I don’t like talking to people who don’t like dogs

2023-11-20 10:37:26

She has just been doing sports and is about to have a television rehearsal: Aline Abboud has a lot to do these days. She has been explaining the world situation in the “Tagesthemen” since 2021. Since 2019, she has been bringing politics into social networks with “The Ones Up there,” and as host of the “Zenith” magazine podcast, she is dedicated to stories from the Middle East. Born in Pankow in 1988, she describes herself as “half-Lebanese with an East Berlin migration background” and also uses this role for charitable purposes, as she explains during a break in a Berlin café.

What do you eat for breakfast?

I only drink black coffee, caffeine-free. Sometimes also matcha latte. But only with good matcha tea. In Berlin I buy it in a Japanese café. The one from the department store or the organic market is terrible.

Where do you buy your clothes?

At Uniqlo because I like it minimalistic and functional. And with the Hamburg label Habibi You Know. They make simple pieces that say “Habibi” (“darling”) in Arabic. This is intended to give the Arabic script a more positive connotation. The founders of the label also have a Lebanese background, we are now friends and together we released the charity collection Habibi x Shatoura in August, the proceeds of which go to the Lebanese non-governmental organization Beit El Baraka, which is particularly committed to children and seniors.

What is the oldest piece of clothing in your closet?

A green Charleston dress with Plauen lace from the 1920s from my German great-grandmother. This is always passed down in our family. But I’ve never worn it.

When was the last time you wrote a letter by hand?

About six months ago, it was my mother’s birthday.

Which book has had the most impact on you in your life?

All volumes of “Harry Potter”. They shaped my childhood and youth; I read them hundreds of thousands of times.

With Ernie and Bert: Aline Abboud at the opening of the 37th Media Days in Munich: Image: dpa

How do you keep yourself informed about world events?

I read the newspaper and listen to an incredible amount of podcasts, mostly when I’m outside with the dog or taking the train. What I like about “Apocalypse & Filter Coffee,” for example, is that the interviewees don’t always take themselves so seriously. I also like listening to the “Weltspiegel Podcast” because it is so profound. But I also use Instagram. And X, although I think it’s terrible. It’s the journalists’ dilemma: We need X for our work. Unfortunately.

What is your best small talk topic?

Dogs. When you say you have a dog, everyone wants to see a photo, you’re immediately into it. And I don’t like talking to people who don’t like dogs or animals anyway.

What was the last movie that made you cry?

That was on a series, the third season of “Bridgerton.” You might find that trashy, but this love, which went through ups and downs, was so complicated and so simple at the same time, totally touched me.

Are you superstitious?

Actually not. But recently I listened to the coffee grounds of the cabaret artist and actress İdil Baydar during a podcast recording. She discovered a lot of things that she couldn’t have known before. That was a little scary, but also fascinating.

What can you laugh about?

Mostly about myself.

Your favorite first name?

Any first name if it begins with the same letter as the last name. I like alliteration, its rhythm. You can never go wrong with this.

Are you taking a lunch break?

Yes, mostly with the dog.

Which country would you like to live in?

I feel right at home in Germany. I’ve already traveled around a bit and always enjoy coming back, especially to Berlin. We have everything here and it’s safe.

What’s never missing from your fridge?

Matcha tea, coconut yoghurt and homemade mulberry syrup from Lebanon.

Do you feel freer with or without a car?

Without! I understand the concerns of people who live in rural areas about how to do this without a car. But in a city like Berlin I definitely feel freer without a car. It’s expensive, dangerous and just plain annoying. If I have to drive, I use car sharing.

What is your greatest talent?

I believe that I am very authentic. Even if I appear a little louder and more confident in front of the camera or on stage than at home: That’s always 100 percent me.

What do you do even though it’s unreasonable?

I go to the solarium every now and then in the winter. Of course, this doesn’t help at all against vitamin D deficiency, but it’s just good.

Which historical person would you like to meet?

Cleopatra. I would ask her if she really bathed in donkey milk to get better skin – and if it did any good. And to look through them into their time, to visualize history.

Do you wear jewelry? And a clock?

Yes. Previously only silver, today almost only gold. I always wear a watch, even when I’m doing sports. I need that feeling of weight on my left wrist.

Do you have a favorite scent?

I rarely wear one, but when I do, it’s Chloé Eau de Parfum.

What was your best holiday experience?

Actually all my trips to Lebanon are to visit family. In 2022 I was there again for the first time after a three-year break due to Corona. It was different, but also the same as always. Even though people have less, they are so generous. Precisely because I know everything so well, I can’t do anything. This is very relaxing.

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What was the last concert you went to?

At Pink. I grew up with her music and it carried me through difficult phases.

What are you missing for happiness?

Peace in the world.

What are you drinking for dinner?

Berlin tap water.