Unlike modern hosts who feign shock, Smaila treated the stripping as a purely bureaucratic activity. "And now, signore e signori, we will count the buttons," he would say with deadpan seriousness. His genius lay in making the obscene seem ordinary. Tutti Frutti launched the careers of several iconic showgirls, known in Italian TV jargon as veline (little candles) or letterine . These were not professional porn actresses; they were aspiring dancers, models, and actresses looking for a break.
Created by Antonio Ricci (the genius behind the satirical show Striscia la Notizia ), Tutti Frutti was designed to look like a cheap variety show. The set was minimal: a spinning platform, a flashing disco floor, and a backdrop of neon fruits—pineapples, cherries, and bananas that seemed to wink at the audience. The official premise was a guessing game. Contestants were not the ones stripping; instead, showgirls performed choreographed stripteases while the audience at home played "Fantasy" (a phone-in guessing game). The host would ask viewers to guess how many items of clothing the dancer would remove during the song. Italian strip tv show tutti frutti
The concept was simple: Tutti Frutti was a "musical strip tease" show. It first aired in 1987 on Italia 1 (a Fininvest network) during the afternoon striscia (strip) time slot—hence the term "strip show," referring to the daily time slot, not just the clothing. However, the double entendre was intentional. Unlike modern hosts who feign shock, Smaila treated