ROME, Italy—Italy's preeminent male porn star, Rocco Siffredi has come to the defense of his embattled prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, with whom he shares more than just love of women and country, according to an anecdote provided by Siffredi to the Guardian Saturday.
"Berlusconi and I have a lot in common," said Siffredi. "I have been reliably informed that he once said, 'Siffredi and I both have the same problem: priapism'."
The recent recipient of the AVN Award for Male Foreign Performer of the Year also explained why the complex love affair he and the prime minister share with the Italian people will translate into Berusconi ultimately being forgiven.
"Just as my appeal is based on being a family man off the set, Berlusconi understands that being a family man is important, as is staying on the right side of the church," he said.
The current scandal may provide the greatest test yet for that theory. Berlusconi has had to go on television twice this week to defend himself against allegations he paid for sex with an underage girl and then had the girl released from police custody in an attempt to cover-up the affair. The charges come on top of multi-sourced allegations of numerous mistresses and fabulous orgies at his mansion near Milan featuring pole-dancing prostitutes and other notable activities.
Berlusconi's troubles are not only legal. Opposition leader Pierluigi Bersani wants him to step down and is attempting to collect 10 million signatures in order to make it happen. Meanwhile, polls are split and the Guardian reports that a solid half of those asked say they support the prime minister in spite of his philandering. Indeed, according to Siffredi, the prime minister's sex life is an inherent political asset across the political spectrum.
"The truth is," Siffredi told the Guardian, "Italians are proud of someone like Berlusconi who is 74, loves sex and has a good sex life—and I don't just mean working-class Italians."
Berlusconi not only likes sex, Siffredi added, he likes it more—and has it more frequently—than does the porn star. "I have sex one half of a half of a half of the times he does," he said in a Facebook video,.
Whether Siffredi's generous estimation of Burlesconi's prowess is accurate or not, by commenting on the scandal publicly, the Italian Stallion may have done more than simply add a "surreal turn" to the public debate, as the Guardian so snarkily put it. He may actually have added a rare rational note to the proceedings.
In addition to the win for Male Foreign Performer of the Year, Siffredi also was won a 2011 AVN Award for Best Foreign All-Sex Series for Rocco: Puppet Master, Rocco Siffredi/Evil Angel.
