Galileo Emo-Science
The Institute for Humour in the series "Emo-Science" of the TV show "Galileo".At the moment, "Galileo" runs a series called "Emo-Science". Each 10-minute feature deals with an emotion, such as envy, anger, happiness or – humour. On 2 April 2009, "Galileo" aired the feature "Joy and Humour". Three experiments were carried out and Eva Ullmann commented on them.
It was fun producing the feature in Munich, and the result is equally fun and entertaining.
The feature can still be viewed online for a while:
http://www.prosieben.de/wissen/multimedia/videos/videoplayer/62625/
Finally! The book -Humor im Business- is out!
The book was published in Cornelsen's series "Das professionnelle 1x1" ("Business 101"). The book is published in German.
Berlin. Olympia-Stadium. 70 000 people are cheering. A well-known picture. Only that this is not the summer of 2006, but that of 2008. And the cheering people are not football fans, but they have come to listen to Mario Barth, Germany's most successful stand-up comedian – the first to fill an entire football stadium with his audience. Who would have thought this possible? The Germans no longer go into the basement to laugh (as the nasty saying goes) but into a stadium! Something is happening with Germany and its relationship to humour. This book takes a closer look at the recent developments …
Both trainer, Eva Ullmann and Albrecht Kresse, offer Seminars in English language.
Humor and death - view of a clown
To see a clown at a bedside in a hospital is not typical, when it’s someone’s deathbed, quite unimaginable. But when an old lady, dying of cancer, called him and asked for a visit, Globo was moved to help. Sensing his reluctance she said, “I have to die anyway, don’t I ? So, I would like to laugh myself to death.” That was one of the reasons why Globo (Alfred Gerhards) wanted to bring these paradoxical things together: death and humour. “The smile at the end of the coffin” is the result of this unusual step. The communication trainer started his 90 minute-program in 1999 in his hometown, Aachen, Germany.
Since that day the 51-year old has been touring through Germany, visiting hospices, hospitals, churches and institutions who support the terminally ill. When speaking to these professionals, he presents a mix of short stories, personal anecdotes and examples relevant to everybody. The conflict of being mortal is something nobody can avoid. “When my friends heard of the idea, they called me crazy, ‘he’s taking the piss out of death’, they said.” However, Globo sees it differently, “ I cannot do that. Death doesn’t matter at all”.
Moreover, the pupil of the pantomime Milan Sladek wanted to show that there are other feelings then sadness. The clown doesn’t try to break taboos on purpose, delving instead into the sometimes embarrassing past. He reads for example the Funeral Code of Conduct for Aachen, which says, a burial cannot last longer than 20 minutes and music is not aloud. Permission can be obtained in exceptional circumstances for the park and green spaces authority. He also introduces the audience to various customs from around the world which he picked up on his travels. In Tonga, for example, people decorate the grave like a childrens brithday table. In Ghana people make their coffins look like tortoises or a car depending on their profession. “This openness and honesty encourages people. “You cannot lose the fear of death totally, but most people do fear life more than death.”says Globo.
Rheinische Post, Sat. 23st November 2002, Christian Herrendorf
