From “Humorkveld” on TV Norge, September 25th.
Click on the “CC” button for English subtitles.
To learn more about how you can support UNICEF, visit www.supportunicef.org.
From “Humorkveld” on TV Norge, September 25th.
Click on the “CC” button for English subtitles.
To learn more about how you can support UNICEF, visit www.supportunicef.org.
Morten appeared on TV2’s gossip programme “God Kveld Norge” last night, to promote the UNICEF show.
“When UNICEF asked me, my first thought was that I really wanted to participate. Jamaica was one of the countries UNICEF had in mind, and that’s where we ended up going.
The humanitarian aspect is a natural reason to support the work UNICEF is doing, but there’s also a political aspect; what kind of world do you believe in?”, Morten told host Dorthe Skappel.
He also mentioned that he’s working on some new music:
“I am currently working on some exciting stuff, within music. It’s stimulating and fun.”
Update: The interview is now up on YouTube
There is also an extra clip from the interview on the “God Kveld Norge” website, where Morten talks about the peace concert he did with Oslo Gospel Choir in San Martin, Guatemala in December 1997.
Attended by both Guatemalan and Norwegian officials, including the Norwegian foreign minister, the outdoor concert was supposed to be a celebration of the peace agreement signed in Oslo a year earlier, to end the country’s long-running civil war.
But things took a dramatic turn when three men, heavily armed with machine guns and hand grenades were captured by security personell during the concert. They had been paid a few thousand dollars to kill both local leaders and the Norwegian guests. Luckily, their plan failed.
In the interview, Morten says that he had brought his two sons Jakob and Jonathan with him to Guatemala and that he also remembers a bomb exploding in the area when the terrorists were captured.
“It was very unexpected. I’m used to consider all eventualities, not least because of my children, but those things took me by surprise”, Morten says.
Morten is interviewed in today’s VG, in connection with tomorrow’s comedy show on TV Norge to benefit UNICEF. The show will feature a report from Morten’s visit to Kingston, Jamaica this summer.
“We visited a community with much violence and difficult social conditions, quite a common type of area in Jamaica. Some of those we met, around 20 years old, were clearly on drugs and already heavily involved in crime. That’s how they’ve chosen to take control of their own life”, Morten tells the newspaper.
Among those he met was a 14 year old girl who was eager to get married.
“It’s normal for all girls that age to be thinking about boyfriends, but when they get pregnant at such a young age, it really puts them back in relation to their own future.”
– Do you feel privileged to have your children grow up in Norway?, VG asks.
“Yes, of course we’re privileged – we have such a high level of safety and security here that it’s almost incomprehensible for other people.”
– In that respect, the Utøya attack this summer was a big exception?
“It definitely was.”
In Jamaica, Morten apparently received a lot of attention. Not because he’s famous, but because he’s white and had expensive sunglasses.
“The children we met had no idea who I was. Jamaica is very isolated in that regard, as they only listen to local music. They don’t know who U2 are, or Coldplay, REM and Madonna. And certainly not a-ha! But that’s also what makes it an interesting place to visit”, Morten says.
“Humorkveld” to benefit UNICEF airs live on TV Norge tomorrow night. Part 1 between 19:00 and 20:00, and part 2 between 21:30 and 23:00.
Morten has recently visited Jamaica, to learn more about a project run by UNICEF.
A report from his visit to the country will be shown during TV Norge’s third annual comedy show to support UNICEF.
The comedy show is held at Oslo Konserthus and airs live on TV Norge next Sunday, September 25th, at 19:00.
Whether Morten will also be performing during the show is not known.
In April 2005, Morten performed the official UNICEF song “Children First” together with Hayley Westenra at an event in Copenhagen.