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Jeremy Paxman stuns Silvio Berlusconi with Angela Merkel insult allegation Jeremy Paxman stuns Silvio Berlusconi with Angela Merkel insult allegation
(about 1 hour later)
With less than a month remaining in his role as Newsnight's rottweiler-in-chief, Jeremy Paxman has added another high-profile scalp to his legacy of public-figure grillings.With less than a month remaining in his role as Newsnight's rottweiler-in-chief, Jeremy Paxman has added another high-profile scalp to his legacy of public-figure grillings.
Demonstrating that his decision to leave the programme after 25 years has not doused any of the fire in his notoriously combative interview technique, he rendered the former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, temporarily speechless after asking him: "Do you have a particular problem with Angela Merkel? Is it true you called her an unfuckable lard-arse?"Demonstrating that his decision to leave the programme after 25 years has not doused any of the fire in his notoriously combative interview technique, he rendered the former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, temporarily speechless after asking him: "Do you have a particular problem with Angela Merkel? Is it true you called her an unfuckable lard-arse?"
The question, which followed a series of innocuous warm-up questions posed to the scandal-ridden former Italian leader about the EU and the euro, appeared to leave him momentarily stunned as an interpreter relayed it to him through an earpiece. When he recovered his composure, he said that he had never insulted anyone in 20 years of politics and that the alleged insult was "made up by someone who wanted to turn Angela Merkel against me". Warming to the theme, an amused-looking Paxman also asked Berlusconi if the incident when he jumped out from behind a monument and said "cuckoo" to the German chancellor "was just a joke".The question, which followed a series of innocuous warm-up questions posed to the scandal-ridden former Italian leader about the EU and the euro, appeared to leave him momentarily stunned as an interpreter relayed it to him through an earpiece. When he recovered his composure, he said that he had never insulted anyone in 20 years of politics and that the alleged insult was "made up by someone who wanted to turn Angela Merkel against me". Warming to the theme, an amused-looking Paxman also asked Berlusconi if the incident when he jumped out from behind a monument and said "cuckoo" to the German chancellor "was just a joke".
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The former Italian leader, who was forced to resign in November 2011 after losing his parliamentary majority, insisted that far from being an insult, it was testament to his close relationship with Merkel. "She enjoyed it," he replied. "I explained why I did the cuckoo thing. A few days earlier I had been to St Petersburg to visit [Vladimir] Putin. Putin hid behind a pillar and did cuckoo to me from behind. Merkel and I were on really good terms so when she came to Trieste, I thought of what Putin had done and I basically hid behind a monument and did the same thing. It was funny."The former Italian leader, who was forced to resign in November 2011 after losing his parliamentary majority, insisted that far from being an insult, it was testament to his close relationship with Merkel. "She enjoyed it," he replied. "I explained why I did the cuckoo thing. A few days earlier I had been to St Petersburg to visit [Vladimir] Putin. Putin hid behind a pillar and did cuckoo to me from behind. Merkel and I were on really good terms so when she came to Trieste, I thought of what Putin had done and I basically hid behind a monument and did the same thing. It was funny."
The 77-year-old billionaire's time in office was blighted by a succession of scandals, leading Paxman to say that it was "unfortunate that as far as much of the rest of the world is concerned, the reputation you have is all about your private life. It's about corruption and unpaid taxes and bunga bunga parties".The 77-year-old billionaire's time in office was blighted by a succession of scandals, leading Paxman to say that it was "unfortunate that as far as much of the rest of the world is concerned, the reputation you have is all about your private life. It's about corruption and unpaid taxes and bunga bunga parties".
Berlusconi responded that 46 out of 47 cases against him were dismissed, and that "lies" were responsible for his reputation abroad. "Italians know very well that none of these facts are true," he claimed, adding that the bunga bunga accusations – that he had sex with underage prostitutes – were "ridiculous".Berlusconi responded that 46 out of 47 cases against him were dismissed, and that "lies" were responsible for his reputation abroad. "Italians know very well that none of these facts are true," he claimed, adding that the bunga bunga accusations – that he had sex with underage prostitutes – were "ridiculous".
Berlusconi used the interview to denounce Beppe Grillo, the head of Italy's anti-establishment Five Star party, comparing him to Stalin and Pol Pot, and concluding: "I want to go down in history as a father of the country and as my legacy, a conservative centre-right government to protect Italy from a dictator like Grillo."Berlusconi used the interview to denounce Beppe Grillo, the head of Italy's anti-establishment Five Star party, comparing him to Stalin and Pol Pot, and concluding: "I want to go down in history as a father of the country and as my legacy, a conservative centre-right government to protect Italy from a dictator like Grillo."
Meanwhile, Paxman has secured his own legacy of making the likes of Berlusconi squirm. The interview is likely to be filed alongside other memorable moments such as when he asked Michael Howard the same question a dozen times and questioned Tony Blair as to whether he and the US president, George W Bush, prayed together.Meanwhile, Paxman has secured his own legacy of making the likes of Berlusconi squirm. The interview is likely to be filed alongside other memorable moments such as when he asked Michael Howard the same question a dozen times and questioned Tony Blair as to whether he and the US president, George W Bush, prayed together.