“Enough gossip, who cares about the loves of when I was 25”- Corriere.it

He has to deal with a certain expectation, Paula Barale. Yet, honestly, she says she doesn’t understand why. At “Dancing with the Stars” she started as a favorite but was eliminated. She now she has returned to shine in the theater, in the show If you have to tell a lie, tell it bigbut for her the Rai 1 program is not exactly a closed chapter. «I am so sorry to have been eliminated even if I hope in the repechage. I’m afraid I’m a diesel.’ Her dance teacher, Roly Maden, had told her on live TV that she was a little slow to learn. «Roly had an unhappy exit but I think it was due to his poor command of the Italian language. There are those who are slow to learn a salsa in three days and those who are slow to learn a language in twenty years – he teases -. The thing is that in dance I’m asked to have attitudes that are far from me, like being sensual… I’ve been in trouble but since I like challenges, I really enjoy it. But, I repeat, they are all things light years away from me».

Yet you wouldn’t think so. She made herself known as a showgirl, I am thinking of her «Buona Domenica»…

«But I only did small choreographies, which by the way I hadn’t done for 25 years. Furthermore, the public also observed me in a different way… growing up, it also happens to change. I used to pierce my ears by myself as a child, now I wouldn’t do it anymore ».

«My father didn’t want me to have the second hole and so I did it myself, in the elevator, until I got a mega infection. As a young man you do many things with a different lightness. By deciding to participate in “Ballando” I tried to focus on that, striving to overcome the limits that I have built up over the years. Now I want to make the most of this opportunity but I believe that the expectations that exist of me today are linked to an image from many years ago that no longer represents me like this: it’s still me, but I’ve grown up».

What remains and what is no longer there?

«Thanks to “Ballando” I have rediscovered the enthusiasm I had when I started working. I got into a wonderful car, captained by Milly Carlucci and full of many professionals. I admit that I didn’t think it was that tiring: it’s like going to the psychologist every time, in an attempt to overcome inner barriers that I didn’t even imagine having, I who have always described myself as a free woman. I’ve decided to continue with dance even after the show, even if it won’t be the same: here it’s as if I had a weekly exam in which to give everything».

Did you miss the television?

“I’ve done a lot of television, but it’s changed a lot. I was used to the TV of the past, the one now would be tight for me. I left in the midst of my popularity and all because I was no longer in it. Let alone go back now. Dancingnot surprisingly, it’s kind of the kind of TV I’ve always frequented, made up of professionalism: it’s the television I know. It’s not a reality show where you starve or fight all the time, it’s a real competition.”

When you distanced yourself, did you think you’d be gone that long?

«I wanted to leave the scene when the language of television was changing, but I certainly didn’t want to leave completely. Then things went the way they did. But my personal growth has been there and I’m sorry if it displaces people. Everyone asked me to come back: I’ve always had the support of the public, but I’d like it to be understood that I’m just trying to be consistent with myself».

Are there any current TV programs in which you would be comfortable?

“Yes, of course. All those programs that feature entertainment, from “Italia’s got Talent” onwards. Or a travel program, as long as there is no gossip ».

Which, however, often concerned her.

«But that’s enough, who cares about the loves of when I was 25 years old. Also because, if they’re finished, you get a little annoyed at talking about them. Being a public figure doesn’t mean you belong in the public.”

He started out as a Madonna impersonator.

“I never saw each other again but it helped me a lot. If Madonna hadn’t existed today I would be a gym teacher. She was unique at the time, not to mention that she danced very well. It wasn’t easy for me but I did it because at the time my mum gave me a tip of 5,000 lire a week while to play Madonna they gave me a million a night».

Who first pointed out the resemblance to her?

«Everyone told me that and in fact it was true. All it took was putting on red lipstick and I became her. Thanks to this job I took my first plane. I found myself with the other doubles, those of Michael Jackson, Grace Jones, we were a group. My mom sewed my costumes. But once a businessman from Paris, a fan of Madonna, called me to get out of a cake. And there I said enough, I can’t do it anymore ».

“I think Mike (Bongiorno, ed.) also chose me because of this resemblance… but with him I started to be Paola”.

Don’t you have any friends left on TV? Someone to offer for a return?

«In recent years they have offered me all kinds of reality shows and the third or fourth have not stopped. If you don’t follow the herd it becomes difficult or maybe I don’t reflect what TV needs right now. Mine is not a dramatic story, I am not a sad person: I want to bring positive energies».

Will he also do it on television?

«I hope so, I have a project in mind, we’ll see. For now, in addition to Ballando, on the 23rd I will go back to the theater with If you have to tell a lie, tell it big with Paola Quattrini. I feel that I have things to say inside and I would like to do it».