Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio’s participation in Lilli Gruber’s “Otto e mezzo” a few evenings ago was not so dramatic – as it is said. At the hundredth post on social media mocking the scion of the late founder of “EssilorLuxottica”, I felt the irrepressible desire to enjoy the episode, which had already become a cult: it could have been much worse.

The father always avoided the media

Of course, television is not his medium. He is light years away from entrepreneurs who have been able to exploit the tool to enhance their business, such as Oscar Farinetti or Brunello Cucinelli. The father, on the other hand, not only has always avoided TV, but has always been light years away from any media. Until he became the number 1 taxpayer in Italy, no one, except the inhabitants of the Belluno mountains of Agordo, home to Luxottica, knew his face. Zero interviews.

Too taken by the charm of Agnelli, Berlusconi and Gardini, Italians discovered that the richest man in the country was a nobody from Veneto. When he passed away, only two aspects of his adventurous life were known about Leonardo Del Vecchio: he had been hosted by the “Martinitts” in Milan and had not missed anything in terms of romantic relationships. That’s all.

For many it was the “best possible commercial for inheritance tax”

The forty minutes of his fourth son, the one best known to the general public, on La7, represented the best possible commercial for an increase in inheritance tax, according to many. Presenter Gruber, to make him feel at ease, immediately did the math in the 31-year-old’s pocket.

Lmdv, it must be said, is busy. Something more than “I do things, I see people”. It recently acquired the majority of the newspaper pool “Il Resto del Carlino”, “La Nazione”, “Il Giorno”. He put a foot in “Il Giornale”, as a 30% minority shareholder. He tried to buy “Repubblica”, but John Elkann did not want to deal with him. He took the “Twiga” away from Flavio Briatore and put several restaurants and clubs in his bag. All this thanks to loans. He can afford it: the banks believe in him, sooner or later he will cash in on this blessed 12.5 percent of the shares in the family safe, Delfin.

Not an easy debut at “Otto e mezzo”

The beauty of the live broadcast: in front of the national Lilli there were some stumbles with the Italian. Too many “mmms” and many “eeehhhs” to take time, but debuting at “Otto e mezzo” is not easy for anyone. Davide Casaleggio, son of Gianroberto, founder of the 5 Star Movement, after five minutes of broadcast had already made the five-star electorate understand that it could not be a marketable name for the leadership.

Social media did not particularly appreciate the “hair and makeup” of the young Del Vecchio, which made him look different compared to the photos we have seen in glossy magazines until now. The paper newspapers, however, glossed over his appearance on La7: they didn’t like it, so it’s better not to write about it? Massimo Giannini was there to “tease” him in the studio: he could have become his employee and, painfully, he talks about his newspaper, “Repubblica”, which is about to end up reluctantly in the arms of the Greeks of “Antenna Group”. The other commentator, on the right, was Italo Bocchino: he limited himself to pointing out that the scion invests in Italy in concrete things, and not abroad by focusing on finance.

Leonardo Maria held back when describing the battle with his brothers, highlighting the enormous generational distance between everyone: there is fifty years of difference between the first and last child. Indirectly he made it clear that he was, of the six, the favorite of his father and founder. He was not convinced about the accident on the ring road at the wheel of his Ferrari. Even less so on the “Equalize” espionage affair, where he is both a suspect and an injured party.

For Guia Soncini it is “Roy Kendall”

Many people mocked him from the sofa at home. Among them also Ilaria Salis, the Avs MEP who occupies other people’s homes. Guia Soncini immediately reminds of the mythological Roy Kendall, the scion of “The Succession”, the TV series that best told of grudges and treachery between heirs of a certain lineage.

Ok, the appearance wasn’t a success. He didn’t overturn his image. But it could have been worse, like making a series of gaffes. Turning purple and hiding behind absolute silence. Well, there’s a young man who invests in publishing and even wants to set up a large media company (even if I don’t quite understand what he wants to do). It’s not just Pier Silvio who dreams big. I don’t remember John Elkann getting in trouble on TV. In fact, I don’t remember it anywhere.

Was his presence dictated by a communication strategy of his entourage? Public relations expert Raffaella Mangini has become part of his entourage, after having worked for Urbano Cairo and La7 for twenty years. Some advice must have come: let’s try Gruber. And the 31-year-old showed contempt for the danger. Lmdv doesn’t hide, he had courage and will be someone to deal with in the future. Especially when he collects the famous inheritance.