The Unconventional Journey of Enrico Papi: From Comedy to Gossip

Becoming Enrico Papi was not easy. "My father did not want me to do this job, he dreamed of something more secure. My mother, on the other hand, was more modern, she was my first fan. To prove to my father that I could make it, I started doing openings for concerts in squares". But one day, he continues to tell the Milanese newspaper, "I overheard the words of the manager who hired me: this Papi is not funny at all, but when he is there it never rains, he brings good luck. I felt terrible". The legend says that Enrico Papi was discovered by Magalli. "In reality, it was I who invaded his room, he had an office with a ground floor window, I knew he was preparing Fantastico Bis and was looking for someone to do candid camera. I entered directly from the street, through the window, to propose myself". Nicola Savino: "I have anxiety but I do not give up. Been with my wife for 25 years. The secret? Changing houses" The career continued with gossip. But it was a great fortune, he tells Corriere della Sera. First with Chiacchiere, a gossip program aired after the Tg1 at night. Then the turning point: "The thing worked and I was lucky that Berlusconi slept little: he saw me at night and contacted me to have me at Mediaset. In 1996, Papi daily was the turning point of my career". Some pies in the face from Bonolis and Andrea Roncato hurt him, with simple words, it was Mike Bongiorno who said: "Everyone hates you". "What pain... I had hidden in a hotel during the Sanremo Festival hoping to see him with some woman. But nothing. I set up a playful service, with his press office entering his room, he took it very badly. Thinking back, maybe I had exaggerated". Mrs. Ciampi even called him a fool, recalls colleague Renato Franco from Corriere della Sera: "I was naive. I was at the Sanremo hosted by Raffaella Carrà. She told me to do a sacrilegious After Festival, the risk of making a mistake was high". With Raffaella Carrà he remembers great card games, at tresette, he also remembers the success achieved with Sarabanda: "At the beginning it did not take off, we had ratings like a telephone prefix. They gave me another week. I was desperate. We made some small changes and it began to grow dramatically. I sweated it out". At Corsera he also talks about Maurizio Costanzo as his best man. "When we met he was wary, I was imposed on him at Buona Domenica and at the beginning we were formal with each other. Then a very strong personal relationship was born, despite the differences: one day he told me we had a meeting at 7. I thought it was in the evening, but it was in the morning". And Ilary Blasi? "Absolutely no quarrel. They talked about it on social media, but I don't believe much in social media". For fun, he takes shirtless selfies on Instagram and has always declared himself to be fluid without ever having fallen in love with a man. "I have always thought that this distinction between the macho who must never ask and the fragile woman who must be saved makes no sense. I could fall in love with a man or a woman in the same way, never had any kind of prejudice". Last question about the alleged love story with Valeria Marini. "I am very fond of Valeria, but I have the memory of a goldfish". Meanwhile, he has been married to Raffaella Schifino for 26 years. But in this case: no gossip! "We tolerate each other: each of us has more flaws than virtues and to be together you have to especially appreciate the flaws. Our union does not make news, even though it actually should: two people being together for 26 years looks like a perversion".