They do things differently in Italy

I have almost finished reading The Dark Heart of Italy by British writer Tobias Jones who moved to Italy a few years ago. Mr Jones has a lot to say about Italian Television. Of the world total of 2,500 terrestrial TV channels, an extraordinary 640 are Italian. They are somewhat different to ours. In the period after the 9/11 attacks:

Television, as usual, was the first to register the subtle changes. Dancing troupes began wearing military outfits: khaki bikinis or mini-skirts made up of stars-and-stripes. In another toe-curling show, a group of girls danced dolefully in burqas before the band struck up Yankee Doodle and they stripped off to the all-Italian sequin underwear.

I wonder if Mr Kilroy-Silk speaks Italian ......