Review : Goldene Kamera award show

Berlin, February 6, 2008

Yet another award show where TH were nominated. This one was special as, unlike most others where the band won, the awards were not voted by fans. It's attributed by people from the TV industry. Initially only honoring national TV achievements, it was extended in the past years to other domains, as well as international artists.

The 2008 edition took awarded, among other people, Chuck Berry, Kylie Minogue, Robert De Niro and Hilary Swank.

In that stiff ceremony, the appearance of TH to retrieve their price was already out of place, as proved by the look on Chuck Berry's face when he saw that unknown (to him), odd gathering of boys walking on stage. As seconds passed, the bedazzled look on his face was replaced by a bewildered smile. He ended up clapping, still a little confused.

I remember that. It's the same phases I (and other people) passed by in my discovering of the band. Call it the "Tokio Hotel effect" :

O_O
o_O
?_?
^______^ !
(or :
- UH?!
- WTF is that?
- and why do I keep staring...?
- oh well, never mind, they're funny! And cute! Puppies!)

A lot of the audience went through those same phases that night. Because, for reasons only known of them (maybe one too many rumors, or the fact that it was one of their first acknowledgement by professionals), they graced us with an original acceptance speech.

It went something like :

"Also wir sind wirklich kein gutes Vorbild, um sich Kinder anzuschaffen: Kurz nach unserer ersten Platte hat mein Bruder Tom 25 Mädchen gepoppt und ein Hotelzimmer verwüstet. Wir haben uns mit dem Jugendamt ordentlich betrunken, sind von der Bundeswehr gesucht worden und an meinem Geburtstag habe ich im Internet verkündet, dass ich stockschwul bin. Danach habe ich mir noch einmal den Lidstrich nachgezogen und bin an Magersucht fast verreckt. Und trotzdem stehe ich hier"

Translation:
"Because of this award show we sat down and thought about the last 2,5 years. And I made some notes:
Well, we are four good reasons for not getting kids. And my cute little brother in the way too big trousers fucked 25 girls in the first week we released "Durch den Monsun". After that we got drunk with child protective service and were not allowed back into most hotels. And yeah, there was also some Grandpa shooting around. And we were chased by the army. After that I put on some eyeliner and went online, telling what a big fag I really am. And yeah, then I almost died because of anorexia. And yet in spite of all that we are here! Or maybe because of all that."

At first, the audience didn't know what to make of it. I think most of them had not heard of those rumors. Then they realized, from Bill's delivery and the accumulation, that he was, indeed, listing all the headlines the band made in tabloids to make fun of it, and not bragging that he and his pals were wild rockers.
And they started laughing (albeit a bit nervously) with them. Much to the relief of the band, who seemed a little nervous until then.

...
4 days later, I decided to fly over to New York to see the 2 shows they played at the Fillmore there the next week. It's not unrelated.

I first heard of it through the grapevine : the ceremony was recorded 2 days before it was shown on TV, and a German radio mentioned Bill's speech in the mean time. I could hardly believed he had said that. It was just too awesome to be true.

Then the ceremony aired on TV, it was passed by in fandom, and it was even better than the written version.
I felt ridiculously proud of them for it. For their wit and their balls. For Tom's embarrassed yet supportive attitude at the 'cute little brother in the way too big trousers' line. For Georg and Gustav standing behind Bill, backing him up silently. Team moment.

I felt also happy to see that in the end, they had won the penguin-dressed up audience. If not musically, at least they'd gotten them to see them differently.
To give them the benefit of the doubt.

Oh, ehm, and then they performed 1000 Meere.