Berlusconi sleeping the sleep of the just, down in Texas

Thu, 25 April, 2013. During the George W Bush Presidential Center dedication ceremony in Dallas, Texas, Silvio Berlusconi takes his usual nap.

Yeah, we know, it's not really a novelty; the last time Silvio Berlusconi fell asleep during the inauguration of a monument to the deported of the Shoah was the end of January, on the International Holocaust Remembrance Day when the media mogul, after praising Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

Sleeping in the Texas' sun

But his political career has been marked by naps and forty winks, one of the most celebrated one dates back at Karol Józef Wojtyła's (aka Pope John Paul II) beatification (nope, we haven't written a post on that, but will do).

Still, the picture – published by the Huffington Post and running for the #SundayCaptionContest on Twitter – is quite funny, isn't it?

Why nobody likes Silvio Berlusconi?

Thursday, December 13, 2012. French President François Hollande joins droves of politicians eager to state their disapproval over Silvio Berlusconi. Whatever he does or will do, nobody likes it.

Mr Holland, while speaking publicly in Brussels (see photo), declared he saw “very low chance“ for the “chevalier” (Berlusconi is a Labour's Knight, having been awarded the Order of Merit for Labour) of winning a term and replacing Mario Monti as head of Italian government.

"Now, look at you" seems to say François Hollande

"I don't take his words saying he abandoned his candidature seriously. What he says one day is not necessarily true the day after," Hollande added, clearly stating his stance towards the Italian media magnate “re-entering the field”. In this stance Hollande does not show any improvement in the relationship with Berlusconi, compared to Nicolas Sarkozy's days (watch the video on our YouTube's Berluschannel).

Silvio Berlusconi seeking International Community's support in his struggle against “dictatorship of left-wing prosecutors”

Monday, May 26 2011. In Deauville, during a pause of the G8 meeting, Silvio Berlusconi reports to Barack Obama about the “dictatorship of left-wing prosecutors” in Italy, hoping to get some kind of relief.

In three day Italy will face the local elections final run-off, where Mr Berlusconi and his allies could risk a major defeat, specially in key cities like the prime minister stronghold Milan and troubled Naples.

Approaching a surprised Obama

The Italian tycoon is fighting a personal war against Italy's left-wing, and he would resort to any means, even asking for foreign powers' help, in order to avoid such a blow.

Furthermore Mr Berlusconi is facing four trials at the same time, three of them related to fraud and corruption charges, and the infamous "Rubygate" case where he is charged with paying for sex with an under-age Moroccan belly dancer and then using his position to cover it up. Another good reason to warn the international community about the lack of freedom in Italy, due to the dictatorship of the left-winged judicial system.

The occasion to seek assistance was the meeting of G8 governments in Normandy's Deauville, where – with the aide of an interpreter – the Italian prime minister approached the president of the USA, Barack Obama.

Silvio was possibly inspired by Barack Obama's words when – in his recent visit to the UK – he has stated that the United States would be there for any people struggling for freedom.

Anyhow, though the whole 2-minute conversation was not disclosed, it is clear the Berlusconi said "We have presented a justice reform that is fundamental to us, in Italy we have almost a dictatorship of leftist judges," to a surprised-looking Obama, before world leaders began discussion of nuclear issues.

The news awestruck a large part of Italians, not knowing what to expect: NATO bombing or just a pizza and mozzarella embargo?

Video from our YouTube Channel: Berluschannel 

Silvio Berlusconi and the Queen

Friday, 3 April 2009. Buckingham Palace, Throne Room. Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi can't behave whilst G20 official photographs are being taken, and Her Majesty has to tell him to pipe down.

Happy faces. but where is Berlusconi?

A (quite blurry) footage has emerged about the Queen of England appearing to express annoyance at Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for being too noisy, whilst trying to draw Mr Obama's attention.

The Italian tycoon-politician is believed to have shouted “Mr Obamaaaa! This is Mr Berlusconi!” across the Throne Room, prompting Her Majesty to turn around in irritation at the blare.

Though Buckingham Palace have denied that any offence was taken by the Queen, the Reuters' footage has – of course! – been placed on the YouTube website and has quickly proved to be a popular video, reaching more than half million views since.

Mr Berlusconi never lose an occasion to gain some visibility.

Any kind of visibility for that matters.

Video from our YouTube Channel: Berluschannel 

Berlusconi call puts Angela Merkel (and a Nato summit) on hold.

Saturday, 4 April 2009. Baden-Baden (Germany), along the Rhine river. The Italian politician-entrepreneur Berlusconi keeps hanging the Nato summit host Angela Merkel whilst talking on the phone.

President Berlusconi this time holds up the start of a NATO summit and keeps hanging the Chancellor of Germany, who's receiving the guests of the meeting. He gets off his car, Angela Merkel's looking forward to greet him and shake hands with him, but Silvio just can't hang the phone (as he explains, with clear gestures to the host of the meeting. Once again, funny stuff from Berlusconi).

Video from our YouTube Channel: Berluschannel

Nato leaders then cross the pedestrian bridge over the Rhine - with Merkel and Obama in front line - in order to meet France's President Sarkozy.

Believe it or not, Silvio is on the phone, whilst strolling around. And the puzzled Mrs Merkel has to start the event's opening ceremony without Italy's Berlusconi.

Over the telephone

In his defence, the Italian Prime Minister was talking to Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (Turkey's Prime Minister) and the call was pertinent to the summit, but we can assume he could have found a way to manage it in a snappier way.

Couldn't he?