On the death of Stefanie Tücking: From 0 to 100 - and back

If you wanted to meet Stefanie Tücking purely by chance, then the chances were in the spotlight or on the red carpets of this republic bad. Rather, they were met at obscure places such as Johanniskreuz in the Palatinate Forest or other meeting places for bikers in the German southwest. Because Tücking drove motorbikes, that is right motorcycles, big motorcycles for the long journey. And if she crashed with it and scraped the machine, she was just driving on a new bike.

This aspect is so unimportant not with a woman, the young people in this country, the pop and just rock music already brought in a time when MTV still a flicker on the horizon and VIVA was still no speech. Keyword "Rocklady", keyword "power woman" and whatever stupid keywords there are.

In succession of Ingolf Lück moderated Tücking from January 1986 to December 1987 "Formula One", a total of 80 shipments. At a time when a public broadcaster like the ARD actually - although initially "only" in his third programs - still came his pop cultural education mission.

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She was born in Kaiserslautern and never let go of this typical Palatine dialect. Simply because she - unlike most people in Kaiserslautern - never wanted to get rid of him. Although she first studied electrical engineering in her hometown. Her big dream, however, has always been to become a journalist: "I always thought I'd like to be able to do that, but I did not study that, it was just that I wanted to do it."

Kaiserslautern is located in the broadcasting area of ​​the SWR, and so it moved to Baden-Baden. And there they put her immediately in the studio of "Formula One". From 0 to 100, so to speak. Today the music program is regarded as a "cult", at that time it was above all unrivaled and thus, programmatically, a secure bank. Anyone who was interested in the charts and listening to the music, who wanted to see the clips or the stars personally, could not ignore "Formula One".

Kisses from Götz George for the "sweet mouse"

Even if she had not "studied", Stefanie Tücking could not go wrong in this place and at that time. Moreover, she was - according to Uschi Nerke of "Beat Club" - the first woman in such an exposed position. A similar role was foreseen, namely the feast for the eyes.

The first shot of the camera, handed over by Ingolf Lück, was not so much a woman as capable as possible - but a pretty 23-year-old. The message was clear: "From now on, this cute mouse leads through the program." Initially awkward, later always sovereign - even in dealing with the then usual slippers.

From a Götz George in a creaking leather jacket she had to kiss in front of the camera, misogyne communications male viewers ("Stefanie wearing no top is Formula One only really cool") she read with stoic resilience. A figure like James Brown instantly recognized her as an "ass violinist", and she completed a kiss-sketch with Michael Douglas - this time played with comic talent.

Tücking grew with the program, searched and found her role. She never became the body and never just "the face" of the show, but, by the way: journalist and professional in front of the camera. Without a degree. The rather old-fashioned virtue of competence proved to be sustainably helpful. Therein she was not only superior to her male colleagues at that time, but also to the entire generation of text essay singers who were to produce music television for her.

No matter if "Die Tück" moderated Wet Wet Wet, Erasure or Feargal Sharkey, talked about Prince's label or presented Iggy Pop - she knew what she was talking about. In the end, the makers of the show also noticed who they were dealing with. Suggestive advice such as "Put on your skirts, so that people realize that you are a girl" could therefore follow them ironically, because it was already a clumsy respect resonated. To #MeToo she could certainly have contributed one or the other anecdote. And never did.

The celebrity led a gassing

In 1987 she was awarded the "Golden Camera" at the end of her engagement with "Formula One" as a 24-year-old. From here it could have been really uphill. A little acting lessons and more as supporting roles in "Monaco Franze" or the "crime scene" would have been safe. A little more ambition and elbows, and she could have become a big name in private television.

Instead, Stefanie Tücking remembered after leaving the "Formula One" on their qualities. Radio hosts such as Thomas Koschwitz or Elmar Hörig tried to watch TV and failed. The television presenter Stefanie Tücking switched down a gear, tried the radio. And stayed, interrupted only by "Formula One" festivals or occasional public appearances as a presenter at festivals.

On such occasions, the dog-lover was only doing her own celebrities gassing, nothing more. Anyone who often has celebrities in front of the microphone will soon think that he is a star himself. Also Tücking never made this mistake. From 1987 she first worked at Bayerischer Rundfunk and then for 30 years at SWR, colleagues and audiences alike.

Familiar voice, smoky and voluminous

When an entire generation has grown up with their deep voice, not because of television. But because of broadcasts like "Lollipop" or "Pop Shop", from the breakfast show to the late night. Journalism, the troubles of the plain - with her, they seemed like walks. In English there is the "household name". Tücking was not only in the southwest a "household voice", familiar and trusting voice, smoky and voluminous at the same time, with the slightly scratched timbre of the professional frequent speaker.

Tücking stayed with her last. There, where she could bring her full performance.

In addition, there was no book, no word, no appearances on talk shows. In 2015, she launched a blog and logged in to Twitter, 2016, she stopped the nonsense again. She prefers the luxury of not being a person of public interest. That may be called modesty or down-to-earthness. Character is better.

In the night of Sunday, Stefanie Tücking died surprisingly at the age of 56 in Baden-Baden. Or, as her beloved David Bowie would say, "Now she's floating in a most peculiar way."