Updated May 10, 2020, 4:21 p.m.
The “ZDF television garden” has often been smiled at in recent decades. Now he has to do without a live audience for the first time in 34 years – and the viewer realizes: In these times, this beautiful, perfect world is a balm for the soul.
A criticism
from Felix Reek,
Freelance author
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“Sunday, a quarter past twelve, the wait is over,” says the spokesman, and then Guildo Horn stands there with his orthopedic stockings and sings: “The sun rises again and again and there is no darkness forever.”
Andrea Kiewel alias Kiwi appears, shouts cheerfully as usual: “Hooray, live from Mainz”. So everything as usual – until the camera tower moves back and shows the huge area on the Mainz Lerchenberg, from which the “ZDF TV garden“is broadcast live. There are only a few employees at a safe distance and two artists who are constantly spinning in a huge swinging hamster wheel behind the presenter.
It is the first “ZDF television garden” since 1986 to be broadcast without an audience. Usually up to 6,000 people sit and stand here, constantly clapping past the four-quarter time, cheering the musical guests. But the corona pandemic is not possible at the moment. There will probably be no more viewers on Lerchenberg this year, the ZDF canceled all tickets.
This has consequences for the program itself: the team works with a minimum number of people, and there are no artists from abroad due to travel restrictions. Instead of a dozen singers, there are only six performers, each of whom is allowed to sing two songs.
Andrea Kiewel says: “We are just getting closer to her”
In the first episode of “ZDF Fernsehgarten” this summer, this includes Guildo Horn, Laith Al-Deen, Gil Ofarim, Emily Robbins, Maite Kelly and Cassandra Steen. In terms of content, they hardly differ. Gil Ofarim sings “The world is beautiful”, Emily Robbins “In this together”, Laith Al-Deen “You’re worth it”. Andrea Kiewel announces “being alone is stupid”.
Pink messages in not so rosy times. At the latest, it becomes clear that this is not just television. The “ZDF television garden”, which has been laughed at again and again over the decades, holds against this. Against an unprecedented situation, against a society in which it is hardly possible to talk without the word “Corona”, for a population that was at home for two months, held together and is now fragmenting again. To those for whom it all happens too quickly, to those who feel that their fundamental rights are being robbed and to everyone in between.
The answer of the “ZDF Fernsehgarten” is hope and a big “we”. “We’re just getting closer to her,” says Kiwi at the very beginning. Television as an alternative to social distancing. Two hours of wellbeing for everyone.
Lutz van der Horst, best known from the “heute show”, reads the letter to his mom from 1983. It’s Mother’s Day after all. Guildo Horn turns pop classics into personal serenades for the festive day. The line “Mama, uh hu hu hu” in Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” becomes “Mama Hiiiiiilde”. Drones are racing and dogs are doing stand-up paddling in the pool on the Lerchenberg.
Cha Cha Cha from a distance
Of course, all of this cannot completely hide that topic Corona virus is also omnipresent in the “ZDF Fernsehgarten”. It starts with the safety distance. Lutz van der Horst keeps saying that he would like to press presenter Kiwi. But not allowed.
The artists are far apart, Laith Al-Deen says that he has now been on tour and is seeing his band for the first time in weeks. TV chef Armin Roßmeier gives tips on how to keep the immune system fit (answer: with onions). Even warm-upper Markus “Schöffi” Schöffl, who at the moment only has his own team to heat up, ends up in front of the camera and dances Andrea Kiewel Cha Cha Cha. From the distance.
Nobody can be depressed by it in the “ZDF Fernsehgarten”. Guildo Horn says, “There is something special here”, Gil Ofarim, “The team does it great”, everything would be so “familiar”.
Anyone who has only smiled at the “ZDF Fernsehgarten” and its intact world of pop music will suddenly realize that all of this is justified. At a time when bad news is pounding on viewers every day, the “ZDF television garden” sets the counterpoint, the escape from this seemingly dreary present and the threatening future.
Some may see that as a nasty conversation, but that’s exactly what we need all the more. To remind us that somehow it must go on. Or as Andrea Kiewel puts it this Sunday afternoon: “Just because it’s different is not bad.”
In times of crisis, you have to keep a sense of humor: a British radio host picks up a barista friend in Dubai and pays for his coffee with toilet paper.
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