Separated at birth?WKU WKU Western Kentucky University WKU Will Kiss You fights for its mascot Western Kentucky University Student Body Profile WKU had a total enrollment in the Fall Semester of 2002 (the latest published figures) of 17,818 students. Out of this total, 73% were full-time and 85% were undergraduates. Ethnic and racial minority enrollment was just under 13% at 2,097. will soon have its day in court over its claim that an Italian media company stole the school mascot. Western Kentucky has a $250 million suit pending against the company owned by Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi Silvio Berlusconi (born September 29, 1936) is an Italian politician, entrepreneur, and media proprietor. . The university says Gabibbo, a character featured on the popular Striscia la Notizia Striscia la notizia is an Italian television program on the Mediaset-controlled Canale 5. Its name in Italian translates to "the news is sneakin'", a probable allusion to the Biscione ("Big Snake"), the snake which is part of Canale 5's logo. television show, is a copy of Big Red, the WKU mascot. As seen above, the two characters bear a striking resemblance--one that the Italian show's creator admits was no accident. "There was this puppet called Big Red who was the mascot of an American basketball team," Antonio Ricci told reporters. "The team is Western Kentucky University. It plays in minor tournaments, but the puppet was cute. Big Red became Gabibbo." But the similarities end there, claim the defense. Big Red is a silent cheerleader, while Gabibbo--a wisecracking character that has spawned a book and CD--is "conceptually different." |
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