Boris Becker to Beguile British Lads
October 17, 2005
Boris Becker's talk show on German television was not exactly a smashing success. It was cancelled after only 11 weeks. But the thirty-seven-year old, triple Wimbledon champion just won't give up. He refuses to stay home, sip his Bud in front of the TV set and grow a beer-belly like normal people do.
And why? Because show business is like seedless grapes: Once you taste the smooth fruits, you can't go back to the pit. Starting Oct. 24, the German tennis legend will join the British sports game show "They Think It's All Over" on BBC One as a team captain.
The popular quiz, in which two competing teams answer sports trivia questions, has been on air since 1995. It has won four National Television Awards in the UK and a host of avid, mostly male, followers with a penchant for crude humor that borders on the pubescent.
"I don't remember her name, but I think I've slept with her" is a regular comment during the show's photo-identity round.
I like potato, you like potahto
"I feel very honored," said Becker, adding that he hoped his German accents wouldn't be too off-putting to the British audiences.
Many Brits, although notoriously bad speakers of foreign languages -- second perhaps only to the Italians -- do believe that they have the monopoly on the correct pronunciation of English. Luckily enough for Boris, not all the show rounds will require much use of the Queen's English.
One of the most popular disciplines is called "Feel the Sportsman." In it, the blind-folded team captains are asked to guess the identity and sporting field of a mystery guest by, literally, groping in the dark. Now, that's real entertainment!
What could be more exciting than seeing Boris Becker feeling up somebody's mighty gluteus maximus?
It's not over till it's over?
The name of the show itself is a popular catchphrase in the UK. It was used by British sports commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme during the 1966 World Cup finals in which England beat West Germany with 4-2.
When the crowds started spilling onto the pitch in the last few seconds of the game, Wolstenholme exclaimed: "Some people are on the pitch… they think it's all over." At that moment, Geoff Hust scored his third goal in the match, the referee blew the whistle, and Wolstenholme could do nothing, but add: "IT IS NOW!"
Becker seems to be fond of the phrase. He gives it a personal, though slightly self-absorbed twist.
"People often thought it was all over with me, too, but I always managed to get up again," Becker said.
Fair enough. Even more importantly, though, Becker comes across as the right match for the show -- despite his sauerkraut accent. He is known for his scandalous escapades that British lads will be thrilled to chuckle over.
Remember when he had a quickie with a Russian-African model in a cupboard of a popular sushi bar in London? She got pregnant and he had to pay $5 million to avoid going to court.
Ah, good times! Pass the beer, please.