And in short, here we are: it’s time to mourn together, make a long-delayed effort of the imagination, and delve into a post-Berlusconian Italy (even biologically).
Yesterday’s funerals, the Milan and Forza Italia flags, the billboards, copies of The newspaper Protection from the Milanese sun and the sermon of Monsignor Delpini will be remembered in the future as relics of an ancient world, as the last remnants of a certain way of thinking, living and imagining this country. And then of course there are the memes.
The ultimate meme #Berlusconi pic.twitter.com/KeanOvtvtV
— Man (@Whiteman23) June 12, 2023
This today in Milan, Italy
The funeral of a man, Berlusconi
A man who became a meme around the world@Memeland pic.twitter.com/1fYVlCuryR
— Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration (@airfeb98) June 14, 2023
From this point of view, the last farewell to Silvio Berlusconi – a man who was a kind of meme at the end of the day ante-literam – looked like a very long episode of Hello Darwinwith two teams determined to reclaim their place in Piazza del Caimano: on the one hand the very assembled team of the institutions and the magic circle of Arcore, on the other that of the much-vaunted “real country” that on bread grew up , Mediaset and Olgettine.
The memetic potential of the event was evident from the very first moment, with the refrain “Chi non salta communista è” moving TG5 correspondent Elena Guarnieri. A scene that encapsulates all of Berlusconi’s ingredients, raw and raw: stadium chants, instrumental McCarthyism, caciara and Mediaset culture – if you missed it, you can catch up below.
The journalist is touched live when he hears the refrain “If you don’t jump, you’re a communist”. #Silvio Berlusconi pic.twitter.com/1DJABxfi75
– The Great Scourge (@grande_scourge) June 14, 2023
A few seconds that we’ll review for a long time, declined in all sauces: It’s not every day that a perfect basis for a meme comes along. And indeed…
Good evening pic.twitter.com/tZszTdgNMy
— The pharmacist from Lavagna (@neodie) June 14, 2023
There was also room for the slightly heavier, grittier and nationally popular memes, such as the rain of content that in these hours has chosen the (guilty) RAI journalist Laura Troja as the involuntary protagonist, who went to Milan to do his job has become a staple memetic (do we REALLY need to explain why? No, come on).
And then we have Laura Troja from TG3 live from Arcore #Silvio Berlusconi pic.twitter.com/AZB5ccywis
— Ugo Calò (@ugocalo) June 14, 2023
So, a prominent place is the now-famous “Travaglio uomo di merda” billboard, which can take us back in time.
“TRAVAGLIO MAN OF SHIT” THE BANNER THAT APPEARS UNDER THE FASCISTONI APPLIED AT THE FUNERAL #Silvio Berlusconi pic.twitter.com/Cjg188JaTa
— Sqquadro (@gicarestik2) June 14, 2023
In this parallel universe, where the spirit of the times still reigns supreme in the 1990s, and where Silvio Berlusconi is still President of Milan and everything, a lady with blonde pigtails and a “No to living wills” T-shirt has whipped out another poster destined to remain in the annals: “Thank you for Eluana Englaro”.
@nxwss_ We went to Silvio’s funeral #Berlusconi to report the statements of those present. #attempt #Abortion #Euthanasia #Silvio Berlusconi #forzaitalia ♬ Original sound – Nxwss
And what about the flower crown Made in Escort Advisor?
The prostitute review website Escort Advisor lays a wreath in front of Silvio Berlusconi’s villa
June 14, 2023 pic.twitter.com/HT2fq3sxBg
— Crazy moments in Italian politics 🇮🇹 (@CrazyItalianPol) June 14, 2023
Returning to the Mediaset subset, we can’t help but mention the photomontage of Gabibbo taking her place in the Duomo and the sculptural (and painful) pose of Barbara D’Urso.
To stop.
The Gabibbo! Tell me it’s not a photomontage pic.twitter.com/ixsHxI3SoP— 🪦🦇Il Delge aka DelgeIl🦇🪦 (@DelgeIl) June 15, 2023
Barbara D’Urso framed with folded hands pic.twitter.com/XEEpDAPDuF
– ¥le ✨ (@yleniaindenial1) June 14, 2023
We conclude with one of the late Cavaliere’s favorite pastimes: the ball, particularly his Milan. Of course, the T-shirts with the name “Berlusconi” and the only possible number: 69 could not be missing.
Photo: Claudia Vanacore
