"Ding Dong USA" shoot with Viola Tami "We ended up eating ice cream with Gene Simmons in his kitchen"
Viola Tami and her crew were the first to drive an old Lincoln from Los Angeles to Palm Springs for the "Ding Dong Special USA".
Image: SRF
Presenter Viola Tami (l.) and TV colleague Jan Fitze (r.) visited Gene Simmons from Kiss at home in his villa. Also in the picture are his wife Shannon (2nd from left) and Swiss architect Roger Kurath (2nd from right)
Image: SRF
Viola Tami and Jan Fitze with their team at Gene Simmons from Kiss in Los Angeles.
Image: zVg/Viola Tami
Hollywood cameraman Ueli Steiger ("Day After Tomorrow") and make-up artist Thomas Nellen ("The Patriot") also opened their doors to the "Ding Dong" team.
Image: SRF
Viola Tami and her crew also stopped by globetrotter and earthshipper Deborah Binder. Earthships are self-sufficient buildings that are heated and cooled using passive solar energy. They use natural and recycled building materials and are independent of external energy, water and wastewater supplies.
Image: SRF
The TV format "Ding Dong" even has a star on the Walk of Fame - just kidding.
Image: SRF
Back on the Californian coast, the TV team visits the American couple with Swiss roots Dieter Trattmann and his partner Craig. They live in the historic Betty Crocker House. The famous radio and TV chef Betty Crocker, the American equivalent of Betty Bossi, used to broadcast from here.
Image: SRF
Viola Tami and her crew were the first to drive an old Lincoln from Los Angeles to Palm Springs for the "Ding Dong Special USA".
Image: SRF
Presenter Viola Tami (l.) and TV colleague Jan Fitze (r.) visited Gene Simmons from Kiss at home in his villa. Also in the picture are his wife Shannon (2nd from left) and Swiss architect Roger Kurath (2nd from right)
Image: SRF
Viola Tami and Jan Fitze with their team at Gene Simmons from Kiss in Los Angeles.
Image: zVg/Viola Tami
Hollywood cameraman Ueli Steiger ("Day After Tomorrow") and make-up artist Thomas Nellen ("The Patriot") also opened their doors to the "Ding Dong" team.
Image: SRF
Viola Tami and her crew also stopped by globetrotter and earthshipper Deborah Binder. Earthships are self-sufficient buildings that are heated and cooled using passive solar energy. They use natural and recycled building materials and are independent of external energy, water and wastewater supplies.
Image: SRF
The TV format "Ding Dong" even has a star on the Walk of Fame - just kidding.
Image: SRF
Back on the Californian coast, the TV team visits the American couple with Swiss roots Dieter Trattmann and his partner Craig. They live in the historic Betty Crocker House. The famous radio and TV chef Betty Crocker, the American equivalent of Betty Bossi, used to broadcast from here.
Image: SRF
"Ding Dong" emigrates: Viola Tami and Jan Fitze visit rock stars and filmmakers in America - and fight with an unruly car. A shoot full of surprises.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- "Ding Dong" is filming a special season in the USA, in which Viola Tami and Jan Fitze meet rock legend Gene Simmons and Hollywood cameraman Ueli Steiger, among others.
- Breakdowns during filming: An unreliable car caused numerous problems
- The trip took the team from Malibu to New Mexico. The program "Ding Dong - Special USA" will be broadcast on SRF 1 on March 1 at 8.05 pm.
The Swiss TV format "Ding Dong" ventures abroad. In this special season of the SRF program, Viola Tami and her colleague Jan Fitze not only visit Swiss houses and villas - this time their adventure takes them to the USA, the land of dreams.
There, rock legend Gene Simmons from Kiss personally opens the door to his villa for them. The TV crew also gets an exclusive look at the Hollywood couple, cameraman Ueli Steiger ("The Day After Tomorrow") and make-up artist Thomas Nellen.
However, filming was no walk in the park, as Viola Tami reveals to blue News.
What challenges or unexpected moments did you encounter during filming?
Viola Tami: Our car had its very own idea of adventure. The engine was a bitch, we had to constantly override it - a real test of patience. At some point, smoke started coming out of the hood. I stood there with the camera behind me and just thought: 'Okay, in Hollywood movies, this car is going to explode!
You drove around a lot and met lots of celebrities. Which encounter was your highlight?
Definitely our visit to rock legend Gene Simmons. The plan was: one hour. The result? Almost three. It was like we were old friends. We ended up standing in the kitchen with him and his wife eating ice cream - pretty surreal. I was allowed to move freely around the house. The two of them were so relaxed that I almost forgot that I was in the home of one of the biggest rock stars.
What is Gene Simmons like in private?
Every sentence is a one-liner, every answer a statement - Gene is a rock star through and through. No matter what others think, he just stays himself.
And how does he live?
Everything is completely mirrored - privacy is important to him. But once he starts talking, he really gets into it. He has a wealth of legendary anecdotes up his sleeve. You really have to be on your toes in conversation, otherwise he'll verbally smash the bass around your ears.
How does filming in the USA differ from filming in Europe?
The distances. In Europe you just drive to the next location, in the USA it can be a day's journey. We were constantly on the move, often it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere.
Among other things, you drove a Cybertruck. How does that feel?
The steering wheel is square, completely unusual. But an absolute highlight. We drove the thing through the deserts of New Mexico. It feels a bit like you've suddenly landed in a science fiction movie.
Are there any more specials planned?
We'll be packing our bags again in April. Let's see what houses and surprises await us this time.
What you can expect from "Ding Dong Special USA"
First, the crew drives from Los Angeles to Palm Springs in an old Lincoln. Once there, they visit Swiss music video producer Dieter Trattmann and his partner. Surrounded by rugged rock formations and palm trees, the couple have created a retreat full of design objects.
Back in L.A., "Ding Dong" receives its own star on the "Walk of Fame" in Hollywood. The team then visits Swiss cameraman Ueli Steiger ("The Day After Tomorrow") and his life partner, make-up artist Thomas Nellen. Their lovingly furnished house in Silver Lake is a green oasis of calm and is also home to Thomas Nellen's make-up studio.
Swiss architect Roger Kurath brings the moderation duo Viola Tami and Jan Fitze to rock star Gene Simmons in Malibu. Simmons is the bassist and co-lead singer in the band Kiss.
In Santa Fe, Jan and Viola smoke a peace pipe with the Swiss Anna Montoya in an adobe house. Nearby, fabulous houses have been built from car tires and beer bottles that are completely self-sufficient. Here they meet the visionary Michael Reynolds and the German globetrotter Deborah Binder.
Back on the Californian coast, they finally visit an American couple with Swiss roots who live in the historic "Betty Crocker House". It was from here that the famous radio and TV chef Betty Crocker, the American version of Betty Bossi, used to broadcast.
The journey ends on Dieter Trattmann's luxury yacht in search of dolphins.
