Summary of article in Billed Bladet #06, 2016.
Written by Trine Larsen.
The annual national fundraiser gets a huge focus, as it is covered by the public service network DR1 - and as such the other medias cover it as well.
Due to the high profiling - and for altruistic reasons too of course... there is no lack of celebs and politicians willing to appear at the show and be phone-operators.
However, this year there has been more criticism than usual of the national fundraiser, the arguments being: Okay, it's fine to support refugees or children in third world countries, but how about a national fundraiser for people in need here in Denmark? Of which there are quite a few, not least in the wake of the financial crisis.
M&F are not blamed for this, rather the organizers behind the event. Also because DR1 is grabbing a very big piece of the money gathered for running the show, despite the fact that DR1 is funded by practically all Danes through a license-fee.
Unsurprisingly those celebs who took part in the event praise it in this article and as such also M&F. But more on what they had to say later.
M&F spend a good deal of the show, watching the entertainment and the appeals for money and also applauded the sums being donated by especially companies. Donations are tax-deductible. (Yes, I'm in my cynical mood tonight.
).
Anyway, at some point M&F strolled around among the phone-operators receiving calls from the public, chatting, hugging, joking and shaking hands. At some point he was standing next to an actress and helped her typing in details from the callers. Then she said to her caller: "I've just got a grand visitor, Crown Prince Frederik. - You'll get him". Frederik took over: "Good evening, you are speaking with Crown Prince Frederik".
The actress later said: "The Crown Prince and I got 1.000 DKK for that call".
Some of the celebs auctioned away items. That included the very respected foreign correspondent, Rasmus Tantholt, who by the way is in the outskirts of Aleppo Syria today. Rasmus Tantholt who is a hardcore monarchist donated a bullet-proof west and a knife.
His wife who works at the same network as him, is on the other hand republican, but after meeting Mary she was willing to consider reconsidering her stand: "If I'm convinced it's definitely because of Crown Princess Mary. She's totally fantastic and (she) has such a likable demeanor/character. She's unique".
Another celeb, Mette Blomsterberg told our reporter: "I must confess that I stole a hug from the Crown Prince. Oh, he's so sweet and when he came to shake hand and say hi, I said: - No, I simply have to have a hug... and I got it".
The singer Hilda Heick, who very much appeals to the grandparent generation - or older, forgor to get up when Mary tapped her on the shoulder: "I became so flabbergasted that I just remained sitting and the thought milled around in my head... oooii, it's Mary, what am I going to say. But Mary handled that herself, because she thank us for spending a night off on helping.
Well, I think she's doing so much, but in particular for children and about bullying, so I thanked her for that. As mormor (maternal grandmother, her daughter is married to the DRF-chef, who has had to resign due to an injury) I'm very delighted that there is focus on bullying, that's an important cause".