Fabio: Part One
Show Notes
In the 90s the face of romance was the Italian cover model Fabio Lanzoni, who broke out of the insular romance fandom into mainstream superstardom, an act that has not been repeated by any cover model since. Known briefly as “The Fabulous Fabio,” he and his managers parlayed his success in romance modeling into an internationally recognized brand. Fabio was no longer just a model, but a spokesman for romantic, courtly love.
But what some people might not know is that even during the height of his fame, he was a lightning rod amongst romance fans and authors. Some embraced him for increasing book sales, and others felt like they were being made a fool of.
This is going to be a two part episode, and in part one we are covering Fabio’s rise to fame, the romance authors who loathed him, and how a conservative man uncomfortable with overt sexuality became synonymous with salacious book covers.
This episode is dedicated to Lizzy's Angelfire fansite of John DeSalvo. Thank you for your service, Lizzy.
Some of the Fabio media from this episode will be on our Instagram! Check it out.
Source Timeline
1988 - Fabio Interview 1988 - Fabio Lifts Weights & Talks About Acting
Jun/Jul 1990 - “Historical Romance Tête à Tête” - Kathe Robin, Romantic Times (via Romantic Times Index)
Jun. 1991 - “Letters from Readers” (Page One) (Page Two) – Romantic Times (via Romantic Times Index)
Apr. 1992 - Fabio | Maury Povich
Jul. 13, 1992 - “Rankled romance writer: Pretty men should be seen, not heard” – Bob Cook, Associated Press
Aug. 1992 - “Under the Covers” – Flavia Knightsbridge, Romantic Times (via Romantic Times Index)
Aug. 1992 - “Fabio Who?” – Jennifer Horsman, Romantic Times (via Romantic Times Index)
Feb. 8, 1993 - “A Man for All Paperbacks” – Amy Wilson, Detroit Free Press
Sep. 23, 1993 - “ON LOCATION WITH: Fabio; Please, Judge the Book by Its Cover” – Sarah Lyall, The New York Times
Oct. 4, 1993 - “Love for Sale” – Michael Small, PEOPLE
Nov. 5, 1993 - “Superhunk Fabio mesmerizes mall crowd” – Beverly Bartlett, The Courier-Journal
Oct. 31, 1993 - “Ohhhhh Fabio!” – Mike Capuzzo, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Dec. 12, 1993 - “Fallen for Fabio” – Kathleen Merryman, The News Tribune
Dec. 16, 1993 - “He’s Eating Alone Tonight: the mystique of Fabio’s H.E.A.T” – Arion Berger, LA Weekly
Jun. 26, 1994 - “Friend of Fabio becomes a rising romance author” – Liz Doup, Knight-Ridder
Apr. 15, 1994 - Fabio Lanzoni Interview | WSB-TV
1995 - Fabio | Howard Stern Show on E!
Jun. 27, 1996 - “He came, he hugged, he conquered” – Cheryl Lavin, Chicago Tribune
Jan. 28, 1998 - “A mane event downtown with Fabio on stand” – Greg B. Smith, New York Daily News
1999 - “I’m not a Bimbo: Persona, Promotion, and the Fabulous Fabio” by Rosemary E. Johnson-Kurek, Romantic Conventions
2001 - Fabio | Howard Stern Show on E!
2012- “‘Elaine’ — The Queen of Romance Illustration” - Gary Lovisi, Illustration Magazine Volume Ten
Mar. 26, 2018 - Fabio | Really Famous with Kara Mayer Robinson
Dec. 23, 2019 - “Fabio pays tribute to ‘incredible’ romance novelist Johanna Lindsey, who died at 67” - Bryan Alexander, USA Today
Aug. 11, 2021 - The Search for Ultimate '90s Hunk Fabio - Jason Sheeler, PEOPLE
Dec. 24, 2021 - Fabio turns into prosperous investor | American Agenda
Nov. 4, 2023 - Fabio: I’m so pissed at Joe Biden and the antisemites – Jerry Oppenheimer, New York Post
Nov. 18, 2023 - “The world right now is ‘upside down’: Fabio” | Cavuto: Coast to Coast
Apr. 14, 2024 - “Fabio's 1993 PEOPLE Cover Helped His 'Conservative' Dad Understand Him and Say, 'I'm So Proud of You' (Exclusive)” - Jason Sheeler, PEOPLE
2021 - “Robert Osonitsch: The Illustrator’s Photographer” — Michael Stradford, Illustration Magazine Volume Nineteen
Mar. 12, 2021 - “Fabio By the Numbers” – Isabelle Popp, BookRiot
Jun. 2, 2021 - Fabio Lanzoni | The Inspiration Experience
Transcript
Coming soon!
