, Antonio Giuliani, Enrico Brignano, Kledi, talents launched by Amici such as Michele Bravi and Valerio Scanu, Paolo Bonolis with Sonia Bruganelli, Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia, Lele Mora, Fabrizio Corona and a large number of Tronistas and tronistas invited in or passed. “You didn’t have three children, but many, many more – remembers Camilla Costanzo, who also spoke on behalf of the brothers Saverio and Gabriele -. They have changed destinies, anticipated talents, promoted and spurred them on. We comforted the people through tears, who were even more surprised than we were that you were no longer there. You leave us children an important legacy and your greatest lesson, humility.” Now, “let’s picture you in heaven hosting a talk show” and “you will live on in all of us”.
Don Walter Insero, in his homily, defines the journalist he met and frequented as “a very intelligent, extremely curious man, always inclined to look for new things, to discover, he could not sit still, he was very active , also in the last few days in the clinic». He was a man “humble, loyal, true to his word and respecting the opinions of others, without judging differences, inclined to understand others’ reasons. He was rather lazy, he loved Rome» and then «he was very greedy, I know he was secretly slipped dark chocolate», he points out, while Maria De Filippi (as her husband was greeted at the entrance to the church by long applause, Editor’s note) mentions a smile. The rector of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Montesanto in Piazza del Popolo also describes his relationship with his family: he was one of love for his children and one of “tenderness, esteem and complicity” for Maria; Then he talks about the journalist’s love for animals, like the cat Filippo, of which there was also a photo on the coffin. «Maurizio was a friend, a collaborator, but also like a father – says Pier Silvio Berlusconi as he leaves the Chiesa degli Artisti -. It is a piece of television history, but also of our country. I loved him with all my heart.” Fiorella Mannoia emphasizes that “we all walked through her living room. And also the risks that Maurizio took in his engagement against the mafia must be remembered. I think it is a must, to be here.” A fight, that of the journalist, also conjured up in the square by a gentleman showing a T-shirt with the inscription “Mafia made in Italy” as the conductor had set on fire in an episode of the Costanzo show. There was also a lot of gratitude for him among the people who were able to follow the funeral from the big screen: «I came specially from Ascoli Piceno together with my daughter Giulia for a last farewell – says Barbara – he gave me back my Life. 23 years ago I suffered from panic attacks and would meet Professor Cassano (psychiatry luminary, ed.) every night after his show. At that time I had terrible thoughts, but I went to this doctor and with his help I overcame this situation. then I also had Giulia, who is 21 today». A last farewell for the journalist also reaches the Parioli Theater, in front of which the funeral procession, before ending in the Verano cemetery, observed a minute’s silence, which was then interrupted by popular applause.
