Pino Pagano, the man who threatened to jump from a balcony during the 1995 Sanremo Festival, was persuaded to come down by host Pippo Baudo in a dramatic live television moment. Pagano, then a 40-year-old unemployed man from Bologna, later revealed that the incident was staged to fill a gap in the show’s schedule caused by Elton John’s absence. He was promised 25 million lire but received only 500,000 lire and some TV appearances, which led to a fallout with Baudo. Pagano claimed the stunt was orchestrated with the involvement of people close to the production, though Baudo denied any prior knowledge.
Today, at 69, Pagano lives in a modest apartment in Castel Maggiore, near Bologna, with his wife and dog. He relies on a 750-euro monthly disability pension after surviving a tumor, two heart attacks, and the loss of a lung and his voice. He keeps newspaper clippings and the boots he wore that night in his basement, but his wife discarded the iconic gray sweater he wore. Pagano regrets the stunt, calling it “negative publicity” that didn’t bring the fame or life change he hoped for, such as writing a book or becoming a celebrity. He had previously staged a similar act at the Eiffel Tower and recorded a song titled Martina with Umberto Maggi of Nomadi, but it didn’t yield financial success. Pagano feels a sense of loss for Baudo, who passed away in 2025, though their last encounter at Castrocaro was tense, and Baudo refused to speak with him afterward. The viral clip of the Sanremo incident remains painful for Pagano to watch.