The Next Uri Geller 2008, Vincent Raven – a little résumé

This is about a show from the first German season of “The Next Uri Geller” from early 2008 and the announcement of the second season in 2009. You can also:
» Show all my reports from the first season.
» Show everything about the second season 2009.
» Show really all articles about Uri Geller.

So, now the first German season of “The Next Uri Geller” is over (except for the “international special” next Tuesday) – what was it good for?

• the winner, Vincent Raven – the arguably most original of the contestants, with his constantly spooky-looking scenery and the craziest pseudo-reality talk, seen thus a worthy winner – despite some glitches;
• the regrettable knowledge that Uri Geller, “this Nostradamus on QVC level” (Spiegel Online), still can sell his cheap old tricks to private TV and its target audience and still pretend it’s “all real”, what they even wanted to write into the contestants’ contracts;
• occasionally a fooling around with the viewers’ feelings in doubtful ways;
• many too long-winded performances, including the final, thus ao many overtime minutes – but also entertaining ones;
• several “celebrity” guests who were known only to die-hard ProSieben fans;
• the knowledge that Uri Geller can at least count to three in his mother tongue – “achad, shtaim, shalosh”;
• the cleavage of Verena Wriedt in the phone studio;
• ratings which, while dropping before the final, still were above the station’s average and thus give us a second season (see below):
  
  on average, 3.16 million (10.1% market share), or 2.24 million in the “target audience” aged 14-49 (17.1%);
• and to me personal some long blog posts here with visitor records and great comments like this one – well, and more content-rich ones, too, thanks!

Next week

On March 4, Vincent – who, by the way, has three ravens: Corax, Asael/Azael/Azrael, Odin – will square off against the winners from Israel, Lior Sushard, the USA, Mike Super, and the still running show in the Netherlands.

Press release for the final and the second season

As announced in the show and in a press release, a second season is planned fo next year – and since the raven daddy surely won’t like to be voted off right away, I guess it won’t be called “The next Vincent Raven” heißen.

Quote (in my translation):

Vincent Raven: “I thank all people who believed in me and my ravens.”

Believed they’d win, or believed that mystic stuff were real?

“All who voted for me can be sure: ‚Shem ham forash!‘ That’s ancient Enochian and means: The wing beat of my ravens will watch over you! In death as in life.”

Well, Uri’s Hebrew is older – for Enochian is just a fantasy language invented in the 16th century (despite its creators and believers may think otherwise). At least it’s astonishing how much text Vinnieboy wants to pack into these three words. You really ask yourself how much of his mystic stuff he believes himself…

From his prize, the “raven father” wants to open a raven farm for injured animals.

So some good result of this show after all.

And Farid, who seemingly can’t afford any family name but Cool, is of course glad about his second place. Nicolai Friedrich, number 3, wasn’t allowed a statement in the press release – no time for losers, ’cause we are the champions…

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General reading tips (German): GWUP info page; and the blog with explanations and discussion already during the shows: The contestants’ tricks, explained in an easy way. English: CSI (ex-CSICOP).

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