Woman dressed as burlesque Obama for Berlusconi, court told

Jim Watson / AFP - Getty Images, file

US President Barack Obama (right) greets the President of Italy Silvio Berlusconi upon his arrival for dinner during the Nuclear Security Summit at the Washington Convention Center in Washington in 2010.

ROME -- One of the young women who attended Silvio Berlusconi's "bunga bunga" parties told a court on Friday that she dressed up as a burlesque version of U.S. President Barack Obama to entertain the former Italian prime minister. 

In testimony during a trial against the 75-year-old Berlusconi on charges of paying for sex with an underage prostitute, Marysthell Polanco said she had also dressed as prosecutor Ilda Boccassini.  


Boccassini, known as "Ilda the Red" because of her hair color and what Berlusconi says is her communist political sympathies, is one of the prosecutors in the ongoing trial. 

"I dressed up as Boccassini with a toga to make him laugh, and also as Obama," Polanco told the court. 

Witness: Italian ex-PM Berlusconi hosted strippers dressed as nuns

Polanco, a 28-year-old from the Dominican Republic, said the parties were innocent fun accompanied by burlesque -- but not pornographic -- entertainment. 

Berlusconi: 'Elegant dinners'
In April, Berlusconi said the parties were "elegant dinners" where there was sometimes entertainment that he called a "burlesque game." 

Previous witnesses who attended his parties painted a more sordid picture, including nudity, mimicked sex, and one described two women wearing nasty versions of nuns' habits and performing a raunchy pole dance. 

Berlusconi to 'Ruby the Heart-Stealer': 'I'll cover you in gold ... just don't say anything'

Berlusconi is charged with paying Moroccan-born Karima El Mahroug for sex in 2010, when she was 17, and then abusing the powers of his office by getting her freed from police custody after she had been arrested for theft. 

Berlusconi denies all wrongdoing. 

Berlusconi accused of plagiarism by Italian rapper

He had a close rapport with former U.S. President George W. Bush, earning several invitations to Washington and even to his Texas ranch, but he never was able to establish a similar relationship with Obama after repeatedly describing him - and later his wife - as "suntanned."

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Discuss this post

That's just creepy.

  • 1 vote
Reply#1 - Fri May 25, 2012 12:22 PM EDT

One of the young women who attended Silvio Berlusconi's "bunga bunga" parties told a court on Friday that she dressed up as a burlesque version of U.S. President Barack Obama

Im betting most liberals are thinking, so whats wrong with that? I have my partner do it all the time..

  • 7 votes
#1.1 - Fri May 25, 2012 12:50 PM EDT

What kind of straight guy wants to bang an Obama look-alike? That is not as creepy as much as just gross.

  • 5 votes
#1.2 - Fri May 25, 2012 12:54 PM EDT

A big telltale about how much respect Berlusconi really had for Obama and that judge. Or respect for the Italian people for that matter...

  • 2 votes
#1.3 - Fri May 25, 2012 1:11 PM EDT

Stuff like this provides a check on the level of disgust for our politicians. No matter how infuriating they might be in the US, at least there's something to be said for our toned down and timid political style :D

  • 1 vote
#1.4 - Fri May 25, 2012 2:06 PM EDT

Now there is a job Dumbama probably could do himself, burlesque that is. Everything else is fake anyway with that dude.

  • 2 votes
#1.5 - Fri May 25, 2012 2:07 PM EDT

Khalid-2395974

Stuff like this provides a check on the level of disgust for our politicians. No matter how infuriating they might be in the US, at least there's something to be said for our toned down and timid political style

Hmmm I guess you missed Vitter and his diapers.

    #1.6 - Fri May 25, 2012 3:40 PM EDT

    Well Obama is a little effeminate not really a manly man. But it is still insulting that someone would have a girl play him for sex games.............that's just not right. Leave our President out of your bedroom Burlesconi.

    • 2 votes
    #1.7 - Fri May 25, 2012 3:59 PM EDT

    Well now gtouch......why don't you explain to all the ladies out in Newsvine land just what YOUR fantasy of a "manly man" is? Because, it seems plenty of the ladies find President Obama quite attractive. But then, maybe they don't cotton to the same sort of "manly man" that you do.

    Perhaps you think Newt Gingrich is a "manly man"......or, is it Rick Perry?....maybe, it's Rush Limbaugh....or Glenn Beck.....oh yeah.....now, there's a "manly man" for you. Then, there's Dubya.......did you see how "manly" he was when dodging those shoes? How about Jesus gtouch.....was he a "manly man" ? Maybe you think He was a sissy...you know, with all that "the meek shall inherit the Earth" stuff........go on out back gtouch and fire off some rounds....maybe that will make you (feel like) more of a "manly man".........oh....and....don't forget to walk your pit bull.

    • 2 votes
    #1.8 - Fri May 25, 2012 5:17 PM EDT

    What kind of straight guy wants to bang an Obama look-alike?

    Or a straight woman.

    • 4 votes
    #1.9 - Fri May 25, 2012 6:08 PM EDT

    Mr. Ian apparently Obama is your kind of fantasy as you find him "quite attractive" along with unnamed ladies. I hit quite a nerve with you..............Interesting. It's ok if you lead an alternate lifestyle that is perfectly fine with me I think you should be allowed to marry within the same sex if that is the way you go. So good luck. You seem a little unhinged about this just relax and take a breath it will be alright.

    • 1 vote
    #1.10 - Sat May 26, 2012 1:52 PM EDT
    Reply

    And, folks, when the day is too boring or other news is too straight-laced, tune in to Italian politics and politicians for interesting and humourous sexual peccadillo.

    • 3 votes
    Reply#2 - Fri May 25, 2012 12:25 PM EDT

    Funny, but not as funny as the bovine beer summit.

    • 4 votes
    Reply#3 - Fri May 25, 2012 12:36 PM EDT

    That reminds me of some old Margaret Thatcher joke.

    • 1 vote
    Reply#4 - Fri May 25, 2012 1:04 PM EDT

    He's italian...what did you expect ???

      Reply#5 - Fri May 25, 2012 1:43 PM EDT

      One word...

      Ewwwwwww

      • 2 votes
      Reply#6 - Fri May 25, 2012 1:49 PM EDT

      Bunga Bunga party,that El Porko throws? He sounds just like Caligula reincarnated.Oh and he,Caligula married his horse.

      Don't be surprised if the reincarnation if Caligula does the same thing!He's such a Filthy Pig!

      • 1 vote
      Reply#7 - Fri May 25, 2012 2:08 PM EDT

      He's such a Filthy Pig!

      An Obama look alike? You are right. Filthy.

      • 2 votes
      #7.1 - Fri May 25, 2012 6:10 PM EDT
      Reply

      Berlesconi's long tenure speaks volumes about the Italians. For whatever reason they've been copesetic about his immature and many times sexist behavior.

        Reply#8 - Fri May 25, 2012 2:14 PM EDT

        she dressed up as a burlesque version of U.S. President Barack Obama to entertain the former Italian prime minister.

        If they would have said something we could have sent them the real one.

        • 3 votes
        Reply#9 - Fri May 25, 2012 6:07 PM EDT

        Berlusconi is just a pig.

        • 1 vote
        Reply#10 - Fri May 25, 2012 6:34 PM EDT

        I wonder how many international leaders in truth hold Obama in this low esteem?

          Reply#11 - Sat May 26, 2012 7:50 AM EDT
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