WHEN FILIP CAKULI CRIED

2024-10-30 12:07:00, Opinione Mitro Çela

I asked Filip: - Do you miss Koço Devole?

- I feel like a fish out of water! - he returned to me. - He was my closest person. 42 years

together. We met at "Hosteni" magazine. I boy That great humorist. continued

together in concerts. We wrote scripts and sketches together. Together with "Fiks Fare",

along with holidays in Saranda. He was my second half or I was the second half

of Koço.

- Can Filip Çakuli cry?

- I felt great pain, but I did not shed tears either for the loss of my mother or for the death of my father. How come my tears flowed? I entered Koço's office... It was empty... The journalists had placed a bunch of flowers on his desk. I saw two pairs of glasses (one damaged), the computer, a cigarette half left, papers, some cartoons... I froze. I sat in the chair. I sat for a few minutes, wiped my eyes and without talking to anyone I entered my office.

- Did they comfort you? - I continued to insist with questions.

- Like never before. Over 1000 calls. Endless messages.

- Koço Devole was a great actor on stage, but off stage he was silent, closed, he seemed annoyed by people.

- You are wrong, - Filipi answered me. -He was very popular, on stage and off.

He was Albania's greatest comedian. As an actor, director, he made cartoons with ideas. He was a screenwriter. As a comedian, he can be compared to Qamil Buxheli. When we were walking along the road with Koço, we would find bela. The citizens stopped him: "Shall we take a picture? I want another picture with the boy." There were others asking for autographs. They asked me to intervene with Koço so that he could go and play in the theaters of Shkodra, Fier, Vlora, and Tirana. Skënder Sollaku, Zef Deda, parodists from Vlora, Aleko Prodani, Fadil Hasa wanted to appear on stage with Koço. You can't find a director who didn't want to have him as an actor in Kinostudio films or in television soap operas. What about the concerts at the Sports Palace, at the Tirana stage, at the Palace of Congress, can you find me someone who could do them like Koçoja? No and no. But why? Because he was like a magician. Actors and singers gathered there, from Vaçe Zela, Tonin Tërshana, Liljana Kondakçi, Luan Zhegu, Parashqevi Simaku, Aleksandër Gjoka and others. You can't find a worker, initiator, fantasist like him among the actors. Hardworking and strict at work, but loving and respected after work. I became curious and asked him: - Did you keep Koço for yourself or was it also part of the family?

- When we lived in Lushnje, Koço used to come and go to our place as if it were his own home. He joked with Vasilika, played with my two sons, Zhan and Orest. They laughed with tears, because he was an actor not only on stage, but also among children.

-Has Koço come to Dërmisht?

- Every time we went to Saranda, we went up to the village, - says Filipi. - And every time we went, my father had a party. Mother cooked the chicken that father slaughtered. Made pita. Brandy and wine were placed on the table. Meanwhile, word spread in the village. We used to go to the club, the tables were full. Someone drank with a glass of wine, someone with brandy, another with coffee. Koço made a joke: he showed the barcoleta. People were laughing with tears. They were joking. They left happy. The father boasted and boasted that he had a great housemate, Koço Devole! Before leaving the village, he asked me when we would come again... We won't come for two or three years, I replied. We waste you and the village. "Leave these! Koçoja falls in the house and in the village humor. Don't you see how happy people are?!"- said my father.

- I think that great humor is made only at home, - I say again. - Why did Koçoja escape across the ocean?!

-He fled to America with his family in 1998. There was a reason. The place was hellish. Gangs ruled the country. The variety shows were closed. Comedians play backgammon or cards. Business dried up. There was no money for sponsorships. Art is not made from home. One day he called me and said: "Filip! If you're on your way from America, I'll wait for you at home." After a few months, a businessman paid for my tickets. He also gave us some pocket money and together with journalist Genc Tirana we boarded the plane. We made our first visit to New York at Koço's house. He lived in the middle of the forest. Beautiful house. The owner was the son-in-law, a good boy, from Kosovo. He was a businessman. They had two daughters. I asked Koço one day: "What do you do in America?"

-"Two years ago I gave concerts for immigrants. City by city. Together with Pëllumb Kulla, Agim Krajka, Xhevahir Zeneli, Anita Bitri, etc. But I got tired. I was upset, I was annoyed. Now I do nothing. I live like a dead man. I go out to fish. Rarely for prey. sleep I dream about humor.

- Why don't you come to Tirana?

-Shake the door or measure the streets?

-No. Let's work together on "Top Channel"!

- But at "Top Channel" there is God Hauri. Without Tan's invitation, I won't leave America"...

- I returned to Tirana. I said to Tani: "What if we hire Koço Devolen?!"

- Just kidding! Does he live in America? Come to work with us? I have adored Koço since I was a child. We used to tell his jokes among friends. At any time, the door of "Top" is open.

-After a few days, Koço arrived in Tirana. Tani cut the plane ticket. The three of us drink coffee. Tani was the happiest.

I ask Filip: - "Fiks Fare" in the 2000s was an innovation in television and humor. Did Koçoja adapt?

-He was born to do anything. Made a script. He went on stage. He imitated, he wrote. He brought many characters to life. He did the monitoring with the Doctor, Paloma, Fon. He improvised. Many friends and colleagues told me that I am lucky to work with Koço. When a day was missing from the screen, the phone would ring: "Where is Koçoja?!"

- For reasons of negligence, Koço was arrested in Italy. Did the politicians do magic? - I ask, and Filipi tells me:

- On the contrary. Sali Berisha called me to Parliament. He told me that he had a friend in Italy, a well-known lawyer. "Mr. Biondi was also the Minister of Justice in Berlusconi's government. I will talk to the lawyer. He will do his best to exonerate him. There is no way that a comedian as big as Koço Devole is dealing with drugs." Ilir Meta also called me. At that time he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He told me that they would do their best diplomatically for Koço. "We will make some official documents where we will show which Koçoja is for the Albanians." Meanwhile, Gjergj Luca and Agron Duka were ready to help Koço financially.

- Did you go to Italy?

- Yes. Twice. First with Gjergj Luca. Kocoja was imprisoned in Rimini. We met the lawyer. They submitted the documents. The second time I went with a translator. We met Koço in prison. It was humorous. "I have extra treatment," said Koço. "My dungeon is like a room in a five-star hotel." I joked with the carabinieri, but they didn't understand. I forced them to learn Albanian. Now I tell them and laugh myself. But I am innocent. They caught me in a car. I held in my hands, like a toy, a gadget. I didn't know what it was. The carabinieri caught us. They pressed a button on the tool I was holding, something creaked and a box of drugs opened. But I was a passenger. I didn't know anything. I was a victim. But the truth will come out." The trial was held. The trial was closed. Koco came out clean! But I was sad about politics the day Koço Devole passed away. The Ministry of Culture should organize tributes. Likewise, the government should open the hall of

"Palace of Congresses" to say goodbye to the great comedian. I did together with Agron Llaka what the government left to chance. We spoke to the director of the Traffic Police and he sent two motorcyclists to accompany the procession.

- Did Koçoja leave you any bequests?

-Yes... One day, like many other times, we sat down for lunch. It was just the two of us. He told me that he was worried about his son and granddaughter. The boy had come from Italy and lived with her. Were there fairies? Only driver. While my granddaughter, Sindi, was a student in Italy. Every month he sent 300 euros. He needed another year to finish his master's degree. After Koçoja left this life, we fixed the boy driver in the German Hospital. Then I met Cindy. I asked him when he finished his master's degree. It took four more months... I completed Koço's second bequest... Finally, I ask Filip: - Has Koço enriched your biography?

- I worked for 42 years as a journalist. I have published 10 books. I have written hundreds of articles.

Let them all be forgotten. It is enough to remain in my biography the fact that I worked, lived, collaborated and made humor with Koço Devolen./ CNA