Last Christmas, I got a DVD of the “Lach&Schieß-Gesellschaft” with recordings from the late 1950ies and the following decades.
By now, I managed to take a look or two. I am fascinated. It is true top cabaret in the young Federal Republic of Germany. This was why, in the 1960ies, we spent the entire night of New Year’s Eve in front of our radios (in those days, they were huge devices with a powerful wooden casing) and literally drank up each word.
In the supplementary textbook that came with the DVD, I read that the “Lach&Schieß” basically was on TV from the beginning, not just as dishonour shortly before 12 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. The visibility they achieved through TV was a main contributor to the great success of the “Lach&Schieß” and later to the cabaret in general.
The persons active in the “Lach&Schieß”, however, were embarrassed by the huge TV presence.They were quite afraid that all those many TV appearances might cost them audience. After all, who would leave their homes and accept the long way to visit a cabaret if they all could have the same on TV?
To me, this looks like a wonderful example for a typical misjudgement. Like generations of comedians since, the “Lach&Schieß” achieved real greatness through TV. And today, you would not stand the slightest chance to be equally visible without TV and the internet – followed by sold-out live performances.
RMD
(Translated by EG)
P.S.
You can still buy the DVDs.
Loading ...