"Gottschalk Live": Pieces in four acts
© ARD / Frank Zauritz"It's hard to get started", wrote Thomas Gottschalk after his "Gottschalk Live" premiere in the Facebook chat. The beginning was actually still the best thing about the show. A little nervous-looking Gottschalk chattered on without a pause - in his living room, as the studio is called and looks. Gottschalk's need to explain what the program wants to be (for example, insanely interactive because social-media-active) or not (a place for words like the euro bailout or topics like Wulff) might have been a bit too big. And talking to his editorial staff, who sat in the living room and seemed to be waiting for mild jokes in the style of a charity gala, quickly showed what Tommy had never been good at: listen. Nevertheless: The number with the Yankee ARD standard tie or the Tabloid story about a supposed Gottschalk cousin were successful.
After that, the program frayed. Because "Gottschalk Live" wants to be up-to-date, but without the euro and Wulff, Thomas picked for the premiere of the colorful theme of the day, the separation of Heidi and Seal. After all, it was he who had discovered Heidi Klum in his former program. But what he had to say about the ex-dream couple was so obvious kitchen psychology that one could have served without having celebrated carnival parties with Heidi-Seal.
Now guest Bully Herbig had something to say, so, he would like to have said something, even more, but was either by the gifted non-listener Gottschalk or the in very short intervals one behind the other switched three advertising blocks (then rather right) interrupted. They were also announced by music so that every time you had the feeling: how, already concluded, without saying goodbye? Not that you've been so keen on Bully's "Zettl" talk, but so no reasonable conversation can come about, If there are two talk-guests in the next show, does that mean six commercial breaks for ARD?
In any case, after Show Round 1, Thomas Gottschalk has not (yet) arrived in his living room. Certainly he will succeed in becoming better and better integrated in the (time) framework of "Gottschalk Live". But Will this also make the uncomfortable basic feeling disappear, for which one actually needs such a program? I'm skeptical - and let the door to Tommy's room closed for the time being. Katharina Wantoch
