Thomas Gottschalk Calls It Quits: Show Ends on Television
"I have managed and controlled Saturday evening for 35 years," said Thomas Gottschalk on Saturday evening in the RTL show "Denn sie wissen nicht, was passiert" - a format by Barbara Schöneberger, Günther Jauch, and himself.
Thomas Gottschalk is now older than the Pope
Thomas Gottschalk emphasized that he had always pointed out: Should the time come when he is older than the Pope, he must stop - and the newly elected Pontiff Leo XIV is 69 years old. Nevertheless, the experienced TV host agreed to appear one last time in a farewell show at the beginning of December. "I will be 75 next Sunday (May 18) and that is the point for a host where you should say, you take yourself out," said Thomas Gottschalk.
Thomas Gottschalk: In a league with Rudi Carrell and Hans Rosenthal
Thomas Gottschalk is one of the most successful showmasters in the history of German-speaking television. He stands in the tradition of legends like Rudi Carrell (1934-2006), Hans Rosenthal (1925-1987), Joachim Fuchsberger (1927-2014), and Hans-Joachim Kulenkampff (1921-1998). The last remaining show-dinosaur of this caliber besides him is "Wetten, dass..?" creator Frank Elstner (83). In the heyday of "Wetten, dass..?", Thomas Gottschalk sometimes gathered almost 18 million people in front of the screen. They watched in 1995 as Michael Jackson hung over the stage during the "Earth Song". In 1998, how Götz George flipped out because "Thommy" allegedly had such poor information about his new film. In 2004, how Angelina Jolie wore a huge constrictor snake around her neck. Such conversation-starter moments made the show great.
Thomas Gottschalk: "At my age, you don't have to be 'cool' anymore"
Even outside of "Wetten, dass..?", Thomas Gottschalk was always very active. At 70, he won a knowledge duel against Joko Winterscheidt: among other things, because he correctly remembered the hammer and compass on the GDR flag and not the hammer and sickle like Winterscheidt. This made him the host of the ProSieben show "Wer stiehlt mir die Show?" from being a guest. Also with the surprise show "Denn sie wissen nicht, was passiert" on RTL, Thomas Gottschalk still achieved top ratings until his recent announcement. The audience should not write him off at all.
Controversy over Thomas Gottschalk's book
Thomas Gottschalk, however, has recently faced more headwinds when he expressed critical views on social issues. He was sometimes accused of sexism. In his book "Ungefiltert", Thomas Gottschalk talks about the show business, the influencer scene, gendering, and "Generation Z". He no longer takes into account whether what he says is politically correct, Thomas Gottschalk recently told the dpa. "At my age, you don't have to be 'cool' anymore, I have been all my life."
(APA/Red)
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