Turkish Magazine She, 
January 2000

Glad you’re back Tarkan

We know him from the news and from his careful answers to careless questions. He has been criticized most of the time for being out of the ordinary. He became labeled a bad boy for speaking the truth. He has looked into our eyes with affection and love but despite his outspokenness, like every person he couldn’t fully explain himself. We thought it would genuinely be nice to hear from those who spend a lot of time with Tarkan and know him well. So, here are the people that know Tarkan better than anybody...

Egemen Öncel – Assistant:  
 

 

Is Tarkan a difficult boss?
He is a hard boss but he doesn’t worry over nothing or have meaningless mood swings. If something’s bothering him and he has warned me of it, it means that something is definitely up. He is very disciplined and well organized.

If things go wrong and it’s your fault, how does he react? 
For one, he doesn’t scream or shout. He stays calm, but he’ll give you such a look that, you know, you’ll have wished he hit you! His looks tell me that I’m to blame and I try not to make the same mistake twice.

At his concerts and other events he tries to make sure everything is just right, doesn’t he? 
Yes. He is very particular and naturally expects everyone else to be. He is not one of those artists that only gives concerts for the money and sits back waiting for others to do the work. For many of his concerts he has spent money out of his own pocket to give his audience a better show. Before him, people would give concerts by laying out a stage on a football pitch.

What type of attraction is Tarkan considering for the year 2000? 
We are currently in dialogue with a couple of names in regard to this. We are consulting everyone. There is nothing set in stone as of yet, but Tarkan concerts will bring immense new changes.

Talat Ditaban – Bodyguard:  
  

 
I have also been working with Tarkan for a long time, almost since I started this profession. During the time that Tarkan needed a bodyguard, he wanted someone who was well spoken, not coarse, and who was trained on security and defense. My friends recommended me.

Tarkan is one of the few artists to have a bodyguard and this was criticized at one point. Do you think he required a bodyguard? 
Yes, of course. When I first began this job I, too, didn’t know everything, but in time he grew and so did we, as a crew. Sometimes an infatuated girl can be more dangerous than anything else. His fans will run up to him in such a way, that even if they mean well they have the potential to do harm.

Does he admonish when his fans are treated with undue force? 
He worries a lot when a fan faints or hurts themselves, and he is constantly forewarning that his fans should be treated well but, to a lot of the places we go to, we are forced to work with different security crews. Sometimes they tend to act a bit rough.

Your job credentials require that you live with him. How is he at home? 
The home is very important to Tarkan. He has a very composed home life. He is not one to give wild parties or to live grandiosely.

Is he a fun person? What do you do for amusement? 
We watch movies and play cards. Because, as part of the crew, we’ve known each other for a long time, we share the same space very comfortably.

Is Tarkan moody in the morning or at other certain times? 
He gets a little moody when he’s hungry. So a lot of the time we make sure breakfast is ready before he wakes up.

When he has upset you how does he make amends? 
He knows how to get around people. He becomes so affable that you can’t be angry at him. In time as Tarkan’s standards have risen, I guess so too must have your own. Yes. He is a very fair and generous person. When I wanted to purchase a house, or when I’ve had other problems, he has always been generous to me. And when I became a dad, he was the first person to visit, by coming to the hospital secretly. He concerns himself a lot with other people’s problems.

Is he sometimes moody? 
No, he isn’t moody. One day as a crew we went to a restaurant and I gave an order for my meat to be done rare. The waiter brought my meat over well done. I sent it back. This happened three times and I was just about to say something to the waiter, when Tarkan said to me: “Don’t have a go at him. Can’t you see he’s not here, who knows what sorts of problems are going through his head? Do you know what problems he must have financially and at home?”

Zeki Doğulu – His Friend:  
 

 
Tarkan taught me that every person needs to be loved. At a time when I had forgotten the meaning of the word, he taught me. Tarkan has a great love of people, animals and nature.

What makes him happy? 
Being with his friends makes him happy. A comfortable environment, to eat poğaça with the people he loves (showing the poğaça in front of him), or he to eat caviar at a posh restaurant.

Is he a person that gets upset a lot? 
He is emotional and gets upset like everyone else but he his definitely not one to bear a grudge.