Pippo Baudo, farewell to the king of Italian television. A sixty-year career that shaped popular culture.

Giuseppe Raimondo Vittorio Baudo was born in Militello in Val di Catania on June 7, 1936. He grew up in a middle-class family, studied hard, and earned a law degree. But the legal system and courts didn't appeal to him: his instincts drove him toward the stage. He moved to Rome, in an Italy experiencing an economic boom and where television was just beginning to emerge.

Baudo immediately understood that this was the medium destined to change everything: consumption, customs, and language. He began as a pianist and host of small music shows, and stood out for his commanding voice, his direct way of addressing the audience, and his ability to fill the screen with even the smallest gestures. He wasn't an actor, a singer, or a comedian: he was a host in the fullest sense of the word, someone capable of holding the reins of the show.

The rise: Settevoci and the first successes

The real springboard came in the mid-1960s with Settevoci, a music program that became a social phenomenon. There, Baudo showcased his style: intense dialogue with the studio audience, a sustained pace, and carefully calibrated improvisations that never seemed out of place. His presence gave the variety show authority, while his manner created a sort of "pact" with viewers: Pippo ensured that what was on air was worth watching.

From then on, his career took off. In the 1970s, he hosted Canzonissima and then landed on Domenica In, a program that would define Italian afternoons for decades. Sunday became synonymous with family entertainment, long-form variety shows, featuring music, interviews, and games. Baudo held it all together with a balance that no one else, after him, would be able to replicate.

The Kingdom in Sanremo

If there's one place that identifies Pippo Baudo more than any other, it's the Ariston stage. He hosted the Sanremo Music Festival thirteen times: a record no one has ever matched. Baudo transformed the Festival from a musical fest to a national event, a fixture on the Italian calendar.

During his years, artists who would become icons grace the stage: from Giorgia to Laura Pausini, from Andrea Bocelli to Eros Ramazzotti. Baudo knows how to showcase young talent, but he also knows how to uphold tradition, offering space to established voices. He is the master of ceremonies who introduces, but also the invisible director who controls timing, framing, even behind-the-scenes moments.

Some famous episodes testify to his centrality: in 1995, when a man threatened to jump from the balcony of the Ariston Theatre, Baudo intervened live, convinced him to desist, and coolly saved the situation. That moment became a symbol of his ability to master not only the show, but life's unexpected events.

The art of discovering talents

Pippo Baudo wasn't just a presenter, he was also a talent scout. He launched the careers of Heather Parisi, Lorella Cuccarini, Giorgia, Andrea Bocelli, and many others. He had the eye and ear to discern who could "make a splash on the screen." In this sense, he was a true television creator, not just a mere host.

His discoveries weren't limited to female figures or singers. He helped launch comedians, dancers, and personalities who have graced Italian television for decades. His instincts allowed him to spot talent while it was still immature and shape it for a wider audience.

Popular but not banal

Baudo embodied generalist television in an era when television had a mission: to unite, entertain, and educate. His programs had no room for vulgarity or sensationalism for its own sake. Sure, there were moments of lightheartedness or over-the-top drama, but always within a respectful framework.

He was demanding of his collaborators, often authoritarian, but his severity was dictated by respect for the audience. He didn't tolerate sloppy improvisation or hastily crafted content. Television, he said, is a service that must reach every home: "You can't afford to take it lightly."

The difficult years and the returns

Naturally, such a long career has had its share of dark moments. A few failed shows, a few strained relationships with RAI, a few less successful attempts with Mediaset. But Baudo always managed to bounce back. His name, his image, his professionalism have brought him back to center stage time and again.

The public, after all, forgave him everything. Because Goofy was Goofy: he could make mistakes, but he remained a point of reference. Each of his returns was welcomed as a natural reunion with the public.

An era that is coming to an end

The death of Pippo Baudo isn't just the passing of a showman. It's the end of an era. With him, RAI's last great master of ceremonies, the man who embodied the very idea of public television, has passed away. He wasn't just a host, he was an institution.

RAI remembered him as "a piece of the heart of Italian television." Giorgia Meloni emphasized how "his face and voice have accompanied entire generations." From Fiorello to Carlo Conti, from Amadeus to Maria De Filippi, the television world paid tribute to the maestro.

A legacy that remains

Baudo leaves behind a legacy of songs launched, artists discovered, generations educated in a certain style of television. "Long live Pippo Baudo" had become a popular joke, almost a mantra. Today, that phrase sounds like a warm farewell, a collective thank you. Because if Italian television ever had a face, that face was his.