Munich: my own private Tatort

If you find yourself sitting in awkward silence with a German, try breaking the ice by asking him about ‘Tatort.’  The mere mention of the show makes 9 out of 10 Germans’ eyes light up as their tongues trip over their lips in a rush to push out the words to describe how they have been watching it since before they were born and they never do anything else on a Sunday night ever.

From discussions such as these I had gleaned that ‘Tatort’ is a detective series kind of like ‘Law and Order.’ It has been on since the dawn of time (1970). Each episode takes place in one of a handful of cities, each city having its own recurring cast of local detectives. Germans will be happy to tell you which cities produce the best episodes, and some even schedule their TV viewing in advance based on the location of the episode on any particular Sunday evening. This show is loved.

So when we received a note in our mailbox explaining that they would be filming an episode of ‘Tatort’ Munich on the street in front of our building, we immediately understood the importance of the occasion. » Read the full post

Tags: German culture, Germany, media, Munich, news, television

David Sedaris reading in Munich tonight!

I barely heard about this in time, so wanted to post it here in case there are any other crazy fans of David Sedaris in Germany who are interested in going to see him read (along with the guy who does the German-language audiobooks – I can’t even imagine DS in German!). Amazingly, tickets are still available as of this morning. Go get ‘em! (ie, call the number listed under Kartenvorbestellung.)

For those of you who haven’t yet had the pleasure, David Sedaris is the author of numerous books, including the essential-reading-for-expats Me Talk Pretty One Day, and is also possibly the funniest man alive. His latest book (which is apparently coming out in German around now… but I’d go for the English) is When You Are Engulfed in Flames. We spent our long bus rides in the Lofoten Islands laughing so hard we peed ourselves*, listening to the audiobook read by the author himself. The people around us must have thought we were escaped mental patients.

Folks in other parts of Germany can see him, too! Here‘s the schedule for his German book tour:

• 10 November 2008: Munich
• 11 November 2008: Cologne
• 12 November 2008: Hanover
• 13 November 2008: Leipzig
• 14 November 2008: Berlin

He will also be making appearances in Zurich and Paris next week, and after that he’s off to delight North America. See David Sedaris’s appearance schedule here.

ETA: Two things. First, whomever I lent my copies of Naked and Me Talk Pretty One Day, I hate you. I know, I probably told you there was no hurry to get them back, but obviously I lied. I need them back right now. Given that I only have audio download copies of his other books, I have absolutely nothing to bring for David to sign.

Second, I have spent the afternoon wondering what interesting/crazy/fun/deranged thing I could say to David Sedaris to make sure I end up being a story in his next book. Any ideas?

*Not literally

Tags: books, media

You should be satisfied with this coat

I shouldn’t find this funny, but I do. I do.

http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/490e373926c6f058/4741e3c5156499a7/a486fb9a/-cpid/5cf6f92d45bd3b6b

Tags: Americana, media

Dear American news media,

Please stop citing Bild as a source when you report about Germany. You look like idiots.

Yes, Bild is Germany’s “top-selling” newspaper. It is also the intellectual equivalent of the National Enquirer. Seriously. Take a look.

Disgustedly yours,

Jul

Tags: Germany, media