THE BORIA WITHOUT END OF FABIO MARINO, A "HAND MODEL" PROFESSION, OR THE ONE WHO PROVIDES HIS HANDS TO STAR LIKE GEORGE CLOONEY AND LUCA ARGENTERO FOR ADVERTISING AT 100 EUROS AN HOUR:
"I HAVE A 100,000 EUROS INSURANCE. I GO AROUND WITH GLOVES EVEN IN THE SUMMER TO AVOID SMALL INJURIES AND THEN TANNING IS NOT WELCOME. BEAUTIFUL HANDS AROUND THERE ARE FEW. COUNT'S THINGS ARE NOT BAD, BUT YOU WOULD NOT PUT HIM TO BE A HAND MODEL"
Charles Bukowski, an American poet and writer, lived in the obsession of having wasted his hands by employing them in small, even trivial actions: from writing checks to literally scratching "balls". If the novelist whose rough genius graced half of the last century had been pardoned by a marked longevity, he probably would have been able to magnify the manual skills of Fabio Marino. Born in 1967, part-time administrative employee, Marino is the most coveted manist in Italy.
For those who are unaware of the existence of this profession, his job is to lend his hands for advertising campaigns for newspapers and televisions. In short, most of the masculine extremities you have encountered in the last 15 years on the pages of magazines or on the small screen ads belong to him. The fingers that expertly caressed the coffee pods in a well-known commercial starring George Clooney? They are the of him.
Among the well-known names who have hired his hands treated to the millimeter, also the actor Claudio Santamaria and the world champion Gianluca Zambrotta. Whether it's jewelry, mobile phones, lenders, or sauces in a jar, it makes no difference. His hegemony is transversal. To divide up what remains, a dozen competitors, not even. "My name is synonymous with guarantee", assures the Milanese model, not without a hint of motivated pride. «Customers say I have rubber hands because" how do you put them are ". This is very important for them, because it means not wasting time. For me it is the best compliment ». Beyond the hands there is more (Edizioni Italia) has just been released in bookstores, the first autobiography of a manist who has decided to give his hands a face.
When you confess that you are a manist, how do people react?
“As soon as they realize the meaning, most instinctively hide their hands and start staring at mine to gauge the differences. She is embarrassed, she feels judged ».
How did you realize that you have a treasure in your hands?
«Thanks to an extras agency for which I worked with the aim of entering the world of cinema and advertising. One day they were looking for a handyman for a commercial; having seen my hands, they asked me if I wanted to propose myself. I accepted and a world opened up to me ».
What is the perfect hand?
«In addition to beauty, which is basic, the measures are very important. If the hand is too big the object is lost, vice versa it does not stand out in its true dimensions. After that, no calluses, flawless nails. He will never find me with messy hands, even if I have no jobs in sight. It happens that the customer calls and asks you to send him the photos on Whatsapp ».
Does the number one in Italy have to send photos on Whatsapp?
«The more recent the photo, the more peaceful the client is. It happens often. Even with bizarre claims. Once they asked me to recover while holding my hands under running water. '
Really.
“In the ad, there had to be a hand under a tap, so they wanted to see the effect. Probably due to the fact that the jet of water slightly distorts the shapes. Now imagine myself in the bathroom at home making the video with one hand while the other is under the tap ».
How do you measure the talent of a handyman?
“By the way he uses his hands. They have to act, express a concept, an idea. Aesthetics alone are not enough ».
Do you happen to dwell on the hands of others?
"Of course. Obviously I always catch my eye in advertisements, but also around. When someone shakes my hand, I do the x-ray. For me it is a person's business card. Even if, these days, the handshake is a distant memory ».
Do you ever see any potential competitors on the street?
"Sincerely? No".
Are beautiful hands so rare?
"You do not know how many contact me on social media attaching photos of the hands, perhaps pushed by his girlfriend, convinced that they are perfect. Unfortunately, there is always some flaw. Some time ago, a guy wrote to me that he wanted to be a manist because everyone told him that he had beautiful hands. I refrained from making unpleasant comments, but asked him if he had ever seen the hands used in advertisements. '
Because?
“They were very hairy. Have you ever seen a hairy hand in a commercial? It happened to me that I also had to shave my entire arm for a lamp advertisement. For three months I walked around with one hairless arm and one hairy one. '
Do you see any diamonds in the rough among our politicians?
"I would say no."
The hands of Giuseppe Conte, for example. Between the news and press conferences, in recent months we have seen it in all sorts of ways.
"Yes, here they are, they are not so evil."
Does he say he would have a plan b ready?
"Oh God, I wouldn't even recycle him as a handyman."
Look, his hands will be worth a fortune.
“If it refers to insurance, we are over 100,000 euros. My fee is around 100 euros per hour. Compared to other jobs as a classic model, you earn more with your hands ".
Chiara Biasi, an influencer, once said that for less than 80,000 euros she didn't even get out of bed.
«While dealing with quite different figures, I happened to say the same thing to customers. By now they know, if they have a limited budget they avoid calling me ».
It must be said, allow me, that his is a no-cost undertaking.
"It is true. I am fortunate to have hands that are naturally beautiful and do not get damaged easily. The only expense is for the creams. If I sent her a photo now, she'd think he just got out of the beautician. '
Do you go there?
"Seldom. I do almost everything by myself ».
Does he have a recurring nightmare?
“Ruin my hands before a job. Years ago I often dreamed of it, now it happens less, I learned the tricks of the trade to hide the small signs. The use of foundation, for example ».
Does Photoshop do the rest?
«It is used only in exceptional cases. Also because otherwise what sense would it make to hire a handyman? It is better not to cause obvious damage if you keep to this career ».
In what sense?
«It is enough to screw up a job for the agencies to put a cross on you. As happens to the tenors of the Scala when they stick ".
Have you never fenced?
"Never. I've always been careful. It's a question of professionalism ».
He must have gotten some scratches. When was the last one?
"Christmas, I think. But little stuff, and I had no jobs in sight. A little Connettivina and it healed on the fly ».
I guess he doesn't own any pets.
"I have two dogs. But they know they don't have to bite hands; when I take them out I wear gloves, even in summer. I use them a lot in general, even at home if I have to do chores; in fact my hands are always lighter than the rest of my body. The tan is not very welcome ».
If you exclude the diet, you have a sports discipline.
“Actually, I have a diet. Choosing what to eat and what to drink also makes a difference in terms of skin. I try to follow a diet that is as regular as possible. But it doesn't cost me any effort, for me it's routine "
Do you have tired hands when you come home from work?
"Yup. Sometimes cramps also happen. Maybe because the client is not sure how she wants a scene and I have to do it again and again by keeping them in completely unnatural positions. For the campaign of a soluble pain reliever, they wanted the powder to come down in a certain way: not too much, not too little, in a steady and constant motion. I don't tell you how many times they made me repeat it ».
The longest engagement?
«Two whole days, for the commercial of an app in the catering sector. I lent my hands to Luca Argentero ».
Did they want the stand-in for aesthetic or expressive reasons?
«Aesthetics. According to the client's canons, his hand was not perfect. Big brands are very fiscal. In his case, they weren't even very ugly hands, perhaps he had a little thick fingers. "
Did he notice any embarrassment on his part?
“No, he is an exquisite person. For a familiar face, then, it is only an advantage: to the beauty of him is added that of my hand. And he takes all the credit. "
A little dry?
"Sometimes yes. I happened to lend my hands to characters of whom I thought: if they had used my image, they would have earned it ».
Over the head of anyone who works with the image hangs the sword of Damocles of the time. Does he ever think about his hands getting old?
"Yes, of course. But I already know the treatments to rejuvenate them ».
That is to say?
“There is a treatment that consists of taking fat from an area of the body to inject it into the hand and fill the grooves produced by time. Madonna used it ».
Would she do it?
"Why not?".
Do you know any remade handlers?
"Not that I know of, but there are many men and women who resort to this technique. Doctor Marco Lanzetta, a hand surgeon, told me about it a few years ago. He is the specialist who made the first transplant from a corpse to a living being ».
Many advertising actors, over the years, end up promoting the hearing aid, or the drug to keep the prostate at bay. Is that an idea that terrifies you?
"Not at all. If the customer wants a lived hand, I will have no problem lending me. For example, I did a job where I had to hold a diamond in my palm and they wanted the life line to be clearly visible. Every age has a product, and I am convinced that there will always be room for a good hand ».