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Presenter Klaas Heufer-Umlauf interviewed Barack Obama in Zurich and Berlin in spring 2023.
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Klaas Heufer-Umlauf met former US President Barack Obama in 2023. In a podcast, he told us why the interview appealed to him and how he digressed during Obama's complex answers.
Klaas Heufer-Umlauf has already faced the most bizarre and dangerous challenges in front of the TV cameras. He has also long been used to dealing with international stars. On his show "Late Night Berlin", he has welcomed superstars such as Billie Eilish, Ed Sheeran and Will Smith.
So it came as a surprise that it was an interview offer of all things that made the presenter nervous. The reason for this was the high-caliber interview guest. Because it was none other than Barack Obama.
He has now revealed what it was like for him to meet and interview the former President of the USA in 2023 in a chat with Barbara Schöneberger (51). In her podcast "Frühstück bei Barbara", she asked the Oldenburg native in more detail: "So meeting Obama - you get a bit excited beforehand, don't you?"
«I was on vacation when I was asked. Then the relaxation was over for a while»
Klaas Heufer-Umlauf
Presenter
"Yes, of course. It's in English and sometimes it's a very specific topic that you discuss," admits Heufer-Umlauf. Nevertheless, he did not hesitate at the offer to interview the US politician. Even though he hardly had any time to prepare: "I was on vacation when I was asked. That was the end of my relaxation".
Nevertheless, refusing out of nervousness was out of the question. With the motto "We'll manage", the 41-year-old agreed. He remembers: "Then I hung up, then I got hot and cold and then I thought: 'Oh God, I think I've done something stupid!" He now knows: The meeting was a success. Nevertheless, the presenter points out: "If you had thought about it objectively from the start, you would have had to say, of course: Maybe there's a native speaker who could do a better job."
In particular, the sometimes long and complex answers from his celebrity counterpart were a challenge for him. However, this was not due to a supposed language barrier. The presenter explains: "It's a bit like driving a car for two hours on the highway and then catching yourself saying: 'Oh, now I haven't even thought about the fact that I'm driving!"
The former president is probably the "most photographed and most prominent person in the world", says Heufer-Umlauf. When you meet this person in person, you suddenly notice completely new details that are not visible in photos. At one point, the presenter caught himself "staring" at Barack Obama.
"He then talks something about healthcare reform and I think to myself: 'Oh look, he's got a pimple in that spot, I've never seen that before'", he reports. "Then I forget that I'm sitting there in a hall with 10,000 people watching!"
Looking back, Klaas summarizes succinctly: "We got along." The presenter met the US politician twice as part of the event "An Evening with President Barack Obama - Europe" in spring 2023. Once in Zurich and once in Berlin. "We could have gone on tour with the act," Klaas jokes. Barbara Schöneberger is certain: "He'll call you again. You're now his bridge to the young generation in Germany."
