Luciana Littizzetto (born 29 October 1964) is an Italian comedy actress, shock jock and humor writer.

Luciana Littizzetto
Littizzetto in 2008
Born (1964-10-29) 29 October 1964 (age 60)
Turin, Italy
Medium
  • Stand-up
  • television
  • books
Alma materUniversity of Turin
Years active1990–present
Genres
Subject(s)
Partner(s)Davide Graziano (1997–2018)

Littizzetto is known in her home country for her irreverent gags, lampooning government ministers and church prelates alike.

Nicknamed "Lucianina" (Italian for Little Luciana),[1] she is a prominent personality on Italian television, notably appearing weekly as guest on Rai 3's primetime show Che tempo che fa.[2] Besides more trivial topics, she notably advocated a stricter policy in Italy dealing with sexual harassment.[3]

Career

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Littizzetto grew up in the San Donato District in Turin where her family, originally from Bosconero, owned a milk and cheese shop.[4]

Littizzetto graduated in 1984 from the Turin Conservatory with a piano playing degree. She later obtained a bachelor's degree from the University of Turin, at the Faculty of Humanities, and also attended an acting school in Moncalieri, close to Turin.[4]

She briefly worked as a school teacher, but kept her stand-up comedy and acting skills in check by performing at local theatres in Turin and its province. Littizzetto subsequently worked as a voice actress, dubbing foreign soaps in Italian. Television appearances on the Maurizio Costanzo Show allowed her to eventually give up her teaching career and focus on her entertainer talents.[4]

In 1993, she was part of the cast of the Italian TV show Cielito Lindo, playing the sketch character Sabrina. As such, she had her first catchphrase: "Minchia Sabbry!" ("The Hell, Sabbry!"). Subsequently, Littizzetto debuted on Rai Radio 2's Hit Parade.

During the 1990s, she worked mainly for Mediaset, debuting on the cabaret show Zelig.

Since then, Littizzetto has created several famous characters and has entertained the Italian public with her fertile and varied television, film, theatre and literary work. Up to 2014, Littizzetto authored 14 successful humour books.[5] In some of them, she notoriously refers to male and female genitals as Walter and Iolanda, respectively.[6]

In recent years, together with TV personality Fabio Fazio on his TV show Che tempo che fa, she has entertained Italian audiences on prime time with her humorous remarks about social trends. She has also shed light on cultural, social and political topics, notably calling for a bill in Italy to protect women against sexual harassment.[7] These appearances have established her as a prominent TV personality of contemporary Italy.[4] Littizzetto teamed up with Fazio several times. More recently, they voiced two characters for the Italian version of the movie Minions in 2015.[6]

In 2007, Luciana Littizzetto was honored by the President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, with the prestigious De Sica Award, given for cultural and entertainment achievements.[8] In both 2013 and 2014, Littizzetto was awarded Best Female on the Italian television.[9]

In 2013, Littizzetto co-hosted the prestigious Sanremo Music Festival alongside long-time colleague Fabio Fazio, the show gaining high audience shares. Both hosts signed also for 2014, but that year the show proved to be unsuccessful, with an average audience share of 39%. Littizzetto was criticised for being paid €700,000 for co-hosting the Sanremo Festival.[10]

From 2015 to 2017, Litizzetto was a judge on Italia's Got Talent from series 6 to series 8, broadcast in Italy by the pay-TV Sky Uno.[6]

After 40 years of collaboration with state TV, RAI, Littizzetto and one of the most popular faces of Italian television, Fabio Fazio, are moving to the Warner Bros Discovery channel (NOVE). The debut is set for 15 October 2023.[11][12]

Allegedly Litizetto once picked up a hitchiker -who turned out to be the artist Pippa Bacca.

Personal life

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Littizzetto describes herself as an animal lover. She publicly supported gay rights in Italy.[13] Together with her boyfriend Davide Graziano, Littizzetto is a foster parent of two.[14]

Filmography

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Films
Year Title Role Notes
1997 We All Fall Down Shop worker Cameo appearance
1997 Three Men and a Leg Giuliana Cecconi
1999 Screw Loose White Hair Woman
1999 E allora mambo! Lisa
1999 La grande prugna Giulia
1999 All the Moron's Men Stella's friend
2000 Tandem Police officer Cameo appearance
2001 Ravanello pallido Gemma Mirtilli
2004 Se devo essere sincera Adelaide Bertoglio
2005 Manual of Love Ornella
2006 Cover Boy House owner Cameo appearance
2007 Ripopolare la reggia Herself
2008 Tutta colpa di Giuda Sister Bonaria
2010 Parents and Children: Shake Well Before Using Luisa
2010 Marriage and Other Disasters Benedetta
2010 Men vs. Women Anna
2011 Women vs. Men Anna
2011 One Day More Mrs. Boldrini
2012 È nata una star? Lucia Cuviello
2013 Wannabe Widowed Susanna
2015 Io che amo solo te Dora
Television
Year Title Role Notes
2004 Camera Café Herself Episode: "Elezioni sindacali"
2008 Pinocchio Talking Cricket Main role
2009 Non pensarci – La serie Marta Main role
2011–2015 Fuoriclasse Isabella Passamaglia Lead role
2019 Romolo Giuly God 2 episodes
2019 Foodie Love Heladera Episode: "Gelato di Neve"

References

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  1. ^ "LUCIANA LITTIZZETTO/ Che tempo che fa, intervento puntata 29 novembre 2015: Video streaming". 30 November 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  2. ^ "Che tempo che fa".
  3. ^ "Luciana Littizzetto lancia l'appello per una legge per proteggere le donne - Che tempo che fa del 29/11/2015".
  4. ^ a b c d "Cicapui by Luciana Littizzetto".
  5. ^ "LASTAMPA.it". Archived from the original on 26 January 2010. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  6. ^ a b c "Luciana Littizzetto: "Le suore di clausura mi hanno distrutto su Facebook"". 30 March 2015.
  7. ^ "Luciana Littizzetto lancia l'appello per una legge per proteggere le donne - Che tempo che fa del 29/11/2015".
  8. ^ "Luciana Littizzetto-show al Quirinale "Premiata da Napo, meglio del Telegatto" - Spettacoli & Cultura - Repubblica.it".
  9. ^ "Oscar Tv 2013: "Tale e Quale Show" vince il premio Migliore Trasmissione Televisiva dell'Anno". 28 March 2013.
  10. ^ "Sanremo, ecco il cachet di Fazio e Littizzetto".
  11. ^ "Luciana Littizzetto e la reazione alla frecciata di Fabio Fazio alla Rai nel nuovo spot di Che tempo che fa [VIDEO]". 25 August 2023.
  12. ^ https://italynewsdaily.com/discovery-formalizes-fabio-fazios-arrival-at-nove-with-luciana-littizzetto/ [bare URL]
  13. ^ "Luciana Littizzetto: 'La Chiesa lasci stare i gay'". 20 April 2010. Archived from the original on 20 March 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  14. ^ "Archivio Corriere della Sera".
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