Jon Bon Jovi - Wetten Dass Show - 08/11/1997
Thankyou to Miriam for taking the time to translate this! English translation (orig. German )

Thomas Gottschalk (the host of the show) is saying goodbye to David Hasselhoff (who has been a guest on the show) in the middle of the show, because he has to leave early for some reason.

Thomas Gottschalk: He can't stay til the end. Doesn't matter that much. One beautiful man goes, another one comes. Maybe there would have been tension with you guys anyway. There will be another good looking young man. The ladies will be glad. Yes. ...

Thomas finally says goodbye to David completely, and he leaves

Thomas Gottschalk: Okay, one beautiful man leaves to the left, and the second beautiful man comes from the right. Hold back, hold back! First I will talk to him. Here is JON BON JOVI!

Jon enters. Huge applause and screaming from the audience

Thomas Gottschalk: Hi, good to see you.

Jon Bon Jovi: Hi (Jon shakes hands with every single guest who is already sitting on the sofa: Iris Berben, Mirja and Gunther Sachs)

Thomas Gottschalk: Here you go.

Thomas and Jon get seated

Thomas Gottschalk: So, ... well...

Jon waves to the audience, and the screaming finally starts to fade

Thomas Gottschalk: A So,... I thought, maybe one would be safe of you in Leipzig. But there doesn't seem to be any corner of the earth, where there aren't any ladies. It's worldwide, huh?

Jon Bon Jovi: Yeah, it's great... I mean, I think, my new album is "New Germany" from now on.

Thomas Gottschalk: (towards the audience) So! We'll talk for a bit, and every 5 minutes you can go full gear. You also want to hear some of the guy. Now, as I hear all this, I have the impression, David just split. He thought "oh Gee, Jon Bon Jovi is coming, I'm going the secure way, I'll take a dive. Baywatch underwater. (towards Iris Berben) You also don't look as tired as you've looked before. (note: in the beginning of the show, she has been telling about the stress she's had to make it to the show from being in the middle of doing a new movie, and how she hasn't slept for the past 36 hours.)

Iris Berben: Not really, huh?

Thomas Gottschalk: Hasn't slept for 36 hours and now she's all awake. Jon, this is of interest to all the ladies: We had a blonde one, who will return. Mirja is blond. There are black-hair-type-guys and blond-hair-type-guys, are you flexible or do you tend into only one direction?

Jon Bon Jovi: What? (looking around anxiously)

Thomas Gottschalk: What? Oh, is nobody translating here? A-ha! Somewhere on the way something fell out of his ear.

Jon Bon Jovi: Do I like Blondes, is that what you asked?

Thomas Gottschalk: Hmm-hmm.. (nods) yeah.. here's your English coming as well (somebody comes from the back and plugs a translation-ear-phone in Jon's left ear)

Jon Bon Jovi: There's the guy. Look at it. (Jon adjusts the earplug)

Thomas Gottschalk: So, if you have the chance...

Jon Bon Jovi: Girls with a pulse. If they have a pulse. If the heart beats, that's okay by me.

Thomas Gottschalk: Good!

Jon Bon Jovi: I look on the inside.

Thomas Gottschalk: That... the guy goes for character. Only to make sure, one question: Is your wife blonde or black?

Jon Bon Jovi: (smiles) It depends what month.

Thomas Gottschalk: So flexibel at home, too. Jon, to me you are one of the rare examples that rock 'n roll and Brain go together. You've often proven that you've got lots more in your head than a lot of other rock 'n rollers. You carefully address your career, you think. Are you a guy who uses his head a lot as well? Cos some rock 'n rollers just... they only think with their pelvis.

Jon Bon Jovi: Elvis Presley? I don't know. I mean, to me, I just, I'm a singer in a rock-band. And fortunately a lot of people liked the songs all these years. So they gave me the opportunity to continue to make records.

Thomas Gottschalk: But now you're not only singer in a rock 'n roll band. You're also a solo-singer. And for a while now you've also been an actor. Is there some corner, where you say, this is where I feel most comfortable? Or are you completely just a band member when you're with Bon Jovi?

Jon Bon Jovi: I think that that's always gonna be my first love. To be a singer in this band. But when I have the opportunity to do solo-records and now movies, and that gives me the opportunity to not get bored. Keep re-inventing yourself.

Thomas Gottschalk: I just managed to get a role as a drowned dead body with a lot effort (note: he lost a bet and to fulfill it, he'll play a drowned dead body in an episode of Baywatch). Is acting fun for you or are you more secure on stage?

Jon Bon Jovi: I, it always feels very safe doing what it is that I do, because I write the stuff and actually, you know, have total control of it, but when I'm in front of the camera doing a movie, I feel very comfortable as well.

Thomas Gottschalk: You've worked with Demi Moore once. Does your wife get nervous, if you say, "oh, today it's Demi."?

Jon Bon Jovi: (smiles) No, she doesn't mind. So she keeps the credit-card and the car-keys, the house she takes care of.

Thomas Gottschalk: But there are also a lot of beautiful women in your neighborhood. Your Tico Torres is going out with Eva Herzigova. So the models and the beautiful women. The pulse, so, is that still beating faster with you as well?

Jon Bon Jovi:Yeah, ... Yeah! My heart goes all the time.

Thomas Gottschalk: Are you a Gambler? Do you bet in your free time?

Jon Bon Jovi: I do, ...I do, ...occasionally.

Thomas Gottschalk: Occasionally? This time you're not going to get away without...

Jon Bon Jovi: I see.

Thomas Gottschalk: I will propose a bet to you. Somehow I'm sitting in the wrong place here (he grabs all the way over the table to reach for some utensils). It's a very complicated combination of various elements, if I might introduce it to you here. You won't need a translator for that now... (he puts on a boxing-glove)

Jon Bon Jovi: (he puts up his hands as if to cover himself for a boxing-fight) You're not going to hit me, are you?

Thomas Gottschalk: No! The women, the girls would go after me, buddy! (he starts explaining the bet, which in short terms is about a guy who bets that he will turn more soccer-penalty-shots into goals by doing them with a golf-club than a professional soccer-player with his feet.)...(towards Jon) Do you play golf?

Jon Bon Jovi: (as he is still nodding to show that he understood, what Thomas was explaining, starts to shake his head) No!

Thomas Gottschalk: Gunther, you play golf, don't you?

Gunther Sachs: Yes, bad, but....

Thomas Gottschalk:Bad, but right. Does a golf-club have some enormous power? Could you imagine that there'll be more steam behind it than behind the leg of a pro soccer player?

Gunther Sachs: No, no, no. I don't think so. That he'll with... kick the ball into the goal from the penalty-line? No, I don't believe that.

Thomas Gottschalk: You don't believe it? Oh well, he was wrong once before (note: he lost his bet before). We'll be careful. Stefan Lampichler (note: the guy who placed the bet) will march in now. Jon?

Jon Bon Jovi: It's that Stefan bets, that he can get more goals than a pro football-player? (he nods appreciatingly)

Thomas Gottschalk: I will introduce the young man to you now first. Then again, we will first tell you, what you'll have to do. I'd say: Everybody wants a signature from you. You have a guitar with you all the time, that's necessary for a musician. Would you be willing, I'll just ask you, to sign one of your guitars and simply give it away for some good cause?

Jon Bon Jovi: Yeah sure. (audience breaks into huge applause and screaming)

Thomas Gottschalk: One of your guitars? Good, okay!

Jon Bon Jovi: That's easy.

Thomas Gottschalk: Yeah, destination life! See! So what do you say? Will he succeed to get more goals with the golf-club than the pro soccer player with his leg? Yes or No?

Jon Bon Jovi: I don't think so. I don't think so. No!

Thomas Gottschalk: You don't think so? Good. He'll try, Jon is betting "No". And here is our candidate for this bet: Stefan Lampichler

Stefan comes in, they do the bet... this goes on for a while.. funny thing is that the pro soccer player is from the soccer-team that is sponsored by the same company (Volkswagen) as the last Bon Jovi tour was sponsored, don't know if there is any connection there

Thomas Gottschalk: (the bet is over, Thomas, who is still standing in the soccer-court is addressing Jon again) Jon, if you'd be so kind... You will sing a song for us in a minute. A wonder-, wonderful song that we'll see in a while... o, get ready, head for the stage. The ladies are already waiting for it.

Jon Bon Jovi: Okay I'll go.

Then Jon leaves the sofa to get ready and Thomas helps a former candidate, Linda de Mol to fulfill her bet, which involves playing soccer as well. Linda (who is Dutch) is wearing a German national soccer shirt and Thomas (who is German) wears a Dutch national soccer shirt during this... after the "game", they again emphasize the fact that this was a symbol for the unity of various countries in Europe.. and then Thomas offers to swap shirts with her (which is a regular friendly happening of competing soccer-teams after the games here in Europe), but Linda refuses, because she's not wearing anything under her shirt.. so she walks off to sit back on the sofa as Thomas announces Jon's performance:

Thomas Gottschalk: ... with him she'd have swapped immediately. Here is a dream song. So take it in. The ladies are right: He doesn't only look good, (audience starts o cheer and scream again) he also sings well. Here is JON - BON - JOVI - "Janie don't take your love to town"

Live performance of the "Big Dogs" (with Obie on drums): "Janie don't take your love to town" after the song is over Jon rushes over to Thomas, who is standing on the side (note: that right now, Jon does not wear any translation-earplugs... so if in the following text somebody talks German, I'll note it separately, so you'll know, that basically Jon didn't understand it.

Jon Bon Jovi: Hold on!

Thomas Gottschalk: I gotta, I gotta do it. It's so great. You don't HAVE to give away the guitar. But we...

Jon Bon Jovi: No, but... I know. We should do it anyway. We should give it away now.

Thomas Gottschalk: (in German) He wouldn't have to give it away... his guitar. But he says, he'll do it.

Jon Bon Jovi: Yah! (he rushes back to the band with a pen and signs the guitar - I think it's the black acoustic Takamine - while Bobby is holding it for him)

Thomas Gottschalk: (in German) So. Is Mr. mayor..? Mr. Mayor? The mayor of Leipzig... we definitely want... a lot of fans would be glad... we definitely want, that something will come in on this... (the mayor joins Thomas on stage now) Good evening, Wolfgang Tiefensee. Here in Leipzig there are a lot of corners where every buck is needed. Might it be for the kids, might it be for elderly people... (Jon comes back to Thomas and the mayor with the signed guitar and hands it to Thomas) That's an original Jon Bon Jovi, ... (Thomas turns it around upside down to show the signature to the mayor, so he's holding the neck towards Jon) look at it, just signed right here.

Jon Bon Jovi: Ah! (he sighs, grabs the guitar, gets it back, and pretends to walk off with it) Okay... (and hands it to the mayor)

Thomas Gottschalk: Ah! Is like a ... (in German:) It's like a baby to a musician.

The Mayor: (in German:) Very hearty thank yous!

Thomas Gottschalk: (in German:) Okay. You'll find a reason... (Jon hands his plektron to the mayor as well) with the plektron as well.

The Mayor: (in German:) We will put this guitar (he slightly jams the plektron across the strings kinda acknowledging it) up for a public auction quite soon. And the money for it, we'll use for the kids.

Thomas Gottschalk: Okay. (to Jon in English:) They're gonna use the money for kids and they're gonna give it away in an auction.

Jon Bon Jovi: Fantastic (he shakes the mayor's hand)

The Mayor: (in English:) Thank you, thank you very much. (he raises the guitar above his head to show to everybody)

Thomas Gottschalk: (motioning towards the mayor) Mr. Tiefensee, Mr. DeepBlue (note: "DeepBlue" is the exact translation of the name of the mayor "Tiefensee"). (in German:) Thankyou. Bye. So! Mr. Mayor.

Thomas and Jon walk back to the sofa, Jon shakes hands with Linda de Mol, who is now sitting on the sofa, and whom he hadn't met before, as she was changing into her soccer-outfit. Then he sits down inbetween her and Iris Berben

Thomas Gottschalk: (in English:) You know, it's a great song. (in German:) Okay, I'll get inbetween you two now (he gets seated inbetween Iris Berben and Mirja Sachs). Mirja, did you like the song? Beautiful, isn't it?

Mirja Sachs: (in German:) Very beautiful, indeed. Wonderful.

Gunther Sachs: (in German:) Beautiful.

Thomas Gottschalk: Take your... Janie, don't take your love to town.

Jon Bon Jovi: (putting his translating ear-plug back in and then pointing at Linda, who is still wearing the soccer-outfit) I didn't get to play soccer though!

Linda de Mol: (in English:) That would have been nice.

Jon Bon Jovi: I would have liked to get a shot.

Thomas Gottschalk: I wanted to swap shirts with her. But she said, she would swap with you, she likes your shirt better.

Jon Bon Jovi: She didn't go for it, huh?

Thomas Gottschalk: No. I fought for it, but I guess, it shouldn't have been. And our golf-guy, unfortunately you were right, it didn't happen. Jon, you do see things clear.

Then Thomas goes on doing the show. A comedian "surprisingly" shows up and does an impersonation of a typical stupid German guy, who has just come back from a trip to Mallorca.

Thomas Gottschalk: (returning to the sofa from "chasing away" the comedian; to Jon in English) That's Germany. Yeah, Mallorca. Have you ever been in Mallorca?

Jon Bon Jovi: Yeah, I've been in Mallorca.

Thomas Gottschalk: A-ha. You also fell into the sangria, no?

Jon Bon Jovi: Very nice, yeah.

Thomas Gottschalk: He likes it. Yes, Mr. Audience-candidate, Excuse me, how was this with the Trabbis (note: that is a sort of car which was involved in the audience-bet)? We definitely got to... we will talk about the Trabbis... Jon, you also have to go, don't you?

Jon Bon Jovi: Yeah.

Thomas Gottschalk: Yes, those are all these young people, that fly with private jets somewhere in the world. (in English:) Jon, it was a pleasure,

Jon Bon Jovi: Thanks!

Thomas Gottschalk: (in English:) It IS still a pleasure.

Jon Bon Jovi: It's always great to see you.

Thomas Gottschalk: (in English:) But don't tell me, there's a lady waiting out there.

Jon Bon Jovi: There's an airplane waiting out there.

Thomas Gottschalk: (in German:) A-ha! So, there's not a blonde, it's a plane waiting. Thank you. (in English:) Thanks for being here. Always a pleasure. Bye bye.

Jon Bon Jovi: Great, thank you. (Jon is shaking hands with everybody before leaving the hall with another big cheer and applause)

Thomas Gottschalk: I know how to do that. Scare away good looking men, huh? Look at it! Two tried it. Nobody survives the rest. Gunther, you stay seated, I can get arranged with you, Mirja will hold him back. (note: in addition I might add, that Gunther Sachs is quite old, like in his 60s or something)