From our August 2016 archive:
In his book “Wetten, dass… Erna comes?!” Wolfgang Lippert reflects on his career as an entertainer. Of course, as the title suggests, he talks about his time as a presenter on “Wetten,dass..?” and reveals that he probably had to give up his presenter job because of Paul McCartney.
After only nine programs that ZDF broadcast between 1992 and 1993, it was already over for Lippert. In his opinion, an incident that occurred on January 23, 1993 contributed to this. On the show, presenter Paul McCartney dabbed his sweating forehead with a tissue.
A moment with consequences, because predecessor Thomas Gottschalk had watched the scene comfortably in front of the television and was so horrified by it that he called show producer Fred Kogel and complained about the act, which was actually meant to be friendly.
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Gottschalk even went so far as to intervene with the then ZDF boss Dieter Stolte. As Lippert writes in his book – with the help of the fictional character Erna (from the song “Erna Comes” from 1983) – the beginning of the end of his career as a “Wetten Dass..?” presenter. However, what annoyed Gottschalk so much about it remains unclear.
We last reported:
In November 2023, Thomas Gottschalk concluded his “Wetten,dass..?” chapter. It is the show of his life; he shaped it with his presenters. But the 73-year-old decided to use the last minutes of the broadcast to loudly express his lack of understanding of the socio-political assessments of our time and thus ensured – whether voluntarily or without intending to – that it was interpreted that this was also why he was wearing the Saturday evening show costume hangs the nail. A somewhat strange conversation with Shirin David supported the impression.
It may be fitting in all of this, intentionally or unintentionally, that Gottschalk has been attacked on social media for months, in “Wetten,dass..?” even in the last program, several prominent women who were guests Having patted the knee. He is accused of indecent touching and assault. Incomprehensible for the moderator.
“I am not the forefather of ‘acting’”
In his podcast “Die Supernasen” with Mike Krüger, he now launched a counterattack: “I’m starting to get annoyed, I have to say honestly, by these constant accusations that I was the forefather of ‘acting’ on television. (…) I cannot blame myself for behaving immorally in front of millions of viewers.” Gottschalk made it clear that he always behaved “charmingly and courteously.” “I wasn’t an ‘acter’ and I never want to have been!”
The numerous reactions online show that many people are concerned with the question of whether the moderator’s approach is appropriate or not. Some say that touching is the kind of thing that is practiced much more intensively in other cultures in order to assure each other of mutual appreciation in a respectful but attentive manner. Others say that pressures are out of time and cannot be based on consensus from the outset.
What do you think: Is this an indecent act and actually not necessary – or is it a perfectly acceptable attempt to get in touch with female guests?