Photo: YouTube
An Italian talent show called Amici di Maria De Filippi is in some deep shit after a prank involving some dude groping one competitor has gotten them a ton of backlash. And rightfully so.
Contestant Emma Marrone was on the show trying to sing a solo vocal piece while a bunch of backup dancers did their thing. But one backup dancer decided to get a little too close to Marrone (as part of the prank), and begins groping her breasts and ass. Marrone clearly looks uncomfortable as she struggles to get through the song. And all this while the judges are laughing. OK…
Check it out below.
Well that bizarre.
You can also see the full exchange between Marrone and the judges below. And while it’s in Italian, here’s mostly what Marrone says:
“I don’t want to be a prude – but when he touches me so much, I can’t sing. This isn’t dancing.”
Eventually the show’s producers admit that it’s a prank, and then hand Marrone an award for her troubles. Oh boy, an award!
According to The LADBible, “after the clip was aired on Monday night campaigners launched a petition to introduce new media guidelines regarding sexual violence – it’s already picked up over 17,000 signatures.”
And here’s more backlash: Italy’s Canale 5 women’s rights activist Cristiana DeLia had this to say:
“In a country like Italy, affected by high levels of femicide and violence against women, the mass media is contributing to a dangerous culture.
As well as affecting the singer, a ‘joke’ like this affects all victims of violence and abuse, making them believe that abuse is normal – so normal, in fact, that we should laugh about it.”
But there here’s what the show’s host, Maria de Filippi had to say:
“If some people think that the joke was sexual assault, that means the world has turned upside down. I don’t think that anyone who is even slightly rational could think such a thing.”
In conclusion, Maria de Filippi is an idiot.
