Monday, November 21, 2011

“American / Italian Pie”

President Obama spoke to the new prime minister of Italy, Mario Monti, by phone Monday.  The president made faux pas, when he suggested that Italian economic reform should be delivered in 30 minutes or less.

The two spoke through an interpreter, an Italian-American from New York who speaks no Italian, but talks loudly and with broad hand-gestures.

Monti ended the conversation with Obama by utilizing an old Italian custom: he played Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” on a diner jukebox, sat down to eat his onion rings, and then everything just went black.

Now that he is prime minister, Mario Monti wants to be known as Super Mario.

No comments: