Umberto Smaila, a thoroughbred actor, musician and entertainer, recently celebrated half a century of career with a great show in his native Verona together with the historic friends of Gatti di vicolo miracles and many guests. Not everyone knows, however, that the presenter in the admiral’s jacket of Colpo Grosso, the cult program that made Italian living rooms vibrate with slightly naïve transgression between the 80s and 90s, is the son and grandson of exiles from Fiume.
How did you react when during the Croatia-Italy European Championship match the directors framed the banner of an Azzurri fan: “Give us back Fiume”?
«I was very surprised, I just found it a little anachronistic, that sign definitely should have been placed earlier (laughs, ed.). Now hoping that there will be the restitution of Fiume is a utopia, not so much for geopolitical reasons but because 70 or more years after the Fiume exodus the entire population is now Slavic speaking. However, it was a gesture seen by millions of Italians and which had the merit of bringing back into the debate a part of history that had been forgotten for many years, the exodus of the Fiume people and the cession of Istria-Dalmatia to Tito’s forces. At least someone, among the younger ones, will have become curious and will have searched for information. I’m sorry that my mother wasn’t able to see it, because for a lifetime she kept saying “give me back Fiume”.
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Politics remained silent, but the exit of the Italian fan had a certain prominence on social media. What do you think?
«On Monday evening I immediately sent the photo of the banner to my sister Marina, and she sent me the photo of the sign placed by a Slovenian in the square in Trieste: “Trst je naš” (Trieste is ours). In short, there is no peace among the olive trees…”.
Putting the European Championships aside, there is Giorgia Meloni’s match in Europe.
“I have never been a great supporter of the European Union. Returning to Fiume, a hundred years ago D’Annunzio said that everything that is decided happens for the strong powers, and even now it is like that. Meloni’s operation is very difficult, we will see what happens”.
Staying on politics, the story of the house occupied by Ilaria Salis seems to have come out of a Gatti di Vicolo Miracle sketch…
“Salis is to the left of the PD in a party that refers to the PCI, so it doesn’t surprise me. I noticed one fact, however. No one in the entertainment industry has spoken about it, as if it were too dangerous a terrain even for those most aligned. She was useful in getting votes, but above all she was useful to herself since she managed to get out of prison, where she was treated in an unacceptable way, it must be said.”
Many of your colleagues talk about Rai as Tele-Meloni. Is there any truth to this?
«Rai doesn’t seem to me to be moving to the right at all, on the contrary. And most of the artists who work in entertainment, from TV to cinema, are followers of political correctness. I also see a certain willingness on the part of the Mediaset networks to be a little, let’s say, ambivalent. There’s Bianca Berlinguer on Rete 4 and Luciana Littizzetto on Maria De Filippi… There’s a bit of confusion around.” On 18 June he celebrated 50 years of his career in Verona with «Umberto Smaila & Friends», a show-concert with many guests, from Diego Abatantuono to Ale and Franz, from Valeria Marini to Fiordaliso. But above all with his lifelong friends, the «Cats» Jerry Calà, Franco Oppini, Nini Salerno.
Read also: Croatia-Italy, the “give us back Fiume” banner unleashes the web but politics is silent
A deep relationship. Has it ever broken off?
“Never, absolutely. We were born in the same city, we met playing in bands, then we went to school together. It’s a true, solid friendship that we celebrated in this show. There are moments in life when something like this still gives emotions. In this heavy and war-like climate, an evening of peace.”
Speaking of lightness, do you miss that of Colpo di Grosso? The tele-transgression of Italians today seems light years away.
«Today it would be impossible to do Big Score in this climate of cancel culture, even cultural venues there was very little in that program… It couldn’t be broadcast on television, it would be considered sexist and obscene. If they proposed it to me today I would have to censor myself! But this is a common problem, lines from movies and songs that we have listened to for years today would be considered unacceptable. In this politically correct climate we are all on our guard. My friend Guido Nicheli, the Dogui (the actor of many comedies from Sapore di mare to Vacanze di Natale, known for “cummenda” roles, ed.) said a phrase of his that captures the moment: “We are skating on the edge of wow”…».
