Thomas Gottschalk actually says he is not a fan of readings because, in his experience, one or the other guest tends to “nod away a bit”. However, the 71-year-old television star made an exception for the Wiesbadeners, who came to the Theater im Palast am Kochbrunnenplatz on Monday evening to experience Germany's most famous entertainer and presenter up close. That was rewarded, because the audience applauded his humorous anecdotes and Schmonzetten. Not infrequently, outbursts of cheerfulness also made Gottschalk grin boyishly.
“I always start moderating right away, even when the light goes on in the refrigerator,” warned the moderator to the slightly more than 70 guests and added that this was not his first “over 75 evening”. After the usual flippant introduction, he read from his book “Herbstbunt. Those who just get old but not wiser are pretty stupid ”, but not without poking fun at one or the other guest beforehand. “My entire work consists of two books. It is a great honor for me to have a minister of education come to see me, ”he addressed a gag to Hesse's minister of education, Alexander Lorz, who was among the guests. That was not surprising, because Gottschalk had come at the invitation of the Landtag member Astrid Wallmann (CDU),and the Wiesbaden CDU chairman and member of the Bundestag Ingmar Jung had also found his way to the palace hotel.
The Wiesbadener Künstlerhaus 43, which uses the former breakfast room of the palace hotel as an interim venue, had taken over the organization of the evening, and in compliance with the 2-G rule, a mixed crowd turned up.
After the reading, many took advantage of the rare opportunity to speak to Gottschalk.
“You always seem so light.
When are you excited ", the former head of the cultural department Rose-Lore Scholz wanted to know, and Gottschalk replied:" I never took it that seriously. " without admiring the name Rose-Lore extensively and grinning.
"I am a survivor"
The guests experienced a good-humored moderator, who also indicated several times that he only felt the change in society to be good to a limited extent. He backed this up with some funny stories about men like the American President Joe Biden or Germany's former Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher, whose earlier statements would probably have led to violent controversy today. “I am a survivor. It is important to make yourself unforgettable. But that is very difficult today, ”admitted Gottschalk with a view to the next generation and the multitude of media offers.
It will probably also be difficult to keep to the schedule of the “Wetten dass ..?” Revival on Saturday. This prompted the former sports presenter Rolf Töpperwien, who was also among the guests, to the not very serious question that the current sports studio could start before midnight. It will be tight. Gottschalk revealed that the indestructible Udo Lindenberg will sing and pop singer Helene Fischer will take a seat on the couch. In addition, Björn and Benny come from Abba, who, according to Gottschalk, make “such an avatar story”. But he will come personally. And, he also revealed: There will be another excavator bet.
After about an hour and a half the lights went out in the refrigerator and the evening ended.
But not without advice from the entertainer to his fans: “A certain lightness and cheerfulness helps everywhere.” The Wiesbaden CDU boss Jung gave the “Wiesbadener Power Bar”, a pineapple tart, for Gottschalk's partner Karina Mroß and three bottles of Rheingau Riesling for the man who promised the guests: "I bet it's live again, nobody can turn it on."