Tante Belle Cose - August 08

August was a strange month – one in which all my free newspapers were on holiday, so, it felt kind of weird but refreshing to have no news. I sort of liked feeling like an Albanian for awhile.

But, it was August and it was hot. So, when it came to flashing a bit of skin on the cover of magazines, was I surprised to see that Italy is having its own little anti-Berlusconi moment: Suddenly, the media is in love with stunning, sophisticated and dare we say it? Gorgeous older women.


There is a precedence because the entire country has been ga ga over Sharon Stone ever since her historical leg-cross scene (and I believe she was 36 at the time, twice the age of almost everyone in film or on TV). She’s aged beautifully—nothing that a few episodes of nip&tuck can’t take care of. And now, she’s even been seen with a man half her age. And even youthful but not young Jodie Foster is the face of my bank these days.

But this month saw 46 year old Simona Venturi gracing the cover of the Italian Vanity Fair. Followed by 44 yr. old Sabrina Ferrili being lauded in ads, on TV, in film and all the gossip and sports mags. Not quite satisfied, Vanity Fair just asked actor Monica Guerritore to pose nude at 50.



Aside from their looks, with the oldest population on earth, could Italy finally be facing up to the fact that readers and viewers are, in fact, on in years and no longer appreciate seeing tanga-clad nubile girls with Barbarella cone-like boobs?

Or, was it that viewership is off in the summer, so no one was really watching anyway?