Mario Magnotta (14 October 1942 – 4 January 2009) was an Italian janitor of a commercial school in L'Aquila, Abruzzo.

He became very well known in Italy[1] after being the victim of several prank calls, made in 1986 and 1987 by some former students of the institute, which were later circulated on audio cassettes and, eventually, on the Internet.

Magnotta was already famous before the Internet, by word of mouth and through the duplication and the sharing of audio cassettes.

Years after the 1986 to 1987 calls, the recordings were digitized and posted to the internet, which elevated his fame even more.

During a concert of Antonello Venditti in L'Aquila, Magnotta was invited on the scene by the singer, who was curious to know him.