Germano Mosconi

Biography

Mosconi, who was born in San Bonifacio, was a well-known television personality in northern Italy from the 1980s until his death in early March 2012 because of his sportscasting on Telenuovo in Verona. In 1982 he received the Cesare D'Oro international award for journalist merit.

Mosconi received most of his notoriety for his short temper and excessive swearing and blaspheming. During the end of 2005, he was the subject of an anonymous Internet video that made him known all over Italy and around the world. The video shows some of his off-air bloopers, featuring his irate reactions to various problems (people unexpectedly entering the studio, various noises, illegible writing on the news sheets he receives, or simply his lapsus linguae).

The ample use of swearwords, blasphemy, insults and other rude language both in Venetian and Italian, as well as other humorous antics, have made this video into a viral video. Very quickly, many Internet forums discussing Mosconi appeared, as well as fan clubs in Italy and in other countries, and comic cartoons featuring Mosconi's voice. However, Mosconi was not receptive of his notoriety, declining every interview or proposal related to the video.

Mosconi was also an editor of the German-language magazine Gardasee Zeitung, dedicated to tourists of Lake Garda, and he was also a reviewer for the sportscasts on Telechiara in Padova (ironically, this channel is owned by the Triveneto episcopate). He also wrote for Il Gazzettino and L'Arena in Verona.

As of February 2005, Mosconi worked as a member of the Hellas Verona football club's staff, but he later left this position in August of the same year.

Mosconi died in Verona on 1 March 2012, at the age of 79, following a lengthy illness.

Honours