Denis Avdic is charismatic and endlessly humorous radio host whose morning program “Show on Radio 1” is probably one the most popular shows in Slovenia.
Once a year, we can watch him as a host of “Znan obraz ima svoj glas”, which is the Slovenian version of the show “Your face sounds familiar”, and in various theaters as a stand-up comedian or actor.
Besides that, he runs restaurant “Walter” in Kamnik, which promotes traditional Bosnian cuisine, definitely a favorite food among Slovenians. And 15,000 people came to watch his appearance at the Congress Square in Ljubljana!
Denis Avdic is the most famous Bosnian in Slovenia for whom in B&H, except in his native village Dobrovci near Gracanica, probably no one has ever even heard.
In Slovenia, as much as it may sound unbelievable, he became a star overnight – as the host of the morning radio program. The first three years in a row he won the award “Viktor’” for favorite radio person.
We are talking in the Slovenian language because it is easier for you, you speak Slovenian much better than Bosnian. But you are known for forcing the fact that you are from Bosnia, ever since you appeared on the Slovenian media scene in 2007?
“My version of the Bosnian language is not urban, so it’s easier for me to talk on the Slovenian. The fact that I am Bosnian got to the point put that even stand-up comedians made a joke: “How do you know that Denis Avdic is Bosnian? Because he says it five times before he offers his hand to meet you”. However, shortly after I came to Slovenia, I realized that the word “Bosnian” is used as an insult. It has extremely bad and negative connotation. It motivated me to, by emphasizing my ethnicity, slightly change the attitude of us Bosnians. Although before me, Djuro (Branko Djuric) did it successfully.
I would say that you are working a lot. Aren’t you afraid that you will destroy stereotypes about us Bosnians as lazy people?
– This is certainly not true. I grew up in an area where many people had stable families, who were working, mainly driving trucks to Western Europe, and they would spend around twenty days in a year with their family. I remember the time when I was working a job where I did not enjoyed this much. I was tired, I was sleep deprived, I had to get up at 4 am in the morning for the morning program, I had a show in the evening, I missed my three year old son Tim and wife Ana, but it is normal that a man cares for the existence of his family. And I have the luck, and I appreciate it, that I manage to do it by doing what I love.
Recently, within some sponsored humanitarian action on the radio, you were so touched by the fate of a young mother who, after the cancer took her husband was left alone with two small children, that you added a considerable amount of money to the collected amount. This caused a lot of reactions. People were calling, sending money… Your gesture woke their sense of empathy.
“It’s true. Although I was not planning to. Simply, I was touched by her story. A few years ago at the Viktor award ceremony, I made a joke about Vegrad, a construction company whose director Hilda Tovsak was terribly treating Bosnian workers. This evoked enthusiasm among the people, but media were shocked with the fact that I could let myself do it because I had no proof. The court proved everything, Mrs. Tovsak is in jail, and I then responded to all of those who protected her human rights that I can take them to my neighbors in B&H, at least to three of them who worked for Vegrad, to tell them their story.”
Denis Avdic, his wife Ana, originally from Banja Luka, and their son Tim are visiting Dobrovci several times every year. Then, says Denis, they are just resting and sleeping. They are hanging out with each other and do absolutely nothing. His aunt ensures that they are not missing anything. He enjoys going to his village and take a look at the perfect nature from his terrace, although he never thought about returning to B&H.
(Source: akta.ba)
