The Bambi Gala epitomizes big shows and international superstars, for glamorous gowns and emotional moments. This year, several award winners took advantage of the opportunity to use their voices to support socio-political causes. The topic of conversation that evening was Thomas Gottschalk’s annoying performance.
Gottschalk looked nervous
The host introduced Bambi to pop icon Cher, appearing fidgety and awkward on stage, making several mistakes and speaking very slowly. Gottschalk knows the 79-year-old from several visits to his previous ZDF show “Wetten,dass..?”, but the reunion on stage may go differently than planned. The 75-year-old man who came to the party with his wife Karina even received ridicule for his sentence: “This is her, the only woman I take seriously in my life.” At one point, Gottschalk himself admitted he was confused.
Cher was awarded Bambi as a “Legend” at an awards ceremony at the Bavarian Studios in Grünwald near Munich, in part for her commitment to protecting elephants. She does not yet see herself as a legend, she said in a good mood between events: “I am a working woman.”
Blanchett talks about “dark times”
Apart from pop icons, a number of other celebrities were also present. Actress Cate Blanchett walked the red carpet in a purple feather gown and was honored in the “International Actress” category – not only for her “artistic excellence”, but also for her “humanitarian and ecological commitment”. On stage, he said that the voices of artists have “never been more important than they are now.”
The 56-year-old Hollywood mogul stressed that “these are very dark times and we are in danger” – a time where artists cannot move freely anywhere and where “the human right to creative expression is threatened”.
Honor for pop stars – criticism of AfD
Roland Kaiser provided perhaps the most emotional moment of the night. This 73 year old man was awarded as grand seigneur of the German hit song in the “Lifetime Achievement” category. He has connected generations with his music for 50 years.
Receiving this award was nothing short of natural, the singer said. He is proud and happy. He thanked his listeners, whose loyalty kept him strong, even in difficult times.
In the “Music” category, singer Zartmann (“tau mich auf”) beat Oimara (“Wackelkontakt”) and Kamrad (“Feel Alive”) in the audience vote – and used the big stage to make a political statement against the AfD, which he criticized with harsh words. He understands the frustrations of politics – but not his stance on right-wing populists.
There was laughter at Hazel Brugger’s performance, which won an award in the comedy category. He thanked “the people who have told me my entire career that I’m not funny. You are the people who made me the monster that stands here today.”
Heidi Klum and brothers Tom and Bill Kaulitz were especially caught in the flashlight storm. The twins performed with their band Tokio Hotel and were nominated for Bambi for their podcast Kaulitz Hills. Even though they both went home empty-handed, Tom’s wife, Heidi, won a prize in the “Entertainment” category. Laudator Naomi Campbell hailed her fellow model as a born entertainer with an unmistakable joy for life.
