State broadcaster Rai said Friday that
it had launched "all the appropriate checks" into allegedly
unauthorized product placement in relation to a performance at
the Sanremo Song Festival this week by John Travolta.
The 71-year-old Saturday Night Fever, Grease and Pulp Fiction
star appeared on stage at the Ariston Theatre wearing a noted
brand of trainers whose logo had not been pixellated out.
Rai said the contract for Travolta's participation in the
festival did not allow any form of direct or indirect
advertising that was not authorized in writing and reiterated
that it had made any commercial deals in this regard.
Rai Prime Time Entertainment Director Marcello Ciannamea said
the broadcaster could refuse to pay the agreed fee to the
company that handled the rights for Travolta's performance,
Divina Luna Srl, and could seek damages if it turned out that
the terms of the contract had not been respected.
The alleged covert advertising was not the only aspect of the
actor's participation to cause controversy.
Travolta fans also took to social media to voice their ire over
the way the actor had allegedly been "humiliated" and
"embarrassed" by being forced to do the fad Chicken Dance with
presenter Amadeus and showman Fiorello.
Travolta had first led Amadeus in the moves of his iconic big
screen dances before Amadeus and Fiorello took him outside the
Ariston Theatre and taught him the Ballo del Qua Qua, as it is
known in Italian.
On Thursday they admitted that it had been "one of the most
terrible gags in the history of TV".
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