Giobbe Covatta

Italian entertainer Giobbe Covatta holds multiple roles, including stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and politician. Born Gianni Maria Covatta on June 11, 1956, in Taranto, Puglia, he moved with his family to Naples at age three. He began his comedy career under the stage name 'Giobbe' around 1977 at the Derby Club in Milan. Covatta worked as a sailing instructor and animator during summers and later opened a sailing school in Capo Vaticano, Calabria.

The Maurizio Costanzo Show featured Covatta as a regular guest starting in 1990. His comedy sketches on the show were based on the Bible, inspiring his 1991 book Parola di Giobbe. This book, a revision of the Bible, sold over a million copies and had over thirty editions. He has published other books, including Pancreas, a parody of Edmondo De Amicis' Heart. Covatta made his television debut in 1987 on Odeon TV with 'Una notte all'Odeon,' and appeared on Rai 2 programs like 'Tiramisù' and 'Fate il vostro gioco' in 1988. He premiered the play Parabole Iperboli at the Ciak Theatre in Milan in 1991.

In addition to his comedic work, Covatta has acted in various film, television, and theatrical productions; notable examples include 'Pacco, doppio pacco e contropaccotto' (1993) and 'Muzungu - Uomo bianco' (1999). He collaborated with Greenpeace in 1994 to create the show Aria Condizionata about whale conservation. In 2006, he was elected councilor for the Federation of the Greens party in Rome, receiving 3,586 votes. He later became the national spokesperson for the same party in 2015, though he claims he does not consider himself a politician. Covatta appeared on Zelig in 2007 and again in 2023 to celebrate its 30th anniversary, most recently appearing on Canale 5 on October 14, 2023 alongside Ale & Franz and Michelle Hunziker. He is married to Paola Catella, and they have a daughter named Olivia Covatta.