Italy's Berlusconi Basks in Pillow Talk Praise
Italian PM gives sexual advice in secretly recorded pillow talk.
ROME, July 23, 2009 -- Like a good soap opera, the daily release of quotes from Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's alleged tryst with an escort gets a little steamier each day.
Today's release records escort Patrizia D'Addario praising the 72-year-old Berlusconi for his performance and comparing him favorably to the impatience of much younger men.
"You know when was the last time I had sex like I had with you last night? Many months ago," D'Addario is heard telling the man she claims is the prime minister.
D'Addario's older companion gives a murky explanation of the sexual problems of younger men. "If you let me say so, I think the problem, it's a family one ... to have the orgasm."
He goes on to give some sexual advice to D'Addario, and inadvertently to the world. "May I," he begins. "You should have sex by yourself. You should touch yourself frequently."
In another portion of D'Addario's recordings, the two discuss one of Berlusconi's residences named Villa Certosa, with him showing her the ice-cream parlor, explaining how they clean the private lake to make it swimmable and mentioning that some archeological artifacts were found on the property.
The recordings, allegedly made by D'Addario on her phone have been put online by the Italian magazine L'Espresso.
Response to the latest release has been muted. The only comment by Berlusconi so far was a remark made Wednesday when he laughed and told officials at the inauguration of a highway project, "I am not a saint as you all know by now."
Berlusconi's Wednesday's remarks were his first public comments since the recordings were released Monday, but the prime minister did not use the opportunity to deny that it was his voice. He did remark that "there are a lot of nice-looking girls around."
Berlusconi has previously denied ever paying women for sex. If the recordings are verified as authentic, it would be a big blow to Berlusconi who has also said he would resign if he was caught lying about sleeping with prostitutes.
D'Addario gave her tapes to Italian authorities who are investigating whether any crimes have been committed by associates of Berlusconi, including the man who arranged for women to attend private parties.
In earlier releases of the covert recordings, a man is heard telling D'Addario to wait for him in bed while he takes a shower.
D'Addario secretly recorded another conversation the morning after one such party, allegedly held Nov. 4, the night of the U.S. election, when Berlusconi skipped a public event that evening.
In the recordings made over breakfast, D'Addario complains that he had initially "caused her some pain," and a voice purported to be Berlusconi's asks her over their tea and coffee for her full name for the first time after their night together.
D'Addario mentions that her voice is gone.
"But, why?" the man asks. "We weren't shouting."
In a phone call later that day, the man says he has to leave for Moscow.
"I can call you when I am back?" he asks.
Woman Also Recorded Berlusconi Friend
"OK," D'Addario replies. "A big kiss for you."
While Berlusconi has been largely silent on the recordings, his lawyer has dismissed them as fakes and threatened legal action.
Prosecutors have already decided against an investigation into whether government funds were misused for parties in Rome or at Berlusconi's Sardinian villa, but they are investigating Gianpaolo Tarantini, who reportedly hired the women for the parties, according to D'Addario and others.
D'Addario also claims to have recorded conversations with Tarantini.
"You wanted to speak to me?" D'Addario says to Tarantini.
"I didn't want to speak to you. I wanted to tell you … that at 9:15 p.m. the driver will come and we are going there," Tarantini responded.
"It is a 1,000 for the evening," she answered.
"One thousand now already, I have already give it to you … then if you stay with him … he will give you a gift, only him … ah, you will see that he doesn't use condoms …" Tarantini replies.
"But this thing won't happen without condoms … how can I trust him?" D'Addario says.
"Well, it's Berlusconi," he replies.
These audio recordings are the latest in a string of embarrassing accusations against the prime minister that became public when his wife, Veronica Lario, publically announced she was seeking a divorce because of his affinity for young women.
For months now the Italian media not controlled by the Berlusconi family has demanded explanations for his relationship with an 18 year old model, charges that he flew women to Sardinia on government planes to attend parties at his island villa, his explanation for photos showing nude guests frolicking around his pool, and now whether or not he knew prostitutes had been paid to attend his private parties and whether he had sex with these women.
While Berlusconi faces no legal action for any of the allegations, his political fortunes might have been affected by the string of embarrassing accusations. For the first time since the scandals came to light, his approval ratings have dropped below 50 percent, an indication that the normally blasé Italian public is beginning to disapprove of all the focus on his very public private life.