As a young girl, she was obsessed with Carrà.
“When his broadcasts ended, I cried. I loved her shapely legs, I was a stick, I had her dry. I wanted to imitate her, unfortunately I have never met a Pygmalion like Boncompagni.
She still worked hard.
«I studied dance and dreamed of La Scala and Carla Fracci, but that didn’t happen. I didn’t have the slightest idea how to get into show business. When I was 14, I saw the voucher for the Miss Teenager competition in a weekly magazine. I attached a photo of myself by the sea and sent it. They called me. And in 1975 I won. If I had been in Rome I would have tried the cinema, who knows. But I was in Milan and they advised me to try advertising.
One thing leads to another.
“The director of one commercial worked for Antenna Nord, Rusconi’s private broadcaster at the time. In 1978 I became the spokesperson and face of the network. There was my face on the trams: “See you tonight.”
At this point, Silvio Berlusconi began courting her to get her on his television.
“He called me for two years and tried to convince me. He also invited me to the studios in Via Rovani and showed me the audience numbers. “Ask me something”. But I, idiot, said no. The contract stipulated that I would stay for a year. Without going to the video. I didn’t feel like it.”
But in 1982 she still found a job.
“He joked about it: ‘Miss Goliath didn’t want to come to me, so I bought the whole TV.'”
However, he had previously made a move to Rai, Raimondo Vianello’s assistant.
“I never understood whether he was talking to me seriously or making fun of me. I was 19 years old and very shy. I had already appeared in a show by Enzo Trapani, I did a ballet with Barbara D’Urso at my side, much more extroverted than me.”
For 20 years she was the voice and face of Italia 1. She must have collected a lot of ducks.
“Yeah, but I don’t remember her. There was a bet with the crew: whoever made a mistake paid for everyone’s aperitif. It was hard, there was no teleprompter, you just memorized.”
Unscheduled?
“Once while I was talking, a light flag, a thin metal plate, fell. It made a bang. I jumped on the chair.
Hair and makeup accidents?
Anus. But in the era of “Visitors,” a wildly popular sci-fi series, we wore dresses with absurd shoulder pads and wore our hair shaggy and teased. Great, but we liked them.”
Were you friends or rivals with Fiorella Pierobon, face of Canale 5, and Emanuela Folliero, face of Rete 4?
“Friends. I haven’t seen Fiorella in a while, but we met Ema at a fashion show last Sunday. I also hear from Susanna Messaggio.
Did Berlusconi give you instructions on how to dress?
“No never.”
In the sitcom “Neighbors” with Teo Teocoli and Gene Gnocchi.
“A constant joke. To embarrass me and make me laugh, Teo whispered dirty things in my ear.
The brown bob, the bangs over the blue eyes, then the bangs gone, her look was super copied.
“I didn’t realize it at the time. Even today I meet little girls from back then who tell me: “I wanted to be like you.” Wonderful years, we kept each other company even after work. We met at Roberto Giovalli’s house to overcome tough challenges in trivial or pantomime games with Giorgio Gori, Cristina Parodi, Elena Guarnieri and all the other colleagues.”
Emanuela Folliero created a sexy calendar. Did they never suggest it to you?
Anus. Maybe I would have, I don’t know. But my father was very strict, I don’t think he would have approved of it. He’s not there now, but he’s not old either.”
He made an announcement with Alain Delon next to him.
“I was still in Antenna Nord. We presented a number of his films together. How scared. I thought: “If I make a mistake, it will kill me.” And then it was beautiful, eh».
Some VIPs will have tried her.
“Mmm… well, Tony Hadley from Spandau Ballet. He was a guest in Sanremo. I told him I would like to see him live. “Okay, I’ll pick you up tonight.” He showed up at the hotel and we left in two separate cars, but in the end they allowed me to stay backstage and not in the audience. Afterwards we went to the disco and he tried a bit there. We just exchanged a kiss, then I interrupted him: “Look, I really wanted to see you at the festival, that’s all.” It hurt. “Do you know that there are girls who pay crazy amounts of money to stay in our hotel and then I find them in my room?” Unfortunately, I had just gotten engaged. If only I had been free, maybe.”
How many would have envied her back then.
“Too much, it was enough that the photos of the evening at the disco were published so that some of his crazy fans could write me some very ugly letters full of crazy malice.”
After 20 years of honorable service, Italia 1 told the announcer enough.
“The choice coincided with my motherhood. I could do much more than just advertise, I wasn’t given the opportunity. I continued with the sponsors, then nothing more.”
Didn’t he try to contact Berlusconi himself?
“When he was prime minister, I met him on a program where he was a guest and I said to him: “President, I need to talk to you.” “Tell me, dear Gabriella”. It didn’t seem like the right time, so out of politeness I replied that I would call him later. What a mistake. I couldn’t reach him anymore. It would have definitely helped me. Away from the video, I lost all visibility. I worked for regional broadcasters and on the Internet, then nothing else.”
Every now and then a TV presenter. And the auditions for “Dancing with the Stars.”
«I spoke to Milly Carlucci via Zoom, but unfortunately I wasn’t selected. I hope you remember me for the next issue, unfortunately I’m getting old now!’
Try Pier Silvio.
“Maybe I should do that. Of course I would like to come back. Many people ask me when they meet me on the street: “Why aren’t you here anymore?” Television is like a drug for those who watch it. Once you try it, you won’t want to do anything else.