Jürgen Becker - Was spricht gegen einen schönen Abend?

The cabaret veteran from the south of Cologne is performing a home show in Rodenkirchen. Why not enjoy a lovely evening?

“Well, let’s make this a wonderful evening!” That’s how Jürgen Becker greeted fans of the renowned WDR TV show “Mitternachtsspitzen” for 28 years. To this day, his stage shows across Germany always begin with this promising opening line, which he still takes very seriously. No matter how ruthlessly the despots around us try to turn the world into a nasty, troubled place: the hopeful prospect of a wonderful evening makes even the most challenging day go smoothly. On aid convoys to Ukraine, Becker encountered people who were exhausted but also joyfully celebrating. They toasted him, saying, “If we stop celebrating, singing, and dancing, we’ve lost.” And even at home, Jürgen Becker, a resident of North Rhine-Westphalia, observes some surprising priorities. When the Westphalian gets up in the morning, he says, “Hah! What can I get done today?” And when the Rhinelander gets up in the morning, he says, “Hah! Where are we going tonight?”

Both ways of life have their merits. But is it harmful to already have an enticing evening reward in mind first thing in the morning? How much coziness is possible in uncomfortable times? And what do we really need right now?

The Cologne native also takes a historical approach to the question of how the Enlightenment accelerated the shift from fixed seating arrangements at royal courts to free seating in taverns, and what role the resulting socializing played—and continues to play—in the success of democratic societies. Many fans of his cult show “DEINE DISCO” have already insisted that he can’t tackle this exhilarating topic without the power of music. And they’re right. After all, who could say no to a wonderful evening?