Jõekalda says New Year’s Eve TV shows are getting worse

Kristjan Jõekalda says New Year’s Eve television programs are deteriorating, prompting him and Sepo Seeman to create their own show, ERR reported.

Jõekalda, Seeman and fellow stage direction coursemate Mälumäng Normann from Tallinn Pedagogical Institute will reunite on stage this autumn with a show titled “Finally!”. The performance will focus on television New Year’s Eve programs and what can happen during them.

“Let’s be honest, every year things get worse. We want to bring it back to life so that people who have not seen a proper New Year’s Eve show on television for years can see one in November,” Jõekalda said. “They knew how to do it in the old days,” he added.

The two men also named their favourite New Year’s Eve television programs. Seeman fondly recalled Kuldne Trio, “New Year’s Eve with Kinoteater” and “Edekabel”, in which Normann parodied his colleague Jõekalda.

“I wondered what he was waving about. Then, during one recording, I realised that I really do move like that. Exactly the same way. It was such a strange feeling,” Jõekalda said.

His own favourites include “Kitsas King”, “Why Not?” by Lembit Krjukov and Tõnu Kibuspuu, and Paul Poom’s “Pastime”.

“Paul Poom has unfairly been left out of the group of performers mentioned alongside Krjukov, Kibuspuu, Baskin, Järvet and others. His humour does not hurt anyone. It is gentle, pleasant humour, but you laugh until your stomach hurts,” Jõekalda said.

Seeman and Jõekalda previously appeared in an ETV New Year’s Eve program with the band Kala. Jõekalda said the band had been a successful project.

“I still watch clips of the performances. Sometimes, when there is a group of people and a party is starting to lose momentum or become boring, the quizzes are over and the cake has been eaten, but they do not want to go home, it is very good to put Kala on. It gets the party going immediately. It is fun for me too,” Jõekalda said.