Have you heard the latest Silvio Berlusconi joke?

Well, it isn't actually a joke, according to The Scotsman:

The Italian premier has given his backing to the book, written by the press director of his Forza Italia (Go, Italy!) party, which collects comments, both light-hearted and vicious, made by the left-wing opposition about Italy's billionaire prime minister.

Called Berlusconi, I Hate You, the collection of more than 500 insults — all reported over the years by Italy's national news agency, ANSA — is being published by the Mondadori publishing house, part of Mr Berlusconi's media empire.

The tamer insults include "clown", "bandit" and "Premier Pinocchio", while others such as "megalomaniac", "extremist", a man who speaks like a "drunken hooligan" and who behaves "like a Taleban" are more cutting.

"Berlusconi is like AIDS: If you know him, you avoid him," said Antonio Di Pietro, an anti- corruption magistrate turned centre-left politician, in 2002.

Hat tip to Jon.