May 9, 2008
Guru has always admired the Italians for their love of the absurd, and Silvio Berlusconi has made a bold statement with the appointment of a former topless model to his cabinet as equal opportunities minister.
Mara Carfagna came sixth in the tough political testing ground that is the Miss Italy contest, and was inspired to enter politics – perhaps spurred on by Berlusconi's declaration that he would marry her at an awards dinner in 2007... if only he wasn't already married to Mrs Berlusconi.
The shy and retiring Carfagna claims to represent family values and if any readers want to see what all the fuss is about, that bastion of family values, the Mail on Sunday, provides the most revealing pictures of the semi-naked politician.
However, bearing in mind her new equaliy, Carfagna's views on gays and lesbians might raise a few eyebrows – she's previously labelled them as "constitutionally sterile" and saying that "to love means to be able to procreate".
Any suggestion that Berlusconi only appointed her because of her looks is surely entirely coincidental. And Yours Truly is sure that her many years working as a host on a TV show give her all the political training she requires to be a success.
He is also guessing that the self-declared 'prude' is a staunch catholic and keenly awaits her views on women's place in the world of work.
