2023-04-22 21:38:51
East Frisian jokes that have worked for decades were played on Saturday evenings in the Vienna Hofburg. At least in a figurative sense. Because its originator, the German cult comedian Otto Waalkes, was honored with the prize for his life’s work at the 34th Romy Gala. The film and television prizes awarded by the “Kurier” in cooperation with the ORF also had Hollywood glamor to offer, with Oscar winner Brendan Fraser doing the honors. Just like numerous local crowd favourites.
The platinum Romy went “to a man who revolutionized comedy,” as described by presenter Arabella Kiesbauer, who was on crutches following a skiing accident: Otto Waalkes, who will celebrate his 75th birthday in the summer. The laudatory speech was held by ORF radio director Ingrid Thurnher, who gave Otto a legendary “ZiB2” interview in 1997. “I was visibly surprised by this elemental power of entertainment,” she recalled. “Not to answer like that was still a level or two above that. But we should have expected it to happen that way.” She ended a list of his many awards with: “We need our Otto, as true as my name is Ingrid Turnschuh.”
“I thought I’d get this Romy as Austria’s most popular Piefke,” Otto began his acceptance speech. “But it has become a life’s work. Now there’s nothing more, it’s over.” After all, he still has all his hair, following which he lifted his now obligatory cap with hair extensions. “When I rushed under the moderator’s table back then, it wasn’t anarchy, it was pure desperation. She despaired of my dubious answers, I despaired of her serious questions.” In any case, he created a relaxed atmosphere in the hall and immediately agreed “We have reason to celebrate”. In any case, that was true for the award winners.
Brendan Fraser, who rose to the Hollywood elite in the late 1990s with films like “The Mummy”, was one of them. After years in which things had calmed down around him, he convinced as an obese dying man in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” and received the Oscar for best leading actor this year. In Vienna there was also Romy International, for which he thanked with a little secret: “I recently found out that I have Austrian ancestors,” said Fraser. These can be traced back to the time when the Hofburg was built. “And they grew wine, Welschriesling.” So somehow an award in red-white-red.
There was a special jury prize for “She Said”, or rather the makers behind the film. The US journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey got the MeToo movement rolling with a revealing article in 2017 and ultimately brought star producer Harvey Weinstein down. They were honored alongside director Maria Schrader, who adapted their story, which starred Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan. “For me, the two are modern heroines,” Schrader thanked the journalists. “I have learned that any kind of rumor counts for nothing unless you have gone to great lengths to present verifiable facts. Your work on the book ‘She Said’ is a powerful indication that journalism really is the can change the world.”
The nine other categories were left entirely to the public: A Romy as the most popular film actress went to Anke Engelke (“Der Onkel/The Hawk”), who, however, was not present in person. Instead, her film partner Michael Ostrowski accepted the award in his inimitably amusing way. Engelke’s male counterpart was Thomas Stipsits, who is currently hitting the big screen with the comedy “Greece”. “Certainly my grandmother had a big part in my votes,” he smiled and invited Fraser to a “really good wine”, an Uhudler. In the series/series category, there were trophies for Jella Haase (“Kleo”) and Michael Steinocher (“Landkrimi: Schutzengel”), who received an award once more 16 years following his first Romy.
A duo was successful in the “Show and Entertainment” category: Joko Winterscheidt and Klaas Heufer-Umlauf, who provide entertaining moments with their various formats on the German private broadcaster ProSieben. The team Andi Goldberger and Michael Roscher received top marks for a perfect Telemark, whose ski jumping comments were recognized by the ORF in the “Sport” category. “We didn’t expect that we would get two,” Roscher smiled regarding the trophies. “This award is incredibly valuable because it comes from the people we do this for: the television audience.”
And the award for the best TV journalism also had two recipients, this one went to Lisa Gadenstätter and Hanno Settele, who track down burning issues in society week following week in the ORF series “Dok 1”. “We are a bit very surprised,” Gadenstätter said happily, addressing her entire team: “There are a lot of people who support us in this work every day – that belongs to all of you!” The German influencer Julia Beautx (“Yesterday we were still children”) and the Swiss Max Hubacher (“Sachertorte”) were awarded as the best young actors.
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