What do people need when times are bad? Bread and games. That’s what the ancient Romans said. The modern version sounds just a little different: bread and hits. And public television delivers this dutifully and tirelessly. We have just read how much the fun costs the fee payer. The public broadcaster is said to have budgeted 45 million euros for Florian Silbereisen and his shows for the four years from 2020 to 2023. There is Saturday evening, there is no other way to put it, dear to some – and dear to all. This Saturday, however, the Swiss women’s quota is announced: the “Beatrice Egli Show”.
Udo Jürgens: revived or beaten?
The concept is a little different. The 35-year-old Swiss takes the time to make long feature films. She reminds us of Udo Jürgens in great detail. She also has long-time band leader Pepe Lienhard visiting. And then she announces: “There is new music from Udo Jürgens.” The song “A child is a child” from the pop star’s estate was dug out of the archive. “Music lives on,” she says. It may be that Jürgens, who died on December 21, 2014, was still rotating in his grave during the duet that he was posthumously forced to perform.
Heinz Rudolf Kunze: Remembering better times
In general, the yesterday and the eternal dominate. The former rock singer Heinz Rudolf Kunze has arrived in Schlager. With lyrics like “Stop the moon when you dream. “Stop your heart if you dare,” the 66-year-old is once again allowed to appear on the main TV program on Saturday evening. As a reward there is – “Will you play it for us, your super hit?” – then “Yours is my whole heart” afterwards, as an encore and a reminder of better times.
Howard Carpendale: On stage “until it’s no longer possible”
In fact, it remains the program for nostalgics. Beatrice Egli unearthed the old GDR combo “Karat”. She has a musical date on stage with Sasha, and the two actually manage a nice duet – musically probably the highlight of the TV evening. “Thank you very much for this beautiful moment,” says the hostess. Otherwise, there is still a lot of video clip feeling. Melissa Naschenweng, the Austrian with the Styrian harmonica and the extreme thrift in the use of textiles for her stage wardrobe, is celebrated in detail with moving images of her career. For the finale, the first one offers the hit dinosaur Howard Carpendale. “You are the last thing,” he sings. He wants to stay on stage “until it’s no longer possible,” he assures. His farewell tour was a few years ago. He then praises the hostess. And she has tears in her eyes – so much praise from a world star!
No more lions – that must be progress
We, fee payers, finance public television with 8.57 billion euros every year. That’s a lot of fodder for the modern version of bread and circuses. At least lions will no longer be allowed into the arena – and there will no longer be any real blood to appease the audience. That must be progress. “Love “It’s worth it,” is the last song of the evening. At least that applies to the pop scene.
The post first appeared on www.focus.de
