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Premium-rate telephone numbers are telephone numbers for telephone calls during which certain services are provided, and for which prices higher than normal are charged. Unlike a normal call, part of the call charge is paid to the service provider, thus enabling businesses to be funded via the calls. While the billing is different, calls are usually routed the same way they are for a toll-free telephone number, being anywhere despite the area code used. These telephone numbers are usually allocated from a national telephone numbering plan in such a way that they are easily distinguished from other numbers. Telephone companies typically offer blocking services to allow telephone customers to prevent access to these number ranges from their telephones. In some jurisdictions, telephone companies are required by law to offer such blocking.

Adult chat lines (phone sex) and tech support are a very common use of premium-rate numbers. Other services include directory enquiries, weather forecasts, competitions and voting (especially relating to television shows). Diplomatic services, such as the US embassy in London or the UK Embassy in Washington, have also charged premium rates for calls from the general public.

In many European countries, for example France, Germany and the United Kingdom, it is common for organisations to operate customer service lines on premium-rate numbers using prefixes that fall outside the scope of the country's premium-rate number regulations. Therefore in contrast to North America where customer service numbers are typically free of charge to the caller, consumers in Europe often pay a premium above the cost of a normal telephone call.

Computer criminals have used premium-rate numbers to defraud unsuspecting Internet users. One scheme involved inducing users to download a program known as a dialer that surreptitiously dialed a premium-rate number, accumulating charges on the user's phone bill without their knowledge. Another now-uncommon premium-rate scam involves television programming that induces young children to dial the number, banking on the notion that they will be unaware of the charges that will be incurred. One variant, targeted at children too young to dial a number, enticed children to hold the phone up to the television set while the DTMF tones of the number were played. This type of scam was especially popular in the late '80s to early '90s in the United States before tougher regulations on the 900 number business forced many of these businesses to close.^[1]

North America[link]

United States and Canada[link]

A 1-900 telephone number, in the North American Numbering Plan, has the form 1-900-###-####, and is often called a 900 number or a 1-900 number ("one-nine-hundred"). Area Code 900 was first known to have been used in the United States in March 1977^{[citation needed]}, for incoming calls to a nationwide talk radio broadcast featuring the newly elected President Jimmy Carter, hosted by anchorman Walter Cronkite. At that time, the intent for area code 900 was as a choke exchange -- a code that blocked large numbers of simultaneous callers from jamming up the long distance network. Numbers with the 900 area code were those which were expected to have a huge number of potential callers, and the 900 area code was screened at the local level to allow only a certain number of the callers in each area to access the nationwide long distance network for reaching the destination number. Also, the early incarnation of 900 was not billed at premium-rate charges, but rather at regular long distance charges based on the time of day and day of week that the call was placed. The number used for the radio program was one that was specially arranged by AT&T, CBS Radio, and the White House, to be free to the calling party.^{[citation needed]} However, by 1980^{[citation needed]}, the 900 area code was completely restructured by AT&T to be the premium-rate special area code which it remains today. At that time, many evening news agencies conducted "pulse polls" for $.50 per call charges and displayed results on television. One early use was by "Saturday Night Live" producers for a skit "Larry the Lobster" featuring Eddie Murphy. The skit drew over 2 million calls and AT&T and the producers of SNL split one million dollars.

Earlier, 976 numbers used 976 as a local prefix (or 540 in markets like New York state), though it was not assigned to a specific telephone exchange like other prefixes. These numbers were dialed as any other local number, such as 976-1234.

A call to either one of these numbers can result in a high per-minute or per-call charge. For example, a "psychic hotline" type of 1-900 number may charge $2.99 for the first minute and 99 cents for each additional minute.

Initially, consumers had no choice regarding the accessibility to 900/976 numbers on their phones. However, in 1987, after a child had accumulated a bill of $17,000^{[citation needed]}, the California Public Utilities Commission subsequently required phone companies to give customers an option to prevent the dialing of 900/976 numbers.^[2]

In the early 1980s through the early 1990s, it was common to see commercials promoting 1-900 numbers to children featuring such things as characters famous from Saturday morning cartoons to Santa Claus. Due to complaints from parent groups about kids not knowing the dangers of such calls, such commercials ceased to air on television as of the mid-1990s.^{[citation needed]}

Using 900 numbers for adult entertainment lines was a prevalent practice in the early years of the industry. This practice continues, along with the use of these numbers for things such as software technical support, banking access, and stock tips. Adult entertainment 900 numbers have been largely absent from AT&T and MCI since 1991.^{[citation needed]} The industry still suffers from the stigma attached to the early days of the industry when adult entertainment lines were heavily advertised on late-night television commercials.

Some uses of 1-900 numbers include:

• video game and crossword puzzle tips
• horoscopes/psychics
• dating and party lines
• voting (e.g. for TV shows)
• contests (e.g. the original version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?)
• recent winning numbers (e.g. New Jersey Lottery)
• gambling tips
• phone sex
• Weather information (The Weather Channel)
• Professional wrestling hot-lines
• Secret confessions
• Celebrity Fan News (i.e., hot-lines for Hulk Hogan, Cory Haim, and various musicians and bands)
• Check Verification
• Psychic Hotlines
• Technical support

AT&T has confirmed that the Hulk Hogan Hotline was the most lucrative 900 line in the United States from 1991 through 1993.^{[citation needed]} Other early leaders in amassing huge volumes of revenue were the New Kids on the Block and Dionne Warwick's Psychic Friends Network.

Consumers in the US have specific rights regarding 900 number calls, as laid down by the Federal Trade Commission, such as the right to a disclaimer at the beginning of the call and a subsequent 3 second hang-up grace period, the ability to contest billing errors, a prohibition on marketing to children, and a requirement that telecommunication companies must allow the consumer to block dialing to 900 numbers.^[3]

Most media who sponsor 900 number programs do so by working through a 900 number service bureau. A 900 number service bureau works through the carriers to gain approval for the 900 number program, then operates the equipment that processes the consumer's 900 number calls. MCI is currently the only 900 number provider in the United States that provides both transport and billing for 900 numbers. In an effort to keep its overhead down, MCI maintains relationships with only four service bureaus in the country who have direct billing relationships -- MVA, ICN, Spark Network Services, and Advanced Telecom Services.

These are the 900 number prefixes available:

1-900-226 1-900-255 1-900-263 1-900-267 1-900-285 1-900-287 1-900-289 1-900-329 1-900-336 1-900-378 1-900-388 1-900-435 1-900-438 1-900-443 1-900-446 1-900-448 1-900-476 1-900-484 1-900-486 1-900-526 1-900-562 1-900-622 1-900-656 1-900-659 1-900-678 1-900-725 1-900-726 1-900-733 1-900-745 1-900-722 1-900-776 1-900-787 1-900-825 1-900-835 1-900-868 1-900-945 1-900-950 1-900-988 1-900-990 1-900-993

SMS also has a feature for premium rate services. They generally do not use 900 numbers, but instead use five-digit and six-digit numbers, shorter than a telephone number.

[edit] Mexico

Premium rate numbers in Mexico are served by Telmex and start with the dialling prefix 01-900, where 01 is the domestic long distance prefix and 900 is the premium-rate area code. These numbers are usually used for the same purposes as in the USA.

South America[link]

[edit] Argentina

Telephone numbers of the form 0600-xxx-xxxx and 0609-xxx-xxxx are premium rate numbers. The 0609 series is for entertainment (fixed rate), while 0600 is for services (the rate depends on the particular number).

[edit] Brazil

In Brazil, there is only one premium prefix: 0500, and this number is used by Brazilian Internal Revenue Service (Receita Federal) to file for the Annual Federal Income Tax exemption, or by organizations receiving donations (it's a premium rate per call and not per minute).

A long time ago 0900 was available, but now is no longer allowed. As there are no longer premium numbers, TV shows now use mobile numbers to receive calls and generate revenue to their program.

There is also the 0300 prefix, which is for companies which don't offer a 0800 number. This call is charged roughly as a long distance call, but without the beneficts of super reduced rates outside the business hours.

Europe[link]

This section requires expansion.

[edit] Armenia

In Armenia, premium numbers start with 900, followed by six digits.

[edit] Austria

The 0900 prefix is used for premium rate numbers that charge per minute and the 0901 prefix is used for premium rate numbers that charge by call. For adult content the prefix is 0930 for per minute tariffs and 0931 for event based tariffs.

[edit] Belgium

Premium rate numbers in Belgium have the area codes 090x. - 0900, 0902, 0903, 0904 (per minute - from 0.25 to 2.00 EUR) - 0906, 0907 (adult services - per minute - from 0.25 to 2.00 EUR) - 0905, 0909 (per call - from 0.25 to 31.00 EUR) Call limited to 10 mins.

[edit] Croatia

The 060 prefix is used for premium rate numbers in Croatia for non-erotic and 064 prefix is used for erotic services.

[edit] Czech Republic

Numbers starting with 900, 906, 909 and 976 are premium rate numbers. Other numbers beginning with "9" are allocated to certain organizations, such as 972 (Czech railways), 973 (Ministry of Defense), 974 (Ministry of Interior), 95x (other Ministries, government organizations, certain commercial subjects).

[edit] Denmark

Premium rate numbers in Denmark have the area codes 9013, 9050 and 9055/9056. The 9013 is for helplines and chat services, the 9050 (paid per call) is for TV Call-in Shows and the 9055/9056 codes are for charitable organizations.

However, the regulation is very strict. TDC is the only carrier offering these numbers, with MCXess and kwak Telecom offering numbers internationally. The regulator can be found at http://www.itst.dk/, a shortened English regulation is available here: Short Denmark Regulation.

[edit] Finland

Numbers starting with 0700 and 0600 are premium rate numbers. The 0700 series is for entertainment, while 0600 is for services. Several other premium codes exist, sometimes confusing consumers, who may not know if they are calling a premium number or not.

The Finnish Consumers’ Association has repeatedly denounced the use of premium rate numbers.^[4]

[edit] France

Numbers starting with 08xx (International : +338(...)) are special rate numbers. They range from toll free numbers (080x) to premium numbers (089x) (called Audiotel by France Telecom). There are also various moderately priced numbers (from about 0.03 to 0.15 €/minute) in the 081x and 082x ranges. Most of these numbers are not reachable from outside France.

There are also special 4 digits numbers in the form of 3xxx, for which billing rules can be the ones from any 08xx number, to the provider's choice.

The split rule between different premium rate numbers is not clearly defined (premium rate information numbers and premium rate entertainment numbers).

The regulator (ARCEP, previously ART) has also issued new range for Telephony over xDSL in the 087x range which might confuse consumers, as calls to these numbers are billed as local calls nationwide. This have been change to 09xx number which are dedicated to VoIP. All the 087x number are converted to 09xx numbers.

[edit] Germany

Dedicated premium-rate lines nowadays begin with the prefix 0900, the infamous 0190 prefix having been terminated on December 31, 2005. However, some premium services also use lines with the prefix 0137, which is supposedly reserved for planned simultaneous call-in events, such as televoting.

[edit] Greece

Premium numbers in Greece start with 901 (general purpose) and 909 (adult-only services), followed by seven digits.

[edit] Hungary

In Hungary, 06-81, 06-90 and 06-91 followed by six digits are common premium-rate numbers. SMS-based services can also use short numbers such as 1781 and 17632.

[edit] Ireland

Premium rate numbers begin with the prefix 15. These numbers provide a range of services from weather forecasting to adult dating. 1559 numbers are reserved solely for sex lines, and require a PIN, issued by your network operator, to access.

All 15x numbers have officially quoted rates, set by the prefix, although telecom providers can charge an additional fee for carrying the call. 151x numbers are charged on a per-call basis, all others on a per-minute basis. In general the prices increase as the prefix number increases, within the call type range.

Regtel is a body which monitors the premium rate services industry in Ireland. Although an independent body, it can impose sanctions, ban advertisements and ban services offered by providers. It is funded by a levy on providers. It is to be disbanded shortly and its functions taken over by comreg.

[edit] Italy

There are many premium rate numbers, including 144 (disabled by default), 166, 892, 899, using different fares. 0878 is also a premium-rate number, reserved for polls run via telephone.

[edit] Netherlands

Premium numbers in The Netherlands start with 0900 (general purpose), 0906 (erotic entertainment) and 0909 (games and lotteries) followed by four or seven digits. When one dials such a nulnegenhonderd nummer it is enforced by law that the caller gets informed about the per minute rate. The Opta is the governing body that regulates premium rate services in the Netherlands.

[edit] Norway

Any telephone number starting with 82 (mostly 820/829) is charged at premium rates (82x xx xxx).

[edit] Portugal

• 607 - Pull opinion, 9 tarifs up to 3,28 Eur per minute (premium rates)

The Ora Telecom company is the official premium rate numbers seller for domestic numbers at www.oratelecom.pt All companies must be registered at Anacom, and have a seller code.

• 707 – Entertainment and some business (approximate cost of 0,25€ / minute in 2009)
• 808 – Business and marketing (cost of a local land-line call)

See http://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=279035&themeMenu=1&languageId=1 for more details.

[edit] Poland

Numbers starting with 70, 30 and 40 are reserved for premium-rate services. 700, 701, 707 and 300 are "general" premium-rate services (usually charged per minute), 707 and 400 are assigned for tele-voting, mass-calls and so on (usually charged per call). Other numbers (702-706, 709, 301-309, 401-409) are reserved for future assignments. There are some other numbers in "shared costs" or "dial-up services" ranges, which are charged at a quite high rates (comparable with lower cost premium rates): 8015, 8016, 207, 208.

Effective on December 1, 2008, 300 and 400 numbers are changed into 703 and 704 respectively, freeing up the whole 30x and 40x range for the future assignments (non-premium rate). This change will allow to accumulate all the premium rate services in the 700-709 range of numbers.

[edit] Romania

Premium numbers are in the 090xxxxxx-098xxxxxx range. Currently, only the 0900 block is used. [1]. Prior to 2002, all numbers starting with 89 were premium rate numbers. Some of those number remain as local premium numbers, and the 02xx89xxxxx block remains reserved.

[edit] Russia

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2007)

809 is probably the only premium prefix. Note that usually in Russia one needs to dial 8 before the area code, so premium numbers are usually written as 8-809-xxx-xxxx

[edit] Slovenia

The 090 prefix is used for premium rate numbers in Slovenia.

[edit] Spain

In Spain, the charged-at-premium numbers begins with 80 or 90 (except the 800, 900 and 909, which are free, the 901 which is shared cost, the 902 which is like a provincial call and the 908 which is like a metropolitan call). The most popular prefixes are 803 (porn hot-lines) and 806 (services), also are used 807 and 905. Previously all the numbers starting with 90x (except 900, 901 and 902) were charged at premium rates but the 906 had been moved to 803, 806 and 807 and the 908 and 909 prefixes were created for Internet dialup services. All those numbers have 9 digits. In Spain both pay per minute and pay per call billing options are available across the 8 and 9 series range of numbers ^[5].

Also there are other range for information services (weather, white pages, etc...), there are all the numbers starting with 118, they can have 5 or 6 digits with a variable cost per number. 11818 is free from Telefónica's telephone cabins. Previously 11818 was 1003. The phone numbering system is Spain in confusing, because 8xx prefix is not reserved for free or cut-price calls and 9xx for premium calls.

[edit] Sweden

Numbers starting with 0900, 0939 and 0944 are premium rate numbers. Also numbers beginning on 118 are premium rate numbers for companies that provide phonebook lookup services.

[edit] Switzerland

Numbers starting with 0900, 0901 and 0906 are premium rate numbers.

• 0900 - Business & Marketing
• 0901 - Entertainment
• 0906 - Erotic services

Dialers (computer programs) are banned from these lines.

See also Bundesamt für Kommunikation

[edit] Ukraine

Numbers starting with 0703 and 0900 are premium rate numbers.

[edit] United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, these numbers are issued to service providers through the regulatory body PhonepayPlus (originally known as ICSTIS, the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services) to ensure certain community standards are adhered to both in terms of content and price.^[6] Charges are presented as part of the normal telephone bill.

Other UK numbers, notably 0844, 0870 and 0871, are also charged at premium rates in that they cost more than a normal phone call and the called party often receives a share of the additional call charge. However, costing up to GBP 0.10 per minute from landlines, they fall outside the regulatory scope of PhonepayPlus. Due to public disquiet over the charges, particularly for 0870,^[7] the regulations and prices for these numbers are being changed: 0871 is to be regulated by PhonepayPlus, and revenue sharing is no longer permitted on 0870 but many operators continue to charge higher than a normal call charge. Many organisations have consequently switched their customer service lines to 0844 in order to continue receiving revenue from callers, as this remains a relatively unregulated prefix.

Asia[link]

[edit] Japan

In Japan, premium rate telephone number service is known as "DIAL Q²" and begin with the prefix 0990 followed by six digits. The digit following determines the service class. The prefix 0990-3 is for adult services. The prefixes 0990-5 and 0990-6 are used for other services. To prevent unintentional charges, subscribers may optionally register a four digit password which is then required when accessing a premium rate service.

[edit] Korea, South

Premium rate numbers start with the prefix 060 followed by 7 or 8 digits. Some consumers do not know that numbers starting with 060 are premium rate numbers because 060 is mistaken for one of long-distance area codes in Korea (there are 062, 061 and 063). They call back when they find that they miss a call to their mobile phones from a 060 number ending up paying for just making a call.

1588-#### and 1577-#### are not premium rate numbers per se. They are used by banks, insurance companies, nation-wide restaurant chains, consumer electronics companies, online shopping malls and others for customer service and delivery order. In many cases, customers calling them are charged at a long distance rate without knowing that they are making a long distance call.

[edit] Vietnam

Premium rate numbers start with 1900, they usually serves call-in customers but in some cases they will also receive premium rate SMS.

[edit] Taiwan

Premium rate numbers start with 0204.

Oceania[link]

[edit] Australia

In Australia, premium rate numbers generally begin with the prefix 19,^[8] with premium-rate voice services using the prefix 190x. Of these 1900 was the initial prefix and is the most common; since then 1901 and 1902 have also been allocated. The 1901 prefix is specifically reserved for "restricted services", where a user must register with the provider of the service on that number - these can include services of a sexual nature, although this is not the only definition of "restricted". The prefix 1906 is reserved for premium-rate paging services.

Other numbers beginning with 19 are generally used for premium rate short message service (SMS) services on mobile phones. These were originally trialled using the 188 prefix.

Previously (before the introduction of eight digit numbering), the prefix 0055 was used for this purpose, and as a result 190x numbers are occasionally referred to colloquially as 0055 numbers (pronounced double-oh, double-five).

[edit] New Zealand

In New Zealand, premium-rate telephone numbers begin with 0900. The service is used by phone sex companies and charitable organizations.

Africa[link]

[edit] Egypt

In Egypt, premium rate numbers begin with the prefix 0900, and for mobile services it uses short numbers to call or to send SMS to(4 digits only).

[edit] South Africa

In South Africa, premium rate SMS short codes are four or five digits long, starting with either '7' or '3'. Premium rate telephone services are regulated by Wireless Application Service Providers' Association (WASPA) in South Africa.

Middle East[link]

[edit] Saudi Arabia

The numbers starting with 700. They are mostly for competitions and winning prizes- adult entertainment ventures are considered immodest and thus illegal in Saudi Arabia.

Using international-rate calls as premium-rate numbers[link]

As an alternative to official premium-rate numbers, service operators have been known to use kickbacks from high-rate international call tariffs to charge for their services. In these cases, the calls may never leave the country of origin, even though the number has a country calling code (or an NANP area code) specifying a country with high incoming call rates.

A recent practice known as traffic pumping involves service operators partnering with small telephone companies who are allowed to charge high call termination fees for incoming long distance calls, per government regulations which mark the serving area of the small phone company as rural/high cost. Since most if not all long distance in the USA is a single rate regardless of terminating exchange for customers (but not for long distance companies, as each interconnection agreement is different), these services are "free" for the calling customers.^[9]

Since these kinds of numbers have confused international jurisdiction, they are also sometimes used for fraud.

Notes[link]

See also[link]

• Telecommunications tariffs
• Premium SMS

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This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (May 2009)

Harald Schmidt
Harald Schmidt
Born	(1957-08-18) August 18, 1957 (age 54) Neu-Ulm, West Germany
Occupation	talk show host, comedian and television producer
Website
Sat.1 Official Site

Harald Franz Schmidt (born August 18, 1957 in Neu-Ulm, Bavaria) is a German actor, writer, comedian and television entertainer best known as host of two popular German late-night shows.

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

As son of refugees who fled from South Moravia (now Czech Republic) in 1945, Schmidt spent his youth in Swabian Nürtingen, where he went to grammar school. Due to his strict Catholic upbringing he devoted time to the Roman Catholic church, serving as choirmaster and playing the organ.

At the age of 21, Schmidt went to Stuttgart to attend drama school for three years. After that, he gained on-stage experience at Städtische Bühne (Municipal Stage) in Augsburg. His first role was that of the 2nd Mamaluke in Lessing's Nathan the Wise. In 1984, Harald Schmidt became a text writer for the cabaret Kom(m)ödchen in Düsseldorf and in 1986, was honoured as "Best Newcomer cabaret artist" and toured through Germany with his own show.

Television[link]

Before long, TV noticed the talented young comedian and in 1988 Schmidt began to host his first TV show, MAZ ab. This was followed by shows like Psst! and Schmidteinander, but the biggest boost to his career occurred in 1992, when he started hosting the popular Saturday night show, Verstehen Sie Spaß? (a variation of Candid Camera). Schmidt was awarded Germany's most important TV award, "Adolf-Grimme-Preis", which would be followed by many others. Just one year later, he was honoured as the "Entertainer of the year" and awarded the famous Bambi award and the Golden Camera.

In 1995, Schmidt changed from the publicly funded TV station ARD to the privately owned channel Sat.1 and started the late night talk and variety show, Die Harald Schmidt Show. From 30 June 2003 the show was broadcast five days a week, including Monday evening. On the 8th December 2003, Schmidt suddenly announced the end of the show, following a change of management of Sat.1. The last show was aired on the 23rd December 2003.

Harald Schmidt and Manuel Andrack live in Karlsruhe

"Creative break" and show relaunch[link]

In 2004, Schmidt toured through Germany with a live comedy show, featuring his former late night show sidekick Manuel Andrack. On December 23 of the same year, the new show Harald Schmidt began featuring Andrack, back on ARD, where Schmidt had begun his television career 16 years earlier.

In October 2005, his daughter Amelie was born.

Harald Schmidt resides in Cologne with his partner Ellen Hantsch, a school teacher, and five children, the eldest being from a former relationship. Little is known about the children and their two mothers as Schmidt shields them from the public. In interviews he hardly talks about them.

Shows[link]

[edit] Harald Schmidt Show (Sat.1)

Schmidt is host of the German late night show comparable to Late Night with Conan O'Brien or Late Night with David Letterman, which has now begun a second run after a year-long "creative break". The original show, named Die Harald Schmidt Show and shown on German television network Sat.1, featured stand-up comedy as well as famous national and international guests.

In its later years, the show became a critics' favourite due to Schmidt's "intellectual" sense of humour. For example, he hosted one show completely in French. On another occasion, the screen was blacked for half of the show making it into a "radio broadcast". Another time, he disproved a critic who had written that it is impossible to spend several minutes on TV just cracking nuts.

[edit] Harald Schmidt (ARD)

Schmidt began a second run with a new show on publicly funded ARD, this time without "celebrity" interviews and with even more discussion of current events in a rather freely associative manner. As the German entertainer Thomas Gottschalk recently quipped, Schmidt will always attract the student and intellectual crowd, Gottschalk himself will take care of the rest.

On his first show after the break Schmidt appeared with long hair and a fluffy full beard (which looked kind of grey-white-blond-yellowish and reminiscent of Ernest Hemingway and made it to the newspaper headlines the next morning) making fun of his long absence from the public. Although he claimed right on: "I swear, I shaved this morning!". After summer break in 2005 the "celebrity guest" segment was reintroduced.

[edit] Schmidt & Pocher (ARD)

Late in 2007, Manuel Andrack was replaced by Comedian Oliver Pocher, who had a more active part than his predecessor, and some other elements changed as well. The broadcast's title was changed to "Schmidt & Pocher", trying to attract a younger audience. Oliver Pocher was less educated and "less intellectual", a fact that caused some criticism among Harald Schmidt's core audience and broadsheet newspaper comments in Germany.

[edit] Harald Schmidt (Das Erste)

As of 2011, Schmidt hosts a live show for Das Erste each week.

[edit] Return to Sat. 1 as Harald Schmidt Show again

On September 15, 2011 Schmidt returned to his former network Sat.1 picking up is former show name of Die Harald Schmidt Show again. Sat.1 cancelled the show after one season due to low viewer levels.^[1]

[edit] Harald Schmidt Show (Sky Deutschland)

Starting September 11, 2012 new episodes will be shown on Sky Hits HD and Sky Atlantic HD, two channels of the German Pay-TV network Sky Deutschland.^[2]

Concept/crew[link]

The self-proclaimed hypochondriac became popular for his cynical jokes, cruel remarks and wry intellectual wit. (Even though he is obsessed with health he was able to lampoon this weak spot in a self ironic TV commercial for a medicine curing colds.) Schmidt models himself after people like Johnny Carson and Conan O'Brien, but adds few factors and qualities to his show himself.

He engaged in long, seemingly boring conversations with his "supervising producer" Manuel Andrack (known as "chief dramatic adviser"), who sat at a desk next to Schmidt's, and, like Letterman, also included his staff in the show, for instance, his band leader Helmut Zerlett and his cue card girl Suzana Novinscak (both omitted in the new show). After a few new shows, Schmidt celebrated the return of French woman Nathalie Licard. Previously Schmidt's reporter in the old show, she sat on a stool, opposite Manuel Andrack, in front of the band. On occasion, she was involved in the goings-on (like dressing up as Eliza Doolittle in front of the audience, helping Schmidt to bring people from the audience who were chosen to form an impromptu choir etc.). It has been announced on the 28th of March 2012 that the "Harald Schmidt Show" will end on the 3rd of May 2012 on SAT1.

Criticism[link]

Especially during the first years of Die Harald Schmidt Show, Schmidt was sometimes criticised for making fun of minorities like foreigners or gays. He also did some Adolf Hitler imitations in his show (in one of these he as Hitler warned young people not to vote for racist and nationalistic parties). However, especially Schmidts more unorthodox and politically incorrect jokes have garnered the show a reputation as cult television and his supporters accused critics of being incapable of understanding satire.

Awards[link]

Awards include three German Television Awards, the viewers choice award Bambi, the Grimme Award, the Golden Camera and the Golden Lion as best showmaster.

Related meme[link]

A picture of Schmidt, with a beard and long hair, holding up his index finger, is the basis of an Internet meme known as "fgsfds."

References[link]

External links[link]

• Die Harald Schmidt Show (old site)
• Harald Schmidt at the Internet Movie Database
• Schmidt's new Show (SAT.1)

Not to be confused with Julie Roberts or Juliet Roberts. For the British Home Shopping host, see Julia Roberts (QVC presenter).

Julia Roberts
Roberts at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival premiere of Jesus Henry Christ
Born	Julia Fiona Roberts (1967-10-28) October 28, 1967 (age 44) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1987–present
Religion	Hindu
Spouse	Lyle Lovett (m. 1993–1995; divorced) Daniel Moder (m. 2002–present; 3 children)
Family	Eric Roberts (brother) Lisa Roberts Gillan (sister) Emma Roberts (niece)

Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman (1990), which grossed $464 million worldwide. After receiving Golden Globe Awards and Academy Award nominations for Steel Magnolias (1989) and Pretty Woman, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Erin Brockovich (2000). Her films My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), Mystic Pizza (1988), Notting Hill (1999), Runaway Bride (1999), Valentine's Day (2010), The Pelican Brief (1993), Ocean's Eleven (2001), and Ocean's Twelve (2004) have collectively brought box office receipts of over $2.4 billion, making her one of the most successful actresses in terms of box office receipts.^[1]

Roberts had become one of the highest-paid actresses in the world, topping the Hollywood Reporter's annual "power list" of top-earning female stars from 2005 to 2006. Her fee for 1990's Pretty Woman was $300,000;^[2] in 2003, she was paid an unprecedented $25 million for her role in Mona Lisa Smile (2003). As of 2010, Roberts's net worth was estimated to be $140 million.^[3]

Roberts has been named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" eleven times, tied with Halle Berry. In 2011, she was named one of the "100 Hottest Women of All-Time" by Men's Health.^[4] In 2001, Ladies Home Journal ranked her as the 11th most powerful woman in the United States, ahead of then national security advisor Condoleezza Rice and former first lady Laura Bush.^{[5][clarification needed][dead link]} Roberts has a production company called Red Om Films.

Early life and family[link]

Roberts was born in Atlanta, Georgia, at Crawford Long Hospital (now Emory University Hospital Midtown), to Betty Lou (née Bredemus) and Walter Grady Roberts.^[6][7] She is of English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, German, and Swedish descent.^[8][9] Her parents were Baptist and Catholic,^[10] and she was raised Catholic.^[11][12] Her older brother, Eric Roberts (from whom she was estranged until 2004), sister, Lisa Roberts Gillan, and niece, Emma Roberts, also are actors. Julia's parents, one-time actors and playwrights, met while performing theatrical productions for the armed forces. They later co-founded the Atlanta Actors and Writers Workshop in Atlanta, Georgia, off Juniper Street in Midtown. While her mother was pregnant with Julia, she and her husband ran an acting school for children in Decatur, Georgia. The children of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King attended the school. As a thank-you for their service, Mrs. King paid the hospital bill when Julia's mother gave birth to Julia.^[13] Julia's mother filed for divorce in 1971 with the divorce being finalized early in 1972.^[14] Roberts lived in Smyrna, in 1972, where she attended Fitzhugh Lee Elementary School, Griffin Middle School, and Campbell High School.^[15] Her mother married Michael Motes and had a daughter, Nancy Motes, in 1976. Julia's father died of cancer when she was ten.^[16]

Roberts wanted to be a veterinarian as a child. She played clarinet in the band in school. After graduating from Smyrna's Campbell High School, she headed to New York to pursue a career in acting. Once there, she signed with the Click Modeling Agency and enrolled in acting classes.

Career[link]

1986–1989[link]

Roberts made her first big screen appearance in the film Satisfaction (1988), released on February 12, 1988, alongside Liam Neeson and Justine Bateman, as a band member looking for a summer gig. She had previously performed a small role opposite her brother, Eric, in Blood Red (1986) (she has two words of dialogue), filmed in 1987 and released in 1989. Her first television appearance was as a juvenile rape victim in the initial season of the series Crime Story with Dennis Farina, in the episode titled "The Survivor", broadcast on February 13, 1987. Her first critical success with moviegoers was her performance in the independent film Mystic Pizza in 1988;^[17] that same year, she had a role in the fourth season finale of Miami Vice. In 1989, she was featured in Steel Magnolias, as a young bride with diabetes, and received both her first Academy Award nomination (as Best Supporting Actress) and first Golden Globe Award win (Motion Picture Best Supporting Actress) for her performance.^[17]

Roberts in 1990

1990–2000[link]

Roberts became known to worldwide audiences when she co-starred with Richard Gere in the Cinderella/Pygmalionesque story, Pretty Woman, in 1990.^[17] Roberts won the role after Michelle Pfeiffer, Molly Ringwald, Meg Ryan, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Karen Allen, and Daryl Hannah (her co-star in Steel Magnolias) all turned it down.^[18] The role also earned her a second Oscar nomination, this time as Best Actress, and second Golden Globe Award win, as Motion Picture Best Actress (Musical or Comedy).^[17] Her next box office success was the thriller Sleeping with the Enemy, playing a battered wife who escapes her abusive husband, played by Patrick Bergin, and begins a new life in Iowa. She played Tinkerbell in Steven Spielberg's Hook in 1991, and also played a nurse in the 1991 film, Dying Young. This work was followed by a two-year hiatus, during which she made no films other than a cameo appearance in Robert Altman's The Player (1992). In early 1993, she was the subject of a People magazine cover story asking, "What Happened to Julia Roberts?"^[19] She was offered the role of Annie Reed in Sleepless in Seattle (1993), but turned it down.^[20]

Roberts co-starred with Denzel Washington in The Pelican Brief (1993), based on John Grisham's 1992 novel of the same name.^[17] In 1996, she appeared in season 2 of Friends (episode 13 "The One After the Superbowl"). Roberts recorded her scenes from January 6–8, 1996.^[21] She had a relationship with cast member Matthew Perry at the time,^{[22][23][24][25]} and an audience member said about their on-screen kiss, "Julia looked at Matt and said 'I'm glad we rehearsed this over the weekend'."^[26] She was offered the role of Lucy Eleanor Moderatz in While You Were Sleeping (1995), but also turned it down.^[20]

Roberts co-starred with Liam Neeson in Michael Collins (1996).^[17] Over the next few years, she starred in Stephen Frears' Mary Reilly (1996), followed by My Best Friend's Wedding in 1997. In 1998, she appeared on Sesame Street opposite the character Elmo, demonstrating her ability to change emotions. She was offered the role of Viola de Lesseps in Shakespeare in Love (1998), but turned it down.^[20] She starred with Hugh Grant in Notting Hill (1999). That same year she also starred in Runaway Bride, her second film with Richard Gere. Roberts was a guest star on the Law & Order television series episode "Empire" with series regular Benjamin Bratt (at that time her boyfriend). She earned an nomination for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.^[27] Also in 1999 she starred in the critically panned film Stepmom (1998) alongside Susan Sarandon.^[28]

Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy García, Julia, cast of Ocean's Eleven along with director Steven Soderbergh in December 2001

2001–2005[link]

In 2001 Roberts received the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Erin Brockovich, who helped wage a successful lawsuit against energy giant Pacific Gas & Electric. While presenting the Best Actor Award to Denzel Washington the following year she made a gaffe, saying she was glad that Tom Conti wasn't there. She meant the conductor, Bill Conti, who had tried to hasten the conclusion of her Oscar speech the previous year, but instead named the Scottish actor.^[29] Roberts teamed with Erin Brockovich director Steven Soderbergh for three more films: Ocean's Eleven (2001), Full Frontal (2002), and Ocean's Twelve (2004). Later in 2001 she starred in the road gangster comedy, The Mexican, giving her a chance to work with long-time friend, Brad Pitt. In 2005 she was featured in the music video for the hit single "Dreamgirl" by the Dave Matthews Band; it was her first music video appearance.^[30]

2006–present[link]

Roberts had two films released in 2006, The Ant Bully and Charlotte's Web. Both films were animated features for which she provided voice acting. Her next film was Charlie Wilson's War (2007), with Tom Hanks and Philip Seymour Hoffman, directed by Mike Nichols and based on the book by former CBS journalist George Crile; it was released on December 21, 2007. Fireflies in the Garden (2008), also starring Ryan Reynolds and Willem Dafoe, was released at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2008 and was subsequently shown in European cinemas; it did not get a North American release until 2011.

Deployed troops show Julia Roberts the controls of an F-15.

Roberts made her Broadway debut on April 19, 2006 as Nan in a revival of Richard Greenberg's 1997 play Three Days of Rain opposite Bradley Cooper and Paul Rudd. Although the play grossed nearly US$1 million dollars in ticket sales during its first week^[31] and was a commercial success throughout its limited run, her performance drew criticism. New York Times' critic Ben Brantly described her as being fraught with "self-consciousness (especially in the first act) [and] only glancingly acquainted with the two characters she plays."^[32] Brantley also criticized the production of "Greenberg's slender, elegant play," writing that “it's almost impossible to discern its artistic virtues from this wooden and splintered interpretation, directed by Joe Mantello."^[32] Three Days of Rain received two Tony Award nominations in stagecraft categories. In 2009, Lancôme announced that Roberts would become their global ambassador for their company.^[33] Julia starred with Clive Owen in the comedy-thriller Duplicity for which she received her seventh Golden Globe nomination. In 2010, she appeared in the ensemble romantic comedy Valentine's Day, with Cooper, and starred in the film adaptation of Eat Pray Love. Eat Pray Love^[34] had the highest debut at the box office for Roberts in a top-billed role since America's Sweethearts.^[35] Later in the year, she signed a five-year extension with Lancôme for GB£32 million (US$50 million).^[36] In 2011, she co-starred as Mercedes Tainot opposite Tom Hanks who directed and played the title role in the romantic comedy Larry Crowne.^[37] The movie has received generally bad reviews with only 35% of the 175 Rotten Tomatoes reviews giving it high ratings,^[38] although Roberts' comedic performance was praised.^[39] Roberts appeared in the 2012 Tarsem Singh adaptation of Snow White, called Mirror Mirror, playing the Evil Queen.^[40]

American Girl films[link]

Roberts has brought to life some of the books from American Girl as films, serving as executive producer alongside her sister Lisa. The company's product lines and services are focused on pre-teen-girl characters from various periods of American history, embodied as dolls and featured in narratives including books and movies. Roberts has produced four movies.^[41]

Personal life[link]

Relationships[link]

Julia Roberts in Paris, September 2010

Roberts has reportedly had romantic relationships with actors Jason Patric, Liam Neeson, Dylan McDermott, and Matthew Perry.^[42][43][44] She was briefly engaged to actor Kiefer Sutherland; they broke up three days before their scheduled wedding on 11 June 1991. On June 25, 1993, she married country singer Lyle Lovett; the wedding took place at St. James Lutheran Church in Marion, Indiana.^[45] They separated in March 1995 and subsequently divorced.^[46] From 1998 to 2001, Roberts dated actor Benjamin Bratt.^[47]

Roberts and her husband, cameraman Daniel Moder, met on the set of her film The Mexican in 2000, while she was still dating Bratt. At the time, Moder was married to Vera Steimberg. He filed for divorce a little over a year later, and after it was finalized, he and Roberts wed on July 4, 2002, at her ranch in Taos, New Mexico.^[48] Together, they have three children: twins Hazel Patricia Moder and Phinnaeus "Finn" Walter Moder (born November 28, 2004) and Henry Daniel Moder (born June 18, 2007).^[49]

Beliefs[link]

Roberts disclosed in a 2010 interview for Elle magazine that she believes in and practices Hinduism.^[50][51][52] Roberts is a devotee of Neem Karoli Baba (Maharaj-ji). A picture of Neem Karoli Baba drew Roberts to Hinduism.^[53]

Charities[link]

Roberts has given her time and resources to UNICEF as well as to other charitable organizations. On May 10, 1995, Roberts arrived in Port-au-Prince, as she said, "to educate myself".^[54][55] The poverty she found was overwhelming. "My heart is just bursting", she said.^[54] UNICEF officials hoped that her six-day visit would trigger an outburst of giving: $10 million in aid was sought at the time.^[54][55]

In 2000, Roberts narrated Silent Angels, a documentary about Rett syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder, which was shot in Los Angeles, Baltimore and New York. The documentary was designed to help raise public awareness about the disease. In July 2006, Earth Biofuels announced Roberts as a spokeswoman for the company and as chair of the company's newly formed Advisory Board promoting the use of renewable fuels.

Filmography[link]

References[link]

Notes