Beorn
04-17-2009, 02:29 AM
Berlusconi gaffes again by telling black priest: 'I wish I had time to get as tanned as you'
Silvo Berlusconi yesterday made his third gaffe linked to the Italian earthquake.As he visited survivors, the Italian prime minister ' complimented' an African priest and an African Red Cross worker on their suntans.
His supposedly light-hearted remarks came on the day the death toll rose to 295 after a 19-year-old man pulled from the rubble died in hospital.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/04/16/article-1170655-047C5C0F000005DC-831_468x286.jpg
Berlusconi, 72, went to two camps on the outskirts of L'Aquila housing some of the more than 30,000 people who lost their homes.
As he toured the camps Berlusconi spotted the priest and joked: 'You have a nice tan,' then he turned to an African Red Cross worker and said: 'You've got a tan as well - I wish I could stay here and get some sun.'
He then grabbed the embarrassed volunteer before smiling broadly and telling him: 'Hold me tight and call me Papa.'
Earlier this week Berlusconi told a woman doctor that he 'wouldn't mind being resuscitated' by her.
That quip followed his comment to homeless people being housed in tents that they should 'treat the experience as a camping holiday'.
After his 'camping trip' remark, Berlusconi's office issued a statement which said he was simply trying to inject some cheer into a nation gripped by mourning.
While at the recent G20 summit in London, Berlusconi was criticised by the Queen when he roared Barack Obama's name in her ear at a photocall.
The Queen was caught on video at the event throwing her hands up in exasperation and exclaiming: 'Why does he have to shout?'
It is not the first time that Berlusconi has used the 'suntan' gag in his wide range of schoolboy jokes.
He has raised eyebrows with a comment on Mr Obama by making a bizarre comments on his skin colour twice in the space of five months.
Last year he caused outrage by describing the US President as 'suntanned' then days ago his response to the global economic crisis was different to that of the American president because 'I'm paler.'
Berlusconi also said that he would hold a cabinet meeting in L'Aquila to show that he and the government were making the earthquake and the survivors a top priority.
Meanwhile it also emerged that Pope Benedict XVI would 'probably' visit the earthquake zone on 1st May nearly a month after the disaster but Vatican officials said nothing had yet been confirmed.Source (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1170655/Berlusconi-gaffes-telling-black-priest-I-wish-I-time-tanned-you.html)
Silvo Berlusconi yesterday made his third gaffe linked to the Italian earthquake.As he visited survivors, the Italian prime minister ' complimented' an African priest and an African Red Cross worker on their suntans.
His supposedly light-hearted remarks came on the day the death toll rose to 295 after a 19-year-old man pulled from the rubble died in hospital.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/04/16/article-1170655-047C5C0F000005DC-831_468x286.jpg
Berlusconi, 72, went to two camps on the outskirts of L'Aquila housing some of the more than 30,000 people who lost their homes.
As he toured the camps Berlusconi spotted the priest and joked: 'You have a nice tan,' then he turned to an African Red Cross worker and said: 'You've got a tan as well - I wish I could stay here and get some sun.'
He then grabbed the embarrassed volunteer before smiling broadly and telling him: 'Hold me tight and call me Papa.'
Earlier this week Berlusconi told a woman doctor that he 'wouldn't mind being resuscitated' by her.
That quip followed his comment to homeless people being housed in tents that they should 'treat the experience as a camping holiday'.
After his 'camping trip' remark, Berlusconi's office issued a statement which said he was simply trying to inject some cheer into a nation gripped by mourning.
While at the recent G20 summit in London, Berlusconi was criticised by the Queen when he roared Barack Obama's name in her ear at a photocall.
The Queen was caught on video at the event throwing her hands up in exasperation and exclaiming: 'Why does he have to shout?'
It is not the first time that Berlusconi has used the 'suntan' gag in his wide range of schoolboy jokes.
He has raised eyebrows with a comment on Mr Obama by making a bizarre comments on his skin colour twice in the space of five months.
Last year he caused outrage by describing the US President as 'suntanned' then days ago his response to the global economic crisis was different to that of the American president because 'I'm paler.'
Berlusconi also said that he would hold a cabinet meeting in L'Aquila to show that he and the government were making the earthquake and the survivors a top priority.
Meanwhile it also emerged that Pope Benedict XVI would 'probably' visit the earthquake zone on 1st May nearly a month after the disaster but Vatican officials said nothing had yet been confirmed.Source (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1170655/Berlusconi-gaffes-telling-black-priest-I-wish-I-time-tanned-you.html)