Author: bestmedeal

Idina Menzel is getting real about the difficulties of trying to have a secondchild through IVF.

The star of stage and screen, 51, shares her story in the upcomingdocumentary, Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage?, streaming Dec. 9 onDisney+. In it, viewers watch as she embarks on a 16-show national tour in2018, while, simultaneously, going through multiple rounds of in-vitrofertilization.

“There’s a fine line between me being vulnerable and exposing too much,” shetold InStyle about sharing her IVF struggles with the world. “I want womento feel like they’re being seen and heard. And for people to understand thatexperience a lot of us go on, how emotional it is, what it does to our bodiesand how it affects us day to day, let alone trying to sing high notes and geton stage.”

In trying to conceive a child with her second husband, Aaron Lohr, Menzel> says she went through several rounds of IVF — one of several techniques> available to help people with fertility problems, in which eggs are removed> from a woman’s ovaries, fertilized with sperm in a lab and then returned as> embryos to the womb.

Sadly, all of the rounds were unsuccessful.

“For some reason, I was arrogant. The doctors did say it [was] late, but [Iseemed] to have a really good chance,” she said. “They sort of filled my headwith all this stuff that I was going to be like one in a hundred women thatactually gets pregnant at my age. Because I’m a competitive person [I thought]I’m going to do it.”

Each rejection was another layer of disappointment for the actress, who was 48when she decided to stop trying altogether.

“At a certain time, you’re exhausted emotionally and physically. It becomesapparent that it is just time to let that go and move on,” she said of theexperience, admitting she “didn’t 100%” want a second child at her age given“how hard that would be for me at this age and knowing a lot of things that Istill want to do in my career.”

“When it doesn’t happen, you’re upset,” she added. That’s when “you realizehow much you want it.”

Story continues

Menzel, already mom to 13-year-old son Walker with ex-husband Taye Diggs, saysbeing a parent has enriched her life — including the approach she brings toher stage work.

“Before I had Walker, I was more rigid,” she said. “My sleep pattern had to bea certain way so I could be in good voice. I wouldn’t travel right before ashow, because the air pressure on the airplane affects the dryness of yourvoice. I was harder on myself, more of a perfectionist.

“When I had Walker all that went out the window,” she continued. “You say toyourself, ‘My kid had a fever last night. I’m probably going to get his coldand it’s going to fuck up in my mind what a perfect show it is.’ Once I wascompletely liberated by it, I would get on stage and tell myself, ‘OK, let’ssee what happens.’ As a result, I ended up having better shows because I tookthe perfection out of it.”

While reflecting on her experience, Menzel is grateful for women like JenniferAniston, who are opening up about their IVF struggles, as it’s something shefeels needs to be spoken of more.

“Perhaps the fact that this is coming to light from different women — it’sjust something that needs to be explored,” she said. “It’s probably a signfrom the universe that we need to discuss it and have this conversation.”

Menzel has always used her platform to speak about the issues faced by womenand mothers. In August 2021, she told Yahoo Life that motherhood had made heraware of some of her own flaws.

“The things I need to work on are not being too controlling, listening more,not trying to solve everything,” she explained at the time. “Sometimes[Walker] will tell me something … if there’s a kid that’s bullying him orsomething, I’ll say, “Well, let’s think about what that kid might be goingthrough.” And he’ll say, ‘Mom, can you just be on my side for once?'”

“Sometimes, kids, they don’t want to hear the other perspective, you know,they just want you to support them and be there for them,” she continued. “Andso, in an effort to make this fully rounded human being and teach them thatthere are all different perspectives to people and humanity, sometimes Iforget that our kids just want to be heard.”

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SintbytesShort updates from the stars on social media: we love it. In theShowbytes section, the show editors scour the web for the craziest, mostbeautiful and most striking posts by well-known Dutch people and celebrities.Today in the sign of Sinterklaas. This article is refreshed throughout theday.

Ferry Somogyi hire as Sinterklaas? Then be obedient, because’ whoever issweet gets treats, whoever is naughty is the roe ‘ __ does not apply to theactor.

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You really don’t have to be an adult to play Sinterklaas and Piet, as the kidsprove Danny Froger.

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Internet sensation Organ joke brings some cheer early in the day with herSinterklaas song.

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Patricia Pay prefers Christmas, but a photo with Piet is of course alwaysfun for Instagram.

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Fred Van Leer used to love dressing up in a dress. The fact that he alsolooked like Sinterklaas was a nice bonus.

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The pregnant Sarah Cronis was there early: she already celebratedChristmas Eve yesterday. And that suited her more than fine.

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Has Wendy van Dyke Trying so hard on all the presents, there’s a furryfour-legged friend who couldn’t hold back.

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You would almost think that a visit from the real Sint is no longer necessaryin the house Lantinga.

Less than a month after Johnny Depp filed his formal appeal of some of theverdict in his sweeping defamation case against Amber Heard, his _Rum diary_co-star now has put her own brief in the Virginia courts.

And Heard’s new-ish lawyers are flying the flag of the First Amendment andtaking trial court Judge Penney Azcarate to task, repeatedly.

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“The trial court erroneously refused to dismiss this action on the ground of_forum non conveniens_ , based on its mistaken conclusion that Depp’s claimsarose in Virginia because the Washington Post’s servers are located here,”said Jay Ward Brown and David L. Axelrod in the November 23 filed document.“The trial court also erred in overruling Heard’s demurrer, in which sheargued that the challenged statements are non-actionable expressions ofopinion and are not reasonably capable of conveying the alleged defamatoryimplication,” the Constitutional law specializing DC-based Ballard Spahr LLPattorneys added (read the appeal here).

“That holding, if allowed to stand, will undoubtedly have a chilling effect onother women who wish to speak about abuse involving powerful men.”

Further lambasting Judge Azcarate for improperly instructing the jury in theFairfax County case that end almost entirely in Depp’s favor on June 1, and“excluding highly probative evidence and by admitting irrelevant andprejudicial evidence,” Heard’s appeal seeks to have the more than $10 millionverdict against her reversed or tossed out for a new trial.

“This case also should never have gone to trial because another court hadalready concluded that Depp abused Heard on multiple occasions,” the 68-pagebrief of appellant states. “After Depp filed this case, the United KingdomHigh Court of Justice ruled in a separate defamation action brought by Deppthat Heard’s abuse allegations were true,” the appeal notes of the ultimatelyunsuccessful libel suit the ex- Pirates of the Caribbean star broughtagainst Rupert Murdoch’s The Sun tabloid in 2018 for calling him a “wife-beater” in print.

Story continues

“The trial court should have given preclusive effect to that 129-pagedecision, which followed a three-week trial at which Depp, Heard, and 24 otherwitnesses tested,” the ___Aquaman_ star’s latest filing says.

Depp sued his ex-wife Heard in March 2019 for $50 million over a late 2018_Washington Post_ op-ed under Heard’s byline. In the piece, the American CivilLiberties Union ambassador wrote about becoming a “public figure representingdomestic abuse.”

While Heard never actually mentioned her ex-huband by name in the piece in theJeff Bezos-owned broadsheet, the litigious past Depp insisted the op-ed“devastated” his already dwindling career. In his initial suit and subsequentfilings, Depp declared he was in fact the one who was abused in the couple’srelationship. The actor repeated that assertion on the stand during theVirginia trial. Oddly, Depp said nothing of the sort during he and Heard’srestraining order-loaded 2016 divorce – even before the $7 million settlementbetween the two effectively forbid him from doing so.

Failing to get the matter tossed or moved to another jurisdiction likeCalifornia Heard countersued Depp for $100 million in the summer of 2020. InNovember 2020, the UK High Court handed Depp a stinging loss in the caseagainst The Sun. Since then, attempts at an appeal of that side of theAtlantic has proven a dead letter office for Depp.

After both parties promising to appeal within hours of the jury’s verdict onJune 1, in early November, Depp filed his own appeal in the Virginia case.“This Court should reverse the judgment on Ms. Heard’s Counterclaim as to theApril 27 Waldman Statement, but should otherwise affirm the judgment in Mr.Depp’s favor,” declared the November 3 filing in Virginia’s Court of Appealsof the $2 million that the Virginia jury awarded Heard in a countersuit claim.

Besides that single counterclaim in the seven-week defamation trial, theseven-person panel found heavily for Depp. Fueled by fans in and outside thecourt, the past Oscar nominee was awarded $10 million in compensatory damagesand $5 million in punitive damages. Before releasing the jury, Judge Azcaratereduced the punitive damages figure to $350,000, the maximum allowed in thestate.

Striking at the time, that $2 counterclaim award could prove the Achille’sheel for the initial case, at least if Heard’s legal team get their way.

“The resulting jury verdict against Heard on all of Depp’s claims cannot bereconciled with the jury verdict against Depp on Heard’s counterclaim,”declares Heard’s appeal from just before Thanksgiving.

“To find in favor of Depp, the jury must have concluded that Depp did notabuse Heard and that Heard knowingly lied in accusing him of abuse,” the densedocument says. “But, to find in favor of Heard, the jury must have concludedthat Heard told the truth about being a victim of domestic abuse by Depp.Accordingly, the verdict against Heard cannot stand.”

With both Depp and Head having now filed their respective appeals, you’d thinkthings would move along at a brisk pace, at least by the measure of theAmerican justice system.

Not so much in this case.

Under Virginia law, a group of judges will now decide the merits of bothappeals. Depending on how that goes, and who is left disappointed, Heard andDepp can take the matter to the Commonwealth’s Supreme Court. Which means itwill be years before this is settled, if it ever really is.

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TikTok is under the spell of the new Netflix series ‘Wednesday’, in whichJenna Ortega plays the lead role of Wednesday Addams. In addition to hericonic dance moves, many special beauty looks are also reviewed. Gothic-likemake-up with a smokey eye is very popular again. The makeup artist responsiblefor the looks in the popular series revealed how you can recreate themyourself.

‘Wednesday’ is the most watched and most discussed series of the moment. Notonly the acting skills, but also the style and make-up of Jenna Ortega asWednesday Addams conquer hearts all over the world. For example, the hashtag#WednesdayAddamsMakeUp on TikTok has already garnered 38 million views. Inshort: the gothic look is cool, and you don’t have to wait until Halloween forthat.

Beauty expert Cat Quinn of MAC Cosmetics shared on TikTok and Instagram theexact products used for Wednesday’s looks in the series. They were told to herby the hair and makeup artist of the show itself, Tara McDonald.

Here’s how to recreate Jenna Ortega’s makeup look from ‘Wednesday’:

Step 1: The desired effect for the face was “half dead, but still freshand modern,” according to Cat Quinn. So makeup artist Tara McDonald applied atransparent foundation to keep the skin tone pale. The freckles you see onWednesday are therefore completely natural. And to make Jenna’s cheekbonessharper than the character’s fencing sword, she used MAC Cosmetics’ SculptingPowder in the colors Sculpt ($26) and Shadowy ($22).

Step 2: Thanks to the Netflix series ‘Wednesday’, the smokey eye iscompletely in again and especially accentuates Jenna’s big eyes. All you needfor this are three MAC eyeshadows in the colors Script, Carbon (22 euros) andGlitch in the Matrix (22 euros). The color Script is unfortunately no longeravailable, but the MAC eyeshadow in the color Soft Brown (21.95 euros) wouldhave almost the same shade. The make-up artist first applied it to Jenna’seyelid, in the eye crease and on the lower eye. Then she also added someblack, Carbon, just below the eye. You get a smokey eye-like effect byapplying the color Glitch in the Matrix as a kind of eyeliner. Then completeyour look with some mascara.

Step 3: The idea behind Wednesday’s dark lips was to make them appear asnatural as possible, according to McDonald. “I didn’t want it to look like shewas wearing lipstick.” The technique used is simple, but effective. You onlyneed the MAC lip pencil in the color Nightmoth (22 euros) and combine it witha transparent lip balm. The makeup artist revealed that she likes Dr. Pawpaw(7.95 euros) used. Mix the two products on your hand or in a jar and dab it onyour lips with a finger for a soft, natural effect.

ShowbizThe Prince was not there. The check for 35,000 does. At the launch ofhis new book, photographer Henk van Cauwenbergh and Princess Delphineauctioned two works for the benefit of Prince Emmanuel de Merode’s ‘VirungaPark’. “This means a lot to us and to the animals,” it sounded in a messagefrom Congo, where the rebels are holding our Belgian prince ‘hostage’.

An evening in tuxedo. With a princess in gala and a prince who appeared onscreen in khaki green uniform. Showbiz photographer Henk van Cauwenbergh hasreleased a brand new photo book with ‘L’art de vivre en Provence’ and linked avery remarkable promotion to its launch in the casino in Knokke. After dinnerthere was an auction, the proceeds of which go entirely to the park with themountain gorillas.

Princess Delphine during the auction © Photonews.com

“I came into contact with that project thanks to my friend (chocolatier and TVface) Dominique Persoone,” says the photographer. “He started a cocoaplantation and chocolate factory in the park in the past two years to providethe local population with an income.”

The photographer auctioned off a bronze gorilla statue by artist SamuelAllerton and also teamed up with Princess Delphine. “I took a picture of thebridge in Arles painted by Vincent Van Gogh in 1888 and Delphine paintedaround it in her well-known style. These two works were auctioned as a packageamong those present and raised 35,000 euros. That money goes entirely to theVirunga park. Initially, the prince would be here himself, but the currentsituation with the rebels did not allow that.”

Henk Van Cauwenbergh during the auction © Photonews.com

After the auction, the Belgian prince was suddenly there. Albeit digital.“Virunga is the most beautiful place in the world,” it said in a videomessage. “A place of great diversity with mountain gorillas, lowland gorillasand chimpanzees on the one hand, but also the okapis in the North and allsavannah animals on the other. These animals need to be protected and that isoften accompanied by tragic sacrifices by our Congolese Rangers. Since thebeginning of the conflict here, 204 of them have lost their lives. But ourwork pays off. The highland gorillas population has since tripled. So I wouldlike to say a big thank you to Henk, Dominique and everyone present.”

The gorilla figurine © Photonews.com

Princess Delphine’s artwork © Photonews.com

READ ALSO:

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW. Belgian prince and director Virungapark, Emmanuel deMerode: With a bar of chocolate against violence (+)

Princess Delphine candid about family ties: “You can’t just get rid of a childonce you have it”(+)

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The accused Mohamed Abrini asks the floor of the assize chair to complainabout the conditions of the transport of the accused from prison to thecourtroom.

According to Abrini, this is done in a humiliating way and that was better atthe trial in Paris. Abrini talks about, among other things, being naked, beingblindfolded and “satanic music”. “If this continues, I will not answer thequestions,” said Abrini. “My blood is boiling,” says the accused. The assizechair says that this does not fall within the powers of the court.

Some lawyers also take the floor and complain about the treatment of theirclients. Their anus is also being examined. According to them, this makes aproper process difficult and they threaten to take legal action against theMinistry of Justice. Should the process be postponed already?

Alemania tenia eso. En tres de sus cuatro campeonatos mundiales ganó sin serel mejor equipo: en 1950 era mejor Hungría; and 1974, Holanda; and 1990,Inglaterra (que no llegó a la final). Sí fue probablemente superior a lasdemás selecciones en su cuarto trofeo, el de 2014. Pero para entonces, pese al7-1 endosado a Brasil en semifinales, ya no aterrorizaba a los adversarios.Algo habia cambiado.

Los aficionados al fútbol esperan determinadas cosas de las selecciones másprestigiosas. A Brasil, por ejemplo, se le dan por supuestas virtudes como latécnica y la creatividad. De ahí que su victoria en 1994, con un equipo tancínico y defensivo (dirigía el juego Dunga, con eso está dicho todo) como paraganar a Italia a base de cinismo, defensa y tanda de penaltis, fuera de algunaforma decepcionante. Italia, en cambio, necesita sufrir el desprecio de los_tifosi_ y llegar hundida a un torneo (como ocurrió en 1982 y 2006) paraolvidarse de la especulación y desplegar su talento.

Alemania, por su parte, puede en cierta forma atribuirse la invención de loque hoy se llama falso nueve. Jugaba con uno o dos delanteros centro y elresto de los jugadores, salvo el portero, eran falsos nueves porque en teoríaocupaban demarcaciones en la defensa o el medio campo; en la práctica, cuandohacía falta, eran todos arietes. En la Eurocopa de 1980, hasta Bernd Schusterremataba de cabeza como si fuera lo suyo. Quizá su fútbol no resultarademasiado estetico. Pero quien vio la semifinal Alemania-Italia de 1970 (elmejor partido en la historia de los Mundiales) no olvidó nunca la capacidad delucha de los alemanes.

En 1990, Gary Lineker pronunció aquella famosa phrase: “El fútbol es undeporte simple que inventaron los ingleses, en el que juegan 11 contra 11 ysiempre gana Alemania”.

Mas informacion

En 2004, tras una larga sequía de títulos, la federación alemana contrató comoseleccionador a Jürgen Klinsmann para que cambiara el estilo de juego. Habíaque modernizarse. Balón raso, movilidad, técnica. And la Mannschaft ya nocabrían nunca más gigantones como Hrubesch o Briegel.

Klinsmann no gano nada. Su ayudante y sucesor, Joachim Löw, sí ganó algo, elMundial de 2014. También perdió definitivamente algo que importaba: lacapacidad de lanzar sobre el área contraria a un puñado de cabeceadoresfuribundos. En la Eurocopa de 2008, Alemania había comprobado ya que si setrataba simplemente de jugar bien, había quien lo hacía mejor. En ese caso,España. And los dos últimos torneos mundiales, Alemania ha sido eliminada enla phase de grupos. And Qatar se presentó sin ningún nueve, ni auténtico nifalseso. Maxima modernidad. Maximo Fracaso.

On the folding chair: radio DJ Gerard Ekdom (44). He is one of the presentersof the Top 4000 on Radio 10 from Sunday. An interview based on keywords abouthis stage duet with Meat Loaf, his mother’s love for Julio Iglesias and theprimal power of Bohemian Rhapsody.

Stefan RaatgeverDecember 3, 202203:00

Utrecht

“My city anyway. Although I grew up in Bilthoven and have been living in Soestfor years now. But Utrecht was the center of our attention when I was growingup. Eating out every Sunday at Alessandro and Rita’s pizzeria in the center.And when possible to the record store of course. The first time I wanted_Thriller_ of Michael Jackson, but my father thought it was too expensive. Igot the single from Beat It. Also nice, but different.”

“My parents had a flower shop in Bilthoven. My mother determined the music inthe store and at home. Often the radio, but at home her own music. She had aneclectic taste, ranging from Arie Ribbens to Julio Iglesias. When there wereparties at home, she managed the record player. On Barry Whites You ‘re theFirst, the Last, My Everything was danced. I heard that from my bedroomupstairs, because by then I was already in bed.”

Junk bomb

“My first program at the Bilthoven Local Broadcasting Foundation. I was 14years old, had done a voice test and was allowed to try it. I couldn’t believemy luck. You had at the time Ringing bumpkin with Jeroen van Inkel and also_Ronflonflon_ with Jacques Ceiling. I also wanted something like that. So thatwas Junk bomb with Gerard Ekdom.”

“It was Saturday, November 28, 1992, two o’clock in the afternoon and off Iwent. Flying for the first time. I remember everything about that broadcast.The first plate was RadarLove of the Golden Earring. And then came Be MyBaby by Vanessa Paradis, because that was Bilthoven’s most popular album thatweek. I had done my own research on the street, read: the schoolyard. Well, Idid have my own item. As I walked out of the studio, I thought everyone in thevillage had heard me. It was somewhat disappointing that life turned out tohave continued as normal.”

4:44 am

“The alarm time of my alarm clock. I have a love-hate relationship with wakingup early. I get to do what I love to do, make radio. And at a very prominenttime. But I am naturally a night owl. Getting up early is just hard for me.Especially now that it’s dark and cold outside. What I do like: the morningshow immediately means peaks. At the end of the morning I slowly sink in andafter lunch I have a siesta. Then part two of the day begins. I actuallyalways stretch that too long. I should be in between eight and nine, but itregularly gets to half past eleven.”

Ridiculously cozy

“That’s what you could call the atmosphere in the studio, yes. With me it isalways 32 degrees and clear blue. I look for laughter as much as possible.When the pandemic broke out, after a while I realized: we have to work aroundthis. The program became too heavy. Of course it was in the news bulletins,but otherwise I didn’t drop the word corona anymore. Our show had to be a kindof cheerful antidote. Soon all morning shows adopted that method. We are doingthe same with the war now. I notice from my listeners that they really likethat, a world without all that misery for a while.”

Lennon

“My eldest son. Or do you mean the musician? My Lennon is named, yes. I playedthe number on the radio Beautiful Boy by John Lennon. Nicole was pregnant,we knew of a boy. I listened through the headphones to that song, which endswith Lennon whispering to his son. Then I knew for sure: it had to be Lennon.My mother was still alive then, but we knew she didn’t have long. We were theonly ones who told her the name. My father was not allowed to know and she didnot tell him. Unfortunately, she did not live to see Lennon’s birth.”

4000

“Sting said when he opened the list in 2020: ‘ Top 4000? That ‘s a lot ofsongs‘. And he was right. We’ll do it in three weeks. On Christmas Eve weplay the number 1. The records are often the same at the top, but at thebottom you will find the nicest and most surprising songs. In my first editionI was allowed to play the number 4000. Then that was Frank Stallone with Farfrom over. Goodbye plate! And also nice: that large amount of songscompletely shakes you up musically. We go from the White Stripes to the DollyDots and from Muse to Dua Lipa. There are many lists, that’s true. But I thinkthis is the nicest of them all.”

Julio Iglesias

“My mother’s favourite. She had his entire oeuvre on LP. Every time I hear hismusic, I’m that little boy in our parent’s house again. I was going tointerview Iglesias in 2003 for 3FM about his new record Divorcio. At therecord company they said, Why don’t you invite your parents? Great idea.Especially because my mother, she had ALS, was already seriously ill. WhenIglesias heard she was there, he immediately said, ” Bring me to her!’ Thereis a picture of my mother on his lap. Fortunately, I recorded not only theinterview, but also the conversations surrounding it. Very dear to hear mymother talk to Julio.”

Ecdoom

“The basement under our house. I have 310 meters of CDs. I had the planks cutmyself at Karwei. And then there are a few large cabinets with vinyl and Ihave my own studio, where I can record my broadcasts in an emergency. And,very handy in times of corona, my own bar with pinball machine and – a jokefrom a few friends – even a pole dancing pole.”

“I can sometimes sit here for hours. Rotate plates. Wonderfully relaxing. Butyes, if we ever move to a smaller house, I will have to seriously think aboutwhat to do with it. My first suggestion? I fear the dumpster.”

Forced sale

“Yes, it seems that way now that Minister Adriaansens has decided that acompany may only have three stations on FM. Talpa has four: Veronica, SkyRadio, 538 and us. Radio 10 is going really well. I don’t think Talpa doubtsthat. But such a message naturally causes a lot of unrest, because nobodyknows exactly what will happen.”

“And next year’s FM frequency auction creates even more uncertainty. Last yearmany DJs switched stations. Imagine you’ve switched, think you’re in calmwaters for a moment and then hear this news: ‘Oh my God, now this again!’ Icannot predict how it will all turn out, but it will be an exciting year.”

Bohemian Rhapsody

“Last year number 1 and again this year; always a safe bet. I think peoplevote mainly for nostalgic reasons. They like to hear what they already knowand it gives structure: ‘Queen was always number 1 and so it has to be again,otherwise it’s not right’.”

“I remember when I presented the Top 2000 at Radio 2 and Imagine by JohnLennon came to 1 after the Paris attacks in 2015. Everyone was angry! And wewere blamed because we had Imagine promoted, angry listeners thought. Thefollowing year it went back to normal Bohemian Rhapsody. ”

Meatloaf

“I was on stage in what was then the Heineken Music Hall. I interviewed him inthe Work vitamins on 3FM. He could be grumpy, but then he was in a greatmood. I told about an LP he didn’t have. He asked if I wanted to bring itbefore his show.”

“He was so happy that he said that we would do a song together that night. Ididn’t believe it, but once in the hall I was beckoned: if I wanted to standready in the wings. And then he announced to me: ‘ You may not know his face,but you all know his voice! ‘ I didn’t know what to do, but was given atambourine and a line of lyrics: the chorus of Johnny B Goode.”

Rock and roll

“Wine is a hobby of mine. I’m not a big drinker, but I have some niceBurgundies in my fridge. The wine for the rock and roll collection is importedfrom France. I made a playlist for each bottle, artist Selwyn Senatoridesigned the labels. The rolle is another name for the vermentino grape. It isin all wines, except the red ones. So it’s called Rebel.”

Spain

“I’m going to emigrate one day, I’m sure. I already have a permanent addresswhere I often come, it’s my escape. Charging for a week at the Spanish plugand then back. We first came there in 1990 and it was love at first sight: thepeople, the mentality, the climate, the food, the wine. I’m just happy whenI’m there. Maybe emigrating is a bit exaggerated, but I will hopefully bethere for large periods of the year later.”

Gary Fomdeck

“My alter ego! Yes yes I am a real one one-day fly. But one with a number 1hit. It started with a plan for Serious Request in the Glass House of 3FM in2014. We were almost able to draw up that action by now, so we were lookingfor something new. It had to be a Christmas hit, but a secret one.

“I said to producer Arno Krabman: ‘It should sound like the whole eighties puttogether.’ And as a storyline, I knew: he’s gone, she’s home, and they misseach other. Arno came up with it musically. That already sounded good. Then weordered pizza. Before it was delivered, we had finished the text: I ‘ll bethere this Christmas.”

“The joke was that more and more 3FM colleagues started playing the song, butnobody realized it was me. It wasn’t until the Glass House that I revealed Iwas behind Gary Fomdeck. I needed a bottle of wine to properly record thevocals, but I’m really proud of that song.”

The Top 4000 can be heard daily on Radio 10 from Sunday 12 noon. Ekdomalso presents the Top 4000 Music Quiz. Tonight, 9.30 pm on SBS6.

“Aunque fuera como Messi, no lo llamo. Puede arruinar el ambiente. Ya le heperdonado dos veces, una tercera es demasiado”, sentenció el balcánico sobreel jugador del Chelsea, que a su vez había renunciado. Al final, la cuerda serompió por donde casi siempre (el banquillo) y allí llegó este joven que notardó en recuperar al futbolista, fijo en qatar y autor de un gol ante losnorteamericanos. En la Copa del Mundo, Regragui se presentó con solo tresamistosos en el banquillo marroquí y, pase lo que pase este martes frente aEspaña (4pm, La 1 y Movistar), de Doha se marchará como el primer entrenadorárabe en llegar a los octavos, una cuestión nada menor en su país y en esemundo.

And Santander todavía se acuerdan de él. “Al Racing lo trajo en 2004 unojeador nuestro, Pachín, de un equipo francés [el Ajaccio]”, recuerda al vueloel doctor Javier Ceballos, durante muchos años en la enfermería del Sardinero.“Era un lateral derecho muy bueno, pero a los dos meses se rompió un tobillo,estuvo seis meses parado y ya no fue el mismo”, abunda el médico, que habladel entrenador con cariño y al que describe como un chaval “muy europeo ”(había nacido en la peripheria de Paris).

“Un tipo listo, que las veía venir, majo pero callado, y nunca una malapalabra pese a sufrir por la lesión. Yo lo llamaba el marroquiano. Hablábamosmucho de Mourinho, que era amigo mío”, se explaya Ceballos. Hicieron buenasmigas, cuenta, e incluso le deslizó la posibilidad de recomendarlo a laselección de Marruecos para la Copa África. “Ahí estaba Ezaki Badou, que fueportero del Mallorca [1987-92] y se llevaba bien con él. Pero el tema nosalió”, apunta. Al Cantábrico llegó con 29 años y se fue dos temporadas ymedio después con apenas 27 encuentros por culpa de los problemas físicos.Regresó a Francia (Dijon), donde hizo toda su carrera en conjuntos mediossalvo su experiencia española.

Los jugadores de Marruecos tocan la cabeza del seleccionador tras acceder aoctavos.MARKO DJURICA (REUTERS)

Como futbolista de élite lo había descubierto Rudi García, cuando jugaba en eljuvenil del Corbeil-Essonnes, y ya entonces, según ha desvelado después elextécnico de la Roma, Marsella y Lyon, mostraba interés por esas cuestionestan de entrenador como la táctica o la gestion de grupo. En los banquillos seestrenó, precisamente, como asistente en la selección (2012-13) y luegocontinuó en su país o en lugares de su entorno, incluido el Al-Duhail catarí,en cuyo estadio se ejercitan estos días sus jugadores. Justo antes de serelegido seleccionador, tocó techo al levantar la Liga de Campeones de Africacon el Wydad de Casablanca.

En septiembre, en el momento de montar su equipo de trabajo para los Leonesdel Atlas, quiso rodearse de marroquíes, pero con un toque europeo en otrasáreas. Y entonces apareció el preparador físico vigués de 54 años EduardoDomínguez, un freelance de la materia, según se define, tras pasar por elSporting, Espanyol, Real Sociedad, Deportivo, Mallorca y Villarreal, entreotros. No se conocían de nada, pero mantuvieron varios encuentros y lo eligió.Al Mundial, el español se ha llevado de ayudante a Juan Solla, de Redondela.

Una década lleva en la banda Walid Regragui, tiempo suficiente para irmatizando su programa inicial. “Con el tiempo he mejorado en estrategia dejuego: antes ponía mucho enfasis en la posesión y en mantener una presión dealta energía, pero me he vuelto más pragmático. Aprendes a adaptartedependiendo del potencial de un equipo”, explicaba nada más tomar posesión delpuesto en una entrevista con FIFA.

Y eso no fue lo único que debió cambiar. Se dio cuenta de que sus tiempos decorto, aquellos que compartió en la bahía de Santander con el doctor Ceballos,y los actuales no son los mismos: “Las mentalidades han cambiado, losjugadores son más individualistas. Me tengo que adaptar”, confesabarecentemente. Ahora, con Marruecos, su efecto ha sido, sobre todo, ambiental.Lo ficharon para devolver a la estrella al redil y el equipo se ha disparadoen el Mundial. Le espera Espana.

We haven’t seen him on TV for a while, but from Thursday Gordon will be backon SBS6 with the culinary program The Cooking Kluns. The presenter now livesin Dubai and travels to the Netherlands for the recordings. If it is up toGordon, he will continue to do so for a long time to come.

The Cooking Kluns was also shown last year, but then once and with RichardGroenendijk as presenter. Because of his theater show, the comedian had toskip this series, so Gordon was asked.

“I had to think about it for a while,” the presenter tells NU.nl. Gordon callsfrom the sunny Maldives, where he is on holiday. “I was a bit skeptical. Ifound it a bit uncomfortable that it was shot in a villa. But the location hasnow moved to a studio. And when I noticed how enthusiastic and motivated theparticipants are, I was completely sold.”

Gordon had to temporarily leave his new residence Dubai for the Netherlandsfor the recordings. The presenter moved to the emirate this year and is havinga great time there. “I now see Dubai as my home. I’m already completelysettled there, happy and happy.”

In The Cooking Kluns teams of three people with little or no cookingexperience have to prepare a three-course meal. Christmas and star worthy.They are supervised by Herman den Blijker or another star chef, but thosechefs are only allowed to give instructions via gestures on a screen andlimited vocal instructions. With interim assignments, the candidates canbriefly gain some extra speaking time for their supervisor.

‘I am mainly the cheerful note and disturbing factor’

Gordon has a lot of culinary experience thanks to his culinary training andhis restaurant Blushing, but he is not behind the stove himself. “OccasionallyI demonstrate some cutting techniques. But I am mainly the cheerful note andthe disturbing factor in the program, haha. I try to stir things up a bit. AndI can also taste the dishes in between.”

That is not without risk, because the participants really have no cheese whenit comes to cooking. “In advance, candidates have to do a small cooking test,such as baking a pancake. There was someone who put milk and flour in a fryingpan and just started stirring, haha. Unbelievable. A few hours later theysuddenly conjure up a star dish. That’s possible you really can’t imagine inthe beginning.”

If it’s up to the presenter, get The Cooking Kluns a sequel. “My contractwith Talpa will run for at least another year, so that would be nice. I say noto many things because it doesn’t suit me. But I am very happy with theprograms I am making now. From Down the Road (in which Gordon makes a roadtrip with young people with Down syndrome, ed.) A new series will be releasedin January. That program is so beautiful to do. I want to keep making it untilthe end of days. And there are two more fun formats coming up that I want todo.”

‘In Dubai I am nice and anonymous’

Gordon’s agenda is therefore quite full, but the presenter can relax well inDubai. “When I’m in the Netherlands, it’s hysteria. You know that people wantto take a picture with you and secretly film you. I enjoyed doing that for 35years, but I want to spend the rest of my life in a different way And thatgoes well for me. In Dubai I’m nice and anonymous, that’s worth so much tome.”

At least Gordon will be in Dubai at Christmas. “I have to tell you that I’mnot that busy with Christmas yet, I don’t know what I’m going to do yet. TheChristmas tree is already in the house, I’m going to put it up this week whenI’m back home. Creating the Christmas feeling in Dubai is fortunately not thatdifficult: there are Christmas trees everywhere and it is nicely decorated.”