Holy Makeover: Franco Zeffirelli To Become Image Consultant To Pope Benedict XVI

Italian film and opera legend Franco Zeffirelli says he has agreed to become an image consultant to Pope Benedict XVI.

The pope does not have a "happy image", Zeffirelli tells Italian daily La Stampa in an interview published today.

"Coming after a Pope as telegenic as John Paul II is a difficult task," he said.

Zeffirelli says Pope Benedict, elected in 2005, "comes across coldly, which isn't suited to his surroundings" and added that his wardrobe "should be reviewed".

Two words: gold lamé. Lots of gold lamé.

~&~&~&~&~&~&~UPDATE&~&~&~&~&~

Here's a cap of the La Stampa print version. Additionally, Frengo said that he wants to be elected to the Vatican to act as a sort of watchdog for protecting the church's image in popular culture, a defender of sacred imagery and faith-based reference. He goes onto cite Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ, and how much damage it inflicted.

~&~&~&~&~&~&~UPDATE&~&~&~&~&~

A big hello to the readers of Crooks And Liars where our main political girl bluegal took a break from waging war on Christmas & on the baby Jesus and from second-guessing the commander-in-chief, and very kindly linked us.