Italian television icon Pippo Baudo has died, prompting an emotional tribute from fellow presenter Carlo Conti, who described Baudo as a “beacon” and a defining figure in his career. Conti expressed deep personal loss, stating, “It’s hard to say goodbye to Pippo Baudo for those like me who always admired, followed, and considered him a guiding light, a point of reference.”
Recalling his early days, Conti revealed he was nicknamed ‘little Pippo’ (Pippuzzo). “When people said I was ‘channeling Baudo’ (baudeggiavo), it was an honour for me,” Conti stated, comparing it to “a footballer referencing Maradona.” He cherished Baudo later calling him “colleague.”
Conti acknowledged that with the death of ‘Superpippo’, “a piece of history goes, but with the awareness that everything he taught us remains, as do all the talents, singers, and comedians he discovered.” Conti cited the title of the famous play written for Baudo by Garinei & Giovannini, *The Man Who Invented Television*, stating Baudo shaped television “as we still make it today.”
Their paths first crossed when Conti was very young, “during children’s TV times, and then with the early evening slot: he wanted me as one of the hosts of *Luna Park*,” Conti recounted. “From there, a constant, very strong bond was cemented between us.” Conti noted that when he concluded his last Sanremo festival, he defined it as “‘Baudian’, and he called me, very happy. After all, he taught us the festival, he invented it with this force, this power.”
“Today television dims, and a piece of my television history leaves… I will be eternally grateful to him as a viewer and as a colleague,” Conti concluded.
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