Satire has always been a potent tool against institutional tyranny and corruption. But Sabina Guzzanti’s 2004 attempt to lampoon then-Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi was halted when her TV show was pulled by state broadcaster RAI, supposedly to avoid lawsuits. The entire episode smacked of collusion, and Guzzanti embarked on a highly vocal crusade to expose the decline of free speech in a nation where 90 per cent of the media was effectively controlled by one man.
Comparing the situation across Europe, Guzzanti’s argument is logical and intelligent, prompting ridiculous utterances from cynical opponents who fatuously seek to redefine satire in order to justify decisions that Guzzanti and other gagged commentators claim border on the fascistic. Hilariously depressing.