For my Serbian Brothers and Sisters,
and I'll translate it for my JTF Brothers and Sisters,
as soon as I have time:
From "vecernje Novosti",
where I had a glance,
thanks to Boyana:
http://www.novosti.co.yu/code/navigate.php?Id=15&status=jedna&vest=108499&datum=2007-09-12
"De Niro sa šajkačom
Miša RISTOVIĆ,
12.09.2007
JEDNA od najblistavijih holivudskih filmskih zvezda Robert De Niro mogao bi decembra da dođe u Čokot kod Niša. Tako bi se ispunila njegova želja stara već četiri decenije da ponovo okusi sir i pogaču u ovom pitomom selu pored Južne Morave.
Na vest da glavni akter filmova "Kum 2", "Dvadeseti vek", "Taksista" i mnogih drugih dolazi decembra u Beograd, gde bi trebalo da prisustvuje egzibicionom teniskom turniru, Čokotani su reagovali veoma brzo i meraklijski.
Preko "Večernjih novosti" javno upućuju molbu našem teniskom asu Novaku Đokoviću da svog frenetičnog navijača, koji ga je bodrio i u finalu poslednjeg gren slem turnira u Njujorku, dovede u njihovo selo. Vele da će De Niro prihvatiti poziv, jer je upravo u Čokotu svojevremeno domaćinski dočekan, a meštani mu i zdušno pomogli. De Niro je to dobro zapamtio, pa je potom postao veliki srbofil.
- DoČekali smo ga kako samo mi Čokotani znamo - veli Velibor Ranđelović iz Čokota. - Njegovo je samo da se seti našeg sela i da najavi kada dolazi.
Sam Robert De Niro je pre mnogo godina na beogradskom FEST-u pomenuo novinarima da je bio u Nišu, silom prilika. Istakao je da je 1967. godine u okolini Niša, kao autostoper, stekao prijatelje, koji su ga lepo ugostili, pa mu čak pozajmili i novac za put.
- Izgubio sam njihovu adresu, a ne sećam se više ni imena - rekao je tom prilikom De Niro. - Rado bih želeo da ponovo uspostavim kontakt s njima.
A, taj prijatelj sada slavnog Roberta De Nira je bio sasvim običan zemljoradnik Radovan Đokić (76), koji je preminuo pre šest meseci. Kako pričaju meštani ovog sela, Robert De Niro je tada kao student auto-stopom krstario Bliskim istokom i Evropom. Juna 1967. godine Radovan Đokić je prodavao paradajz na niškoj pijaci i zaprežnim vozilom se vraćao kući. Na samom izlazu iz Niša prema Skoplju zaustavio ga je nepoznati mladić. Pričao mu je nešto na francuskom, a jedino što je Đokić shvatio bilo je da ga ovaj moli da ga poveze.
U kolima mu je i dalje pričao sve do Novog Sela. Tamo je Đokiću jedan gimnazijalac preveo da nepoznati mladić traži prenoćište, jer ne može dalje na put zbog nevremena koje se spremalo. Radovan ja mlađanog Roberta poveo svojoj kući, u Čokot, i ugostio ga. De Niro je hteo da spava u seniku, ali mu Đokić nije dozvolio, jer je u Čokotu gost, ipak, gost. Kada je De Niro sutradan krenuo na put, domaćini su mu pripremili pogaču i sir i ispratili ga. Tačno posle godinu dana, Robert De Niro se ponovo pojavio u Čokotu. Ovog puta u polovnom "folksvagenu" nemačke registracije.Odmah posle pozdrava sa Đokićima, otišao je u štalu da vidi kobilu, tapšao je po vratu i ponavljao njeno ime: - Olga, Olga!, koje nije zaboravio od svog prvog boravka. Tri dana je bio gost u moravskom selu. Za vreme ovog drugog boravka u kući Đokićevih, De Niro je najveći deo vremena proveo u bašti s paradajzom koji je, uostalom, najviše voleo da jede, pogotovo sa sirom i pogačom.
- Sećam se da je taj mladić bio neobrijan i da je nosio belu košulju sa kratkim rukavima - kaže Dragan Đokić, bratanac pokojnog Radovana.
U to vreme su domaćini brali paradajz, a gost im je zdušno pomagao. I što je najinteresantnije, radio je bolje od svih Čokotana. Dok bi domaćini ubrali jedan red, on je već završavao drugi. Potom je svojim kolima odvezao paradajz na nišku pijacu. Dok je Radovan Đokić prodavao paradajz, on se šetao bedemom Tvrđave. Posle tri dana De Niro se pripremio i, srdačno ispraćen, krenuo na put prema Grčkoj.
MeĐutim, nije prošlo više od tri časa, kada Roberta De Nira eto opet. Nekako je uspeo da objasni da je primio nekog autostopera, koji ga je, dok je uzimao benzin na jednoj pumpi između Niša i Leskovca, opljačkao. Radovan Ćokić, iako se tada spremao za odlazak na rođendan kod unuke, dao je Robertu 470 tadašnjih dinara, ceo pazar s pijace. Bar do Grčke da stigne. De Niro mu je za uzvrat ponudio jednu kameru, ali je Đokić odbio da je uzme. Rekao mu je samo da nosi novac, a vratiće kada bude mogao.
Robert De Niro nikada se više nije pojavio u Čokotu. Posle mnogo godina, Đokićevi su ga videli na filmskom platnu kao već popularnog glumca.
PARADAJZ
U ČOKOTU vele da je Robert De Niro uopšte nije bio iskusan za radove u bašti. Čak su, kako tvrde, morali da mu objasne da bere crveni, a ne zeleni paradajz.
IME PRVE KĆERKE DRINA
PORED otvorenih navijačkih simpatija za Novaka Đokovića, Robert De Niro je do sada u više navrata pričao da je oduševljen Srbijom. Često je angažovao bebisiterke s našeg podneblja, a dugo godina jedan od članova njegovog obezbeđenja takođe je bio Srbin. Holivudska legenda je svojevremeno pročitala i roman Ive Andrića "Na Drini ćuprija", posle čega je kćerki dao ime Drina!"
"De Niro with the Shaykatcha (Serbian Hat)
by Misha Ristovich
12/09/2007
One of the most shiny Hollywood-stars Robert de Niro could come in december in C(h)okot, Nis(h) (Serbian Town).
Thus, his four decades old wish of tasting anew local cheese and bread in this quiet village of South Morava would be fulfilled.
On the news that the main actor of "the Godfather II", "Taxi driver" and many other films comes december in Belgrade,
where he should be present at the tennis exhibition, the C(h)okotanis (inhabitants of C(h)okot) reacted very quickly and bragging.
Through the newspapers "Vechernye novosti" ("Evening news"), they openly praised our tennis ace Novak Djokovich
to take his frenetic fan, who encouraged him in the last grand shlem in New-York City, to their village.
They said de Niro will accept their invitation, because in C(h)okot he was "domachinski" welcomed/invited, and the locals helped him warmly. De Niro remembered this good, and has become a great Serbophile.
- We waited for him like only we, C(h)okotanis, know - says Velibor Ranđelović from Čokota.
- His is only to remember our village and to make public when he comes.
Robert de Niro himself, many years ago on the Belgrade FEST, mentionned to the journalists that he was in Nis(h),
on one (forced) occasion. He said that in 1967, around Nis(h), as an hitch-hicker, he made some friends who welcomed/invited him nicely, and went as far as giving him money for his trip.
- I lost their adress, and I don't even remember the names - said on that occasion De Niro.
- I'd gladly meet them anew.
The friend of the now famous Robert de Niro was the "very normal" (!!!) peasant Radovan Đokić (76),
who died six months ago. As narrated by the locals of this village, Robert De Niro then, as a hitch-hicking student
cruised in Near-East and in Europe. June 1967, Radovan Đokić was selling tomatoes on the Nis(h) market-place and was on his way home, in his vehicle. On the very exit of Nis(h) towards Skoplye, he was stopped by an unknown young man.
He told him something in french, and the only thing Đokić understood, was that he begged him to drive him.
In the car, he kept talking all along up to Novo Selo (New Village). There, a student translated to Đokić that the unknown man seeks a bed for the night, he couldn't go further, because of the bad weather that was coming.
Radovan took the young man to his Home, in Čokot, to be his guest. De Niro wanted to sleep in the straw-house (?), but Đokić didn't allow this, because in Čokot, a guest is a guest. When de Niro went on the road, the day tomorrow, the House-Holders prepared him cheese and bread and accompanied him (to their Home's door). Exactly one year later, Robert de Niro appeared anew in Čokot. This time in a half-new "VolksWagen" with german registration.
Immediatly after salutation with the Đokić, he went in the (stala, house of the horse ...) to see the female horse, caressing it on the neck, repeating its name: - Olga, Olga!, which he didn't forget from his last visit.
Three days he was a guest in the Moravian village. For the time of his long staying in the Đokić House,
de Niro spent most time in the garden with tomatoes which he liked to eat, especially with cheese and bread.
- I remember that this young man wasn't shaved and that he wore a white shirt with short sleeves -
says Dragan Đokić, nephew of regreted Radovan.
In that time, the House-Holders were picking-up the tomatoes, and the guest helped.
The most interesting thing being, that he worked better than all the Čokotanis. While the villagers would work on the first rank, he was already finishing the second. After that, he carried the tomatoes with his car,
to the Nis(h) market-place. While Radovan Đokić was selling the tomatoes, he had walks on the Castle's fortifications.
After three days, de Niro was getting ready, and heartily accompanied, went on his road towards Greece.
But, three hours have not passed yet, there was de Niro again. Somehow, he succeeded to explain that he had an hitch-hicker who, while de Niro was getting fuel in a gas-station between Nis(h) and Leskova(ts)c, stole his money. Radovan Ćokić, even when preparing himself to go to the birthday party of his grand-daughter,
gave Robert 470 dinars, all his gain from the market-place. At least for him to reach Greece.
De Niro on exchange proposed his movie-camera, but Đokić didn't want to take it. He told him to take the money, which de Niro would give back, when possible.
Robert De Niro never returned again in Čokot. After many years, the Đokić Family saw him on a movie-screen, as an already famous actor.
TOMATOE:
In C(h)okota they say Robert de Niro wasn't accustomed at all for the garden-work.
They even had, as they claim, to explain him to pick-up the red, not the green ones.
NAME OF HIS FIRST DAUGHTER, DRINA:
While openly supporting Novak Djokovich, Robert de Niro has until now many times spoken to be charmed by Serbia.
Often, he engaged baby-sitters from our Country, and, for many years, one of his bodyguards was also Serbian.
The Hollywood Legend has also read the novel of Ivo Andrić "Na Drini ćuprija" ("a bridge on the Drina river"), after what he gave his daughter the name: Drina!"
Topic: Robert de Niro is pro-Serbian (Read 18621 times)