Even at Amici di Maria De Filippi we talk about diets

The topic of food and diets comes up often: how to avoid hunger, how to choose the low-calorie and healthy option that's good for the skin, hair, and nails, but seemingly not for our satisfaction. It's inevitable. Even if we think we're beyond certain types of discussions, they persist, resurfacing every time we momentarily divert our attention. Diets are discussed at the beginning of the year when we want to "get in shape," with roommates buying only minestrone, colleagues avoiding eating out and preferring to bring a homemade salad. Diets are talked about in summer, on social media, and at the gym. Diets are even discussed on Amici di Maria De Filippi, a famous show that follows young talents, training them and helping them grow, with the hope of launching them into the world of dance or music.

The Petit Case on Amici di Maria De Filippi

Petit, whose real name is Salvatore Moccia, is one of the contestants in the 2023/2024 edition. At just 18 years old, he has won over one of the show's toughest mentors, Rudy Zerbi, thanks to his original song (Brooklyn) and an unexpected cover of Franco Califano's "Tutto il resto è noia." Born in Rome to a French mother and Neapolitan father, Petit has a great passion for football, nearly 70 thousand followers on Instagram, and... is on a diet, strangely making this the most important piece of information about him. Yes, the young man has chosen to follow a diet and training regimen, and apparently, this journey has become one of the favorite topics in the afternoon segments of the show that airs daily on Real Time, depicting the daily lives of the participants between lessons, social moments, and preparation for rehearsals. Not everyone has appreciated this focus.

Aired Clips and Controversy on Social Media

In the fast-paced clips circulating on social media, we see him facing resistance tests like singing his original song while going up and down a step or jumping rope. In the images, he doesn't seem to take it well; in fact, he appears to struggle a bit, and while his peers shout "perfect for you" and similar remarks, he protests weakly. Moreover, on the show's official Twitter profile, a clip titled "Petit's Struggles" is posted in the top left corner, showing the eighteen-year-old singer with a jar of Nutella in hand while all his colleagues shout at him not to eat it or to control the amount of jam he spreads on the toast. In short, it seems that everyone has taken on this mission, and while from their perspective, this constant monitoring of what he eats might be a sign of well-intentioned support, in the long run, it could be detrimental, both for Salvatore and for the viewers at home witnessing these scenes.

Attention to TV Messages

We have already talked about how television still influences our ideas about the world and ourselves today, despite everything. Here, it's worth noting another thing: the formats still airing on the small screen are old and outdated, products of an outdated worldview, an idea of the world where talking about diets without consideration and control is not only allowed but ok, where fatphobia is normalized, and where a fatsuit still makes people laugh, and scenes among young people about food are considered content to be broadcast, harmless interludes that the audience finds relatable. And for most viewers, it might be so. However, for others (Amici has a target audience that is also very young, hence particularly vulnerable), it could trigger negative thoughts, lead to experimenting with diets without the approval of a nutritionist (which we are sure Petit has), and revive habits of disordered eating.

Is a New Television Possible?

If television wants to change (and it needs to survive, being simultaneously a mirror and a symptom of what the general public feels), it must learn to do so in conjunction with the audience it wants to please. The uproar created on social media for Petit's case could become an example of a small, constructive, and necessary correction, especially if the topic of diets is approached differently from now on or if a discussion is initiated on the show. As viewers, not letting our guard down could be a good strategy, albeit a bit tiring. And if it makes someone smile, it doesn't exclude the possibility of making someone else suffer.