"Italian chef in stew over eating cats" by Associated Press | February 18, 2010
ROME - Italian state TV has suspended a cooking show host who shocked the nation by saying cat stew is a Tuscan delicacy he has enjoyed many times.
Here we call it chicken at the Chinese diner.
RAI TV confirmed yesterday that it had suspended Beppe Bigazzi, the 77-year-old host of a popular morning program that offers food tips and recipes in a country fiercely proud of its cuisine.
His 27-year-old female co-host looked stunned after Bigazzi said he had eaten cat stew “many times,’’ but he defended his tastes. “Why, people maybe don’t eat rabbit, chicken, pigeon?’’ Bigazzi said.
Ever hear of vegitarianism?
“Who’s not fat, kills the cat,’’ is how Bigazzi began his lighthearted prattle about cat stew.
When Bigazzi claimed cat stew was a Tuscan specialty near the Arno river valley, co-host Elisa Isoardi was so embarrassed she ducked behind a cart of salad greens, the healthy virtues of which the two were supposed to be chatting about.
His critics included Francesca Martini, undersecretary of the Health Ministry. “Cats are pets protected by law,’’ Martini noted, specifically against “cruelty, maltreatment, and abandonment.’’--more--"
You know, if you are hungry....
