Simona Ventura, a paralyzed face and the courage to break a taboo

We have always been accustomed to seeing television presenters in their best form, with the right lights and cuts to appear irreproachable in all respects, and this is why seeing Simona Ventura enter the studio of Rai2 intercom with half his face immobilized in the April 7 episode is something that destabilized the viewers quite a bit. Together with those who praised her professionalism, given that Simona, to safeguard her image, the same one we have seen towering over many of the newspapers' homepages, he could very well have chosen to stay at home and not expose himself to the publicthere were many who considered that appearance inappropriate, certain that Ventura was wrong not to back down.

Leaving aside the jokes – sometimes very unfortunate and written mostly by women – rained down on Simona Ventura for a problem that is not only aesthetic, given that this pathology also involves a certain motor disability that should not be underestimated, the presenter continued without a single blow to the point of returning seven days later to the scene of the crime only to personally inform the Rai2 audience that they would no longer be able to face another live broadcast in those conditions. «I tried, but I feel like going to rest.” in fact, Simona Ventura said at a certain point to her “partner” Paola Perego, explaining that she was unable to move forward with her commitment.

In a time in which we are very careful either to appear in our best shape or without any frills for the sole purpose of appearing emancipated in the eyes of the beholder, the choice to go on air and face criticism with a blocked facial expression is commendable, and it could only belong to a professional who has never backed down from anything. Not even in the face of the cruelty of internet users ready to demolish other people's fragilities with extreme ease.