One of my favorite quotes, from a forgotten source, says that when a man leaves his wife for a mistress, he leaves a job opening. In other words, a philanderer and cheat never changes and will cheat with his adulteress, or temptress, even once she becomes his wife.
The current Mrs. Berlusconi is the second wife and was at least 25 years younger when he spotted her "talents" in a theater where some reports are that she was partially dis-robed.
These days the septuagenarian, Viagra-popping Prime Minister of Italy has been seen spotting "talent" at teen birthday parties where he gave a diamond necklace to an 18-year-old for her big day. He said she was a friend's daughter and he just wanted to "raise a glass." (Let's leave that one alone, shall we?)
The loopy PM, who once announced a sex strike in order to win votes in an election, was not classy after newspapers quoted his current wife as saying she wanted a divorce because of his under-age frolicking. The two had lived separate lives for years (duh?) but his public flirtations with women younger than his children became socially embarrassing.
"I was forced to take this step," La Stampa newspaper quoted Mrs. Berlusconi as saying. She said she was outraged that her husband was lining up showgirls and starlets as parliamentary candidates. Berlusconi shot back saying that she should apologize and was the patsy of left-wing opponents.
Woody by Nature
Then there's the Woody Allen nonsense and threats by a defense lawyer (I love it) to put both his ex-wife and current wife on the stand to destroy his case that he has any reputation worth $10 million that was violated through copyright infringement. A clothing maker used Woody's photo on billboards without his permission and without payment and Allen has claimed $10 million in damages.
The testimony is being fought as irrelevant by Allen but actually isn't. The importance to the defense of the joint testimony is to make sure the jury knows that Mr. Allen had an affair with his current wife when she was a teenager and when she was also his step-daughter and adopted by his ex-wife.
Diane Francis' blog