Emil, you were honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Zurich Film Festival. The film is also about your life's work. How does that make you feel?

The price is pretty impressive, I have to be honest. I was actually quite surprised, although highlights like this happen to me often. As for the film, I never thought it could touch people so much. We didn't have a clear message for the film; we just let it flow and I would say the result is successful.

 

What do you like most about the film?

There are lots of funny little scenes that always surprise me when I see them. The best scene for me is the one where I sit at the piano with my wife Niccel and play the mini harmonica. That was without preparation, and yet a beautiful melody came out of it, namely the wonderful Swiss folk song ‘Lioba’.

 

When did you realise that you like to make people laugh?

I found that out when I was ten years old! Back then, I was an altar boy in church and often made little jokes. I also often told my colleagues impromptu stories on my way to school. They always laughed and waited for me to continue my stories after school.

 If my teacher stood me in front of the door during a lesson and I talked to him afterwards because I thought I was innocent, he would say: ‘Oh Emil, when I look at you, I always have to laugh.’ These were all indications that there was something that seemed to be working.

 

You have also performed your stage programmes in French. How difficult is it to be funny in a foreign language?

If you speak a little French, it's fine. French-speaking Switzerland is part of Switzerland, so it was a must for me. I translated my programme with simple words and just spoke as it came. It certainly wasn't perfect, but that's exactly what the audience liked. I once asked a theatre owner from French-speaking Switzerland whether what I was saying wasn't too wrong. He said: ‘It's wrong, but it has to be. Then it's also funny. Just don't change anything!’

 

You have already ended your career temporarily once and came back years later with a new programme, how did this decision come about?

It was actually a very organic development. After my time in New York, I wrote a book, ‘True Lies’. A bookseller asked me to do a reading, I did it and it was great fun. This was followed by further requests from booksellers.

In the end, I ended up in a bookshop in Cologne with an audience of 600, not all of whom could even see me. I thought it was a shame that it was so busy and that not everyone could see me because they were standing behind bookshelves. Then I decided to go back to a theatre where everyone could see me. This was followed by 900 performances over 15 years. You could say I was pushed a little.

 

You've been in the business for 70 years, what drives you?

I never wanted to be a cabaret artist. However, I was unhappy in my job at the post office and only kept it up because I performed cabaret in the evenings as a hobby. That went on for nine years, it was a tough but enjoyable time. As soon as I'm on stage and the spotlights are switched on, my creativity flows and then I have energy and drive. That has never diminished.

 

You lived in New York for several years. How does American humor differ from that of the Swiss?

I didn't get to know the humor of New Yorkers in the same way. On my first trip, I had no knowledge of English. I had one-to-one lessons with my teacher every morning from nine to one o'clock. That was hard, I would have preferred to visit New York during that time. But that was my destiny. When I was training to be a postal worker, I was always told that I had to speak Italian at the post office counter. I learnt that too. But English fell by the wayside.

 

What was your favourite thing to do on your flights to New York?

I bought two or three magazines each time and read them on the plane. By the time I'd finished them, we were already there. I was never able to sleep. I never actually watched films. I was always annoyed by the idea of being interrupted by breakfast in the middle of a film. As a former cinema owner, that's not an option for me.

 

From January 2025, SWISS passengers on long-haul flights will be able to watch your film "Typical Emil". 

Yes, that's right. I'm expecting a very mixed audience with different languages and I'm looking forward to it. I assume the version with the German and English subtitles will be selected.

 

If you are allowed to choose your seat on the plane, where do you sit?

I usually sit where I'm allocated. But I've also been allowed to sit in business class or even first class. They even make your bed there. That was an impressive experience. The food on board was also amazing.

 

What do you prefer on the plane, the aisle seat, the window seat or the centre seat?

I can adapt to any seating position. I would certainly never make a fuss about it. If I can choose for myself, I like to sit in the aisle.

 

You can book a flight to your dream holiday destination. Where are you going and who are you taking with you?

It's clear who I'm taking with me - my wife Niccel. The holiday destination is more difficult. With the current world situation, we're not really in the mood for holidays and it would have to be a joint decision. Personally, I don't just want to fly south to lie on a beach.

We would like to enjoy the country's culture, but also the sun. It's always very difficult to decide. We usually work and paint during our holidays. That's why we mainly need two good tables with plenty of space. After two and a half years of intensive film work, I think it's time to plan a nice trip again.

‘Typical Emil’ is showing in cinemas from today and on board SWISS long-haul flights from January.