Silvio Berlusconi Allegedly Asked Burlesque Dancer to Dress Up Like Obama
A Dominican dancer who says she was present at Silvio Berlusconi's now-infamous "bunga bunga" sex parties testified in court today that the former Italian prime minster had her dress up as a "burlesque version" of President Barack Obama, and dance around.
Marysthell Garcia Polanco, who is a member of the all-girl group Muñecas con Clase (Dolls with Class), told the court she would also masquerade as a sultry simulacrum of the trial's prosecutor, Ilda "the Red" Boccassini.
"I dressed up as Boccassini with a toga to make him laugh, and also as Obama," the 28-year-old said.
Berlusconi, who is being tried for allegedly paying then-underage Moroccan-born prostitute Karima El Mahroug for sex in 2010 and abusing his power in securing her release from jail, maintains that the parties were "elegant dinners" that involved "burlesque games" as a form of entertainment.
Polanco appeared to agree, testifying that the parties were "innocent fun," and the burlesque was not pornographic.