Menderes Bagci Interview: A Conversation in a Cockroach Costume

We all know Menderes Bağcı from "Deutschland sucht den Superstar" or the "Dschungelcamp". But what is the former jungle king doing in a cockroach costume at the toy fair in Nuremberg? Messe.TV presenter asks. Find out more in our video!

Interview with Menderes Bağcı at the cockroach duel

Menderes Bağcı: Greetings, hi! Jürgen Groh: Hello, how do you relate to cockroaches? Menderes Bağcı: I've had rather negative experiences with them, because I experienced them first-hand in the jungle camp. Cockroaches actually smell very unpleasant, but I associate the game with something positive because it's fun and easy to play and I think I've already forgotten about the cockroaches. I now associate something positive with it. Jürgen Groh: Apparently it wasn't a really traumatic decision, otherwise you wouldn't be here! Menderes Bağcı: Yes, I would say it wasn't that dramatic, I coped with it quite well. Jürgen Groh: What was the worst experience in the jungle camp? Menderes Bağcı: Yes, actually there wasn't really anything bad, so I just didn't find the cockroaches particularly pleasant because they don't smell very good and yes, it just smells - they smell really strong. But you can cope with it. So it's not like I'm saying it's so bad now. You can cope with it. Jürgen Groh: Was there anything else that smelled even worse than cockroaches in the jungle? Menderes Bağcı: Not that I know of, I think cockroaches smell very unpleasant.

Jungle king Menderes Bağcı: Cockroaches already smell very unpleasant

Jürgen Groh: Okay. In relation to the game, what does that give you? Menderes Bağcı: I played it for the first time today and I actually think it's quite good. It encourages togetherness, it's very easy to learn. Yes, what can I say, it's just fun. You can play tricks like in poker. You play a bit of poker, for example, you place the checker here. People assume, let's say the red cross is now here on the left and let's say the stone is here and people now think that the red stone is here. Actually, you can also use tactics and put the red stone somewhere else, so you actually play with people a bit, you try to trick them a bit. Jürgen Groh: Okay, just like in real life. Menderes Bağcı: Yes exactly, it's also a bit sneaky the whole thing. But it's fun, it's cool to try something new, I can really recommend it. It's also good for children when they're in the car or on an airplane. The game can be used anywhere.

Cockroach duel: A game that is simply fun

Jürgen Groh: Do you still have other uses for this costume? Menderes Bağcı: Well, I would rather say maybe when I'm somewhere unrecognized, well, not really. Let me put it this way, if I answer seriously now, I'll take off the costume straight away and present myself normally, as usual. You can't take yourself too seriously and that suits the game right now. You join in the fun and it also makes people laugh. It's nice when you can put a smile on people's faces with funny actions like that.

Menderes Bağcı: "You shouldn't take yourself so seriously"

Jürgen Groh: What can your fans expect from you in the near future, what's coming up? Menderes Bağcı: Yes, we have a few projects in the pipeline now. I have now recorded my new single "Live your Life". I've published my autobiography "Never give up". I will continue to concentrate on the music, there are a lot of new songs. I'm continuing to perform, so everything is going really well and I'm really grateful that I'm allowed to do what I enjoy. Of course there are times when it's not fun, but I think that's the case with every job. There are also days when you think, oh, I don't feel like doing this, but you have to bite the bullet and just get on with it. My motto is always "Never give up", you can't let it get you down and you always have to stay on the ball.

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