Italy’s Northern League may have softened secessionist policies, but it’s still electing Miss Padania, symbol of an independent republic. The beauty pageant, which requires a residence certificate for eligibility, started in 1998 as an anti-Miss Italy contest with over 1,000 young women vying for the title.
Instated the year after Northern League leader Umberto Bossi proclaimed the Federal Republic of Padania, the contest now has all the trappings of regular pageants. Some 3,000 people crowded into a stadium in Milan to see 28 finalists saunter across a stage in kelly-green swimsuits (the party color, a runner-up is called "Miss Green Shirt"), the event was presided over by popular leggy TV personality Louisa Corna, mayor Gabriele Albertini and broadcast live on a local TV station.
When winner Alice Grassi, an 18-year-old from the province of Brescia who dreams of becoming a showgirl, was fitted out the crown she refused to say whether she was a member of the Northern League or talk about politics.
"No comment," replied Grassi, adjusting what looks like a halo of silver spoons over her long blonde extensions. "I’m not really very interested in politics and I don’t want to make any off-the-cuff remarks." Better to keep quiet — during her reign, she’s obligated not to make any comments that conflict with the Northern League’s ideals.
Fortunately for party line, there were none of the soul-searching questions usually put to contestants in beauty pageants. It was clear from many of the women’s likes (traditional Southern Italian foods like pizza and spaghetti alla carbonara) that other than having residence in Northern Italy, they weren’t particularly interested in local traditions. That Miss Padania has gone mainstream is further evidenced by the grand prize — a week’s vacation in the Southern region of Calabria, donated by that region’s tourist board.
The women mostly paraded — in disco jumpsuits, in swimsuits and twice in evening wear to music like Shaggy’s "Sexy Lady." Only one contestant tried to play up secessionist sympathies by reading a poem in shaky Venetian dialect for her talent segment. Grassi, for instance, danced to "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," while another recited a monologue from the American film "The Big Kahuna."
The evening was not without its more embarrassing moments — from guests host Marco Balestri announced but weren’t in fact present to toilet humor in dialect. Numerous prizes were handed out, one to the ‘Padanian Cubs,’ described by the only member who showed up (the others didn’t feel like it, the 8-year-old said candidly) as ‘almost as good as the Boy Scouts.’
Party Leader Umberto Bossi was undoubtedly the star of the evening, filling up gaps in the proceedings by making jokes and patting backs like the most accomplished TV host playing to a crowd of adoring fans.
The less coherent moments will no doubt hit the cutting room floor when proceedings are cleaned up for broadcast on national network Rete 4 on February 23 in what might now safely be called an Italian event. ?1999-2004 zoomata.com
Zoomata is the brainchild of a bilingualjournalist based in Italy who thinks out of the box. This brain is for hire.
Related resources:
Italy and Its Discontents
Historian Paul Ginsborg’s fascinating take on the modern kaleidescope of Italian politics…
www.misspadania.com
The official site…