Jörg Pilawa: "The evening of the recording is still New Year's Eve"

In an interview, the host explains why the recording of the "New Year's Eve Show with Jörg Pilawa" was extremely unusual this year.

"The New Year's Eve Show with Jörg Pilawa", which aims to shorten the time until midnight from 8:15 pm on the first, was recorded in Offenburg in mid-November. That the show is not live was also the case last year. This time it also had to be recorded without an audience due to the corona. In an interview with spot on news, moderator Jörg Pilawa (55, "Am I crazy?") Tells whether that was fun. Among other things, the man from Hamburg reveals how he got himself into the New Year's mood so early in the year, what the New Year means to him personally and what the audience can expect on the show.

The show was recorded back in November. How do you get into the New Year's mood?

Jörg Pilawa: We did it live for the first three years, but then we decided to record the show in advance because many artists want to celebrate New Year's Eve with their families. Interestingly, the evening of the recording is New Year's Eve for the performers and the audience. Last year we recorded the show in Offenburg in November. And when the hall got light again after the broadcast, singing guests came towards me and called out "Happy New Year". For them it was just New Year at that moment.

And are you in the mood, or do you slip a slip of the tongue from time to time?

Pilawa: No, not at all. You stand at the top of the show stairs, then the stage goes up and you see people who make you feel like December 31st. In addition, we record the broadcast in real time, from 8:15 p.m. to 1 a.m. With countdown before midnight. I'm so in the mood for it to work.

Was it different this year?

Pilawa: Yes. This year it was completely different because we recorded the show without an audience. I was very, very skeptical and assumed that it would be hard work for me. Because if you want to entertain people, there are two things you need. First, you have to like people. Second, you have to allow closeness. But that is currently very difficult with Corona. Then I had a huge surprise.

What was so surprising?

Pilawa: It was the most intense recorded show of my career because the 28 artists who were there this time showed each other mutual respect and admiration by being in the hall for four and a half hours.

When the singer Peggy March (72, Red.) Performed, DJ Ötzi (49) said to me: "What a great woman! What great lyrics!" She too partied for four and a half hours. Comedian Mirja Boes (49) danced in front of the stage the whole time and when the Cologne dialect band Brings performed and played their carnival song "Mer singe Alaaf", she had tears in her eyes.

Pop singer Michael Holm (77) really only gave gas for four and a half hours for his colleagues. Singer Michelle (48) was amazed at Kerstin Otts (38) lyrics. Marianne Rosenberg (65) was there the whole time. The Swiss artists Stefanie Heinzmann (31) and Francine Jordi (43) threw each other hearts during the show. There was an intensity between the artists that I have never experienced before.

How does it usually work?

Pilawa: Usually the artists wait backstage for their performance and then go back to their dressing room. This time they stayed in the hall the whole time and were the audience for each other. And so it was an incredibly intense private concert with an enormous amount of emotions. If we have captured that well with the cameras, this program will have a whole new quality.

I suppose you and all the artists and the crew had to do corona tests? How do you find it?

Pilawa: So I did four tests last week, four this week too. You have the choice between throat and nose. Personally, I find the nose more pleasant because the stick probably fits in better with me. I think the throat is terrible because it simply triggers this gag reflex. But now I've got a certain routine with my nose.

Are you generally worried about Corona?

Pilawa: What bothers me now is that everyone, when asked or not, comments on it. We all have to admit to ourselves that we have never had something like this, a form of disease that is spreading like this. It's new to all of us. And politicians and the public alike have to admit that there is no blueprint for this. How do I handle this? We just didn't know and have tried a lot since then.

Where do you see a danger in dealing with the pandemic?

Pilawa: We should be careful that fear doesn't spread to every fiber of the body at some point. If you don't dare to do anything anymore, a lot is lost. We still have a great health system, with vaccinations there is also a silver lining on the horizon. But when I hear Mr. Lauterbach and Co. again, who keep telling me that it is getting worse, then that is counterproductive. I believe that people should also be given hope instead of ever new horror scenarios.

Who would you like to hear more about in this context?

Pilawa: I find the stories of those who actually had it, i.e. those affected, interesting. On the one hand, they ensure the necessary respect for the disease, on the other hand you learn more about the great unknown Corona. Simply giving out the number of newly infected people every day is not enough. They should be classified qualitatively: Where did they get infected? How are the gradients? The same applies to the many new ideas in dealing with Corona.

Back to New Year's Eve: How important is this festival to you personally?

Pilawa: I've always been a bit amused by the expectations that go with it. Many people believe that just because a new year begins everything will be different. It starts with the resolutions that many people make: I do more sport, live more healthily, don't drink any more alcohol and so on. I think it would sometimes be more meaningful if you thought about what you would like to change in your life in June than always on December 31st. For me, New Year's Eve was never a celebration of great importance, so it wasn't a problem for me to do the first New Year's Eve shows live.

What do you wish for in 2021?

Pilawa: I actually wish that what characterizes my job, namely allowing closeness to the team, the audience and my candidates, is possible again. That we can hug each other again and pat on the shoulder without worrying about someone getting infected. That we can get this pandemic under control and survive so that we can deal with each other again in a relaxed manner.

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