00:01
Ole Henriksen
The painting that really speaks to me is by Krøyer, a renowned, brilliant Danish artist that actually spent the better part of his life in Skagen, the very tip of Denmark in the late 1800s to early 1900s.

00:16
Ole Henriksen
The ocean this very day means everything for me, wherever I am, whether it is in Denmark, I jump in the big waves, the bigger, the better. And I always say, also my philosophy of life is, I love to jump down deep because I know I'm always going to reach the surface.

00:34
Ole Henriksen
Here they are, these little boys in blue, blue colors, different shades of blue — blue being my favorite color. But it really reminds me of me and my love affair with jumping into the ocean as a little kid.

00:49
Ole Henriksen
The ocean in Denmark is never really warm. But when you're a kid, just the freedom of floating there underwater and learning to swim felt magical. And we often did it naked when we were very tiny, because us Danes are very free-spirited.

01:07
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
My name is Tina Jøhnk Christensen and I'm the host of Danish Originals, a podcast series created in partnership with the National Gallery of Denmark and the American Friends of the National Gallery of Denmark. Our goal is to celebrate Danish creatives who've made a significant mark in the US.

01:26
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
Today, our guest is Ole Henriksen, the skincare guru behind the Ole Henriksen skincare brand. And Ole, you have the honor of being our first guest and the first on the top of our list. Welcome, Ole.

01:39
Ole Henriksen
Tina, it's a big, big honor sitting here across from you, glowing in this beautiful, colorful dress. And let's face it, that museum in Denmark is our pride and joy, representing some of the finest art in the world, not just Danish art.

01:56
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
Ole, for full transparency's sake, I want to let the listeners know that you and I are very close friends. We have been writing partners on a motivational book about success and we are now writing yet another one on gratitude. So if the questions sometimes seem rather intimate, this is the explanation.

02:15
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
Ole, we're at your home in Los Angeles. Can you describe the location for the listeners so that they get an idea of where we are at the moment?

02:24
Ole Henriksen
We are on top of the world. Laurence and I live on the 27th floor in this amazing building on the Wilshire Corridor. And the views are spectacular. From up above, you look down at nothing but greenery. The city life. You look at Malibu, the beaches, that is. The J. Paul Getty Museum, one of my most favorites here in LA.

02:46
Ole Henriksen
And it's sort of like you feel safe, which is a great feeling in LA. The violence in the USA is not exactly desirable these days. And that was really the reason we sold our beautiful house of 22 years. But now, we're in a setting of great, sleek furniture, a lot of beautiful art, that you are going to talk about.

03:07
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
And your husband, Ole, of many, many years, Laurence Roberts, is an interior designer and he has created this home for you. What is important for you in your home environment and what makes you feel at home? What is a homey feeling for you?

03:22
Ole Henriksen
Well, it's all about the comfort zone. Furniture you can lounge in, colors on the walls, it's beautiful art that speaks to you, that you rediscover every day you admire them. It's the light streaming in a bright home. To me, a bright home is a happy home.

03:42
Ole Henriksen
And for Laurence and myself — he is an interior designer, so that means he has a very, definitive taste level. But I will say one thing is the two of us do it as a couple. So setting up this new home has been a labor of love.

03:58
Ole Henriksen
It's a whole new look. It's more modern. It's more simple and you know us Scandinavians love less is more, but functionality means a lot to us and I feel this home is functional. And when I exercise, I don't just exercise in my office on my rings. I dance through this entire apartment like a crazy man.

04:19
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
I can see that. And you have a lot of art on your walls here. How do you select art and what does art mean to you?

04:29
Ole Henriksen
Well, Laurence and I love to shop for art all around the globe when we travel. For us, it's that intimate relationship with the art that I feel every day you look at our walls, you discover something new from each piece.

04:43
Ole Henriksen
Colors mean a lot. Colors for us is about feeling happy, feeling good. Like your great dress today, that looks amazing. But a sweet example was years ago while working in London, Laurence was along. And he found a gallery close to our hotel. And he said, Ole, there's a painting you have to see. And I go down, and there is a Damien Hirst.

05:07
Ole Henriksen
And I immediately fell in love with it. I mean, the beautiful colors, the butterflies incorporated into the painting that this man, this brilliant artist, is famous for. But I said, Laurence, it's, it's quite expensive. But in the end, we purchased it. And it hung in our house for years above the fireplace. And now, of course, it's here.

05:34
Ole Henriksen
But I remember the very first piece we bought when we met, nearly 39 years ago. We were in Chicago for Thanksgiving and visiting Laurence's parents. And we were out late at night and we looked through the window at a gallery and there was a painting that spoke to us again. Really, it was sort of eerie, ghost-like.

05:55
Ole Henriksen
But then the colors that sort of surrounded this ghost. We thought, we've got to get this painting. And that was actually the first we purchased that now hangs in our bedroom.

06:07
Ole Henriksen
So there is a diversity in our house. We love the California artists. Ed Moses is one. Again, exemplifying colors and happiness.

06:20
Ole Henriksen
And then I love, of course, the artists that lived in Skagen way back. I mean, I think that shows Danish artistry at its finest level. And I feel when you look at these artists' work, like Krøyer, that I love very much, you dwell into the history of Skagen at that time. I mean, how these artists lived.

06:42
Ole Henriksen
And years ago, we rented a home right next to Anna Ancher's home. And it was sort of like, wow, we are neighbors to Anna Ancher. And, of course, that's where the museum is. So art means a lot.

06:54
Ole Henriksen
And I think everyone should collect art. Whether it was my first poster art back in Denmark as a young kid. Then, over the years, you build a collection. It becomes part of your journey through life.

07:08
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
Mm hmm. Thank you, Ole. And you have been away from Denmark for many, many years. You were in Indonesia and the UK for a short time in your life, but Los Angeles is the place that you made into your permanent home. Tell us shortly what brought you here and what makes you feel so at home here.

07:26
Ole Henriksen
Well, as a little kid, I was just totally fascinated by the movies. So when I sat there in the biografen, as one would say, the cinema in Nibe, in my little village, I was taken away on this amazing journey into the big world. And of course Hollywood exemplified really the beginning of the movie industry. So I read a lot of books about it. And then suddenly one day I arrived here and it was magic.

07:56
Ole Henriksen
Because I, of course, had been educated in London in cosmetic chemistry, face and body work, all the things that help women and men look and feel their best. And I arrived thinking, well, I'm going to get a job easily. And I remember having an interview with the Grand Dame in beauty at the time, Aida Grey. And she was very serious and said, So young man, tell me, sir, how would you treat acne?

08:22
Ole Henriksen
And I described it, of course, in great detail with the equipment and all. She said, you're very bright, but we can't have you around naked women. And I thought, in Denmark, we are free spirited with nudity. I mean, I remember when my mom would jump in into us, get into her bikini on the beach. And she said, look at these boobs. You boys suck the life out of them when I breastfed you.

08:47
Ole Henriksen
So, nudity for us is something that comes natural. But I also believe when Aida Grey and others said, no, we can't hire you as a man, I had such a passion for my profession that I decided to open up what was called in those days Ole Henriksen of Denmark Skincare Center in Beverly Hills on a shoestring budget.

09:09
Ole Henriksen
And I think it's a reminder for our listeners, especially the young ones that are paving out careers for themselves, that you should never ever let rejection stop you in your tracks because that's part of life. If you have a passion, if you really want to succeed within that let's say profession or anything in life, do it and — And life is a roller coaster ride for all of us regardless.

09:35
Ole Henriksen
So I opened up, became known as the skincare guru to the stars and that was also because I was all about innovative treatments, but also customizing them and helping make every woman and man their own best skincare expert.

09:51
Ole Henriksen
So when Barbra Streisand knocked on the door, Diana Ross did, or Cher, or Sly Stallone, they got this amazing treatment customized. But everyone, till this very day, at the Ole Spa gets the star treatment. I never differentiated between if it was someone famous versus a nurse from Cedars-Sinai Hospital, because everyone in my book is a VIP and a star.

10:15
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
The Ole Henriksen brand, which the luxury conglomerate LVMH bought a few years ago, but which you still work for, has celebrated its 40th year on the market. Looking back, what were the highlights and why do you think it was such a big success that it's actually still around today and going strong?

10:36
Ole Henriksen
Ooh, I mean, I can tell you, it has been a journey of continued adventure. I think when you have the pleasure of creating your own brand, you put your own stamp, your own DNA on it. When I create products, having studied cosmetic chemistry, both in London, at UCLA university, it's two faced.

10:58
Ole Henriksen
It's about incorporating the calmative, the soothing, the comforting botanicals, to literally make love to your skin. And with that, the great hydration, the calmative benefits you get. And then, as I say, I kick ass with the renewing powers of the AHAs, the alpha hydroxy acids, the polyhydroxy acids, and that means that you stimulate the self turnover rate on a deeper level and you help build collagen for firmer skin.

11:26
Ole Henriksen
So I've always been a daredevil there with that balance because I wanted to live up results, transformative results. I want every woman and man to just caress themselves in the bathroom, relax into the moment, activate the products, look in the mirror, smile to themselves.

11:43
Ole Henriksen
And I'm very much focused on the Ole Glow. The Ole Glow is a celebration of you, the person. A woman and man that feels good about life, themselves, can express all parts of their personality. The wild and crazy, the serious, all of that.

11:59
Ole Henriksen
You've gotta love yourself. That's the foundation. And then with the topical, that skin that glows like sunshine. Because life is an amazing gift. And we know, Tina, you and I, having written, again, Det skal føles godt: tag hjertet med på vejen til succes, it's gotta feel good, put the heart into the journey towards success.

12:20
Ole Henriksen
Everything is what you choose for yourself, your attitude on a daily basis. You not alone embracing yourself and loving yourself, but sharing that with your fellow human beings. And that's sort of what our message with the products.

12:34
Ole Henriksen
So here we are. I've been married to LVMH for 13 years. They have allowed the brand to maintain its DNA.It was very much key that I stay on as the founder, but I'm surrounded by the most brilliant women and men around the globe.

12:48
Ole Henriksen
And what I love now as the 72-year old, I'm the old granddaddy here. I can now praise and love and applaud them because everything in life is a collaborative effort.

13:00
Ole Henriksen
And you know that when we write books like we are now writing the book on gratitude. I'm grateful for us as friends. I'm grateful that I have you by my side. And that joy of giving and taking, it's worth its price in gold.

13:15
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
True. Thinking back, Ole, on your first years of entrepreneurship, when you were just driving around Los Angeles on your bike, making the products in your kitchen for the Ole Henriksen Spa, what was that like? And what do you think made your business such a fast growing success? What was the recipe?

13:36
Ole Henriksen
There really are many recipes, if one can say. There's no doubt that in the treatment room, it was that I was able to again elevate skin to the best it could be when some of these famous stars came in with troublesome skin, whether it was the Charlize Therons of the world, the Katy Perrys or Madonna.

13:58
Ole Henriksen
So that was a key, because then word traveled. But then it's also very important, even way back then, to be savvy at getting the message out to a broader audience, working with the media. And I was very blessed that Henry Jaffe, the producer of The Dinah Shore Show, way back, there was a mega talk show, he said, Ole, I want you on the show.

14:20
Ole Henriksen
So already within that first year, I was invited to be on The Dinah Shore Show, a national show that led to Mike Douglas and other talk shows, and ultimately to The Oprah Show. That of course meant a lot, but I also shared with the media nonstop.

14:35
Ole Henriksen
All the printed media that you have been part of successfully, Tina, all the years, whether it was Vogue, Allure, or whoever, I sent them out press releases on what I did, a new treatment I had developed, a new product I was in the process of creating.

14:50
Ole Henriksen
And then I wrote newsletters four times a year, that was about helping inspire the fan base for the products around America as the products began selling. And then I also had a column in there called "Stargazing."

15:04
Ole Henriksen
Because with the "Stargazing," it was also the fun of, wow, so Sly Stallone. So what Sly was up to as far as the movie, but also sharing with them that Sly taught me exercises in the room prior to each treatment. It was like Sly said, Ole, you're such a little guy, you gotta have a strong, strong body to work on mine.

15:25
Ole Henriksen
And, of course, as far as the product, that is really the business now. You know, we are in the spa business, of course, but those products have to deliver on all fronts, because you cannot build a long term solid base.

15:40
Ole Henriksen
And, so, it's just been an amazing adventure. And as I often say, I get these farts on the brain. It's like champagne bubbles, and farts on the brains don't smell. So, but it's that creativeness that I can't let go of. It's a love affair with life. It's a love affair with people and it's wanting to make every woman and man look their best.

16:04
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
LVMH kept your name, Ole Henriksen, and the Danish inspired looks in terms of the products branding. Did anyone ever suggest to change it? And is it important for you that it stays that way, the Danish sort of aesthetics and your name?

16:21
Ole Henriksen
I am such a proud Dane. Denmark has inspired so much in my life. The values we have and live by in Denmark, in a democracy that's one of the best in the world, is about equality. It's about giving everyone a great start in life, free education, free medical.

16:39
Ole Henriksen
It's also, for me, about the less is more. Scandinavian women and men have a sense that you don't have to overwhelm your life. And you also have the balance of working hard and focused and recharging our batteries, relaxing.

16:55
Ole Henriksen
So the Scandinavian natural beauty of the women and men is something that inspired me because it's not about covering up, it's about exposing you, the natural beauty and being proud of who you are. So I incorporate loads of Scandinavian ingredients, lingonberries, elderberries, cloudberries, rowanberries, you name it.

17:17
Ole Henriksen
I also share in the wellness model of Scandinavia. We've had many Ole Glow camps in Scandinavia, the last one this spring. We've had a winter bath, like us Danes are Vikings, you know, and I have to say women get tight boobs and us guys between the legs, it all vanishes into no man's land. But nonetheless, we do the winter bathing.

17:37
Ole Henriksen
So there's so much that's admired by the world that is Scandinavian. The culinary aspect has gained great notoriety now. We are a beautiful country, a small but amazing country. So I'm sort of taking Denmark into the world. And because, I mean, so much of that is really global.

17:58
Ole Henriksen
So, for me, I have one foot in Denmark where we have an apartment, Laurence and myself in Copenhagen and one foot in the door here in Los Angeles. And then I travel the globe nonstop for the brand.

18:11
Ole Henriksen
And that, of course, it's a lot of fun. Because when I'm out there, motivating and inspiring, it's not just me talking. I want to hear from the people in the audience or the people that rep the brand. I listen, I take notes, so I can sing their praises while also teaching and inspiring.

18:29
Ole Henriksen
But Tina, what do you like most about yourself? That's my question to you today.

18:32
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
Oh my God. Ole, you're putting me on the spot. That is terrible.

18:36
Ole Henriksen
No, you are a bright woman and you are on top of your game.

18:41
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
I actually— You're putting me on the spot, Ole. I don't know. I think I want the best for everybody around me, that I try to be kind and empathetic and do good in the world and, and always want to, you know, yeah, be pleasant to the people around me. But I think that's one of my—

19:00
Ole Henriksen
— Strong points. No, but you know what? That's beautiful. No, because you do. And you know, in sharing in your love and wanting to just give of yourself. And I can say as a partner working with you, not alone do I admire how focused you are on all the little details and how you challenge me to deliver my best. I love that, being put on the spot by a brilliant woman like you.

19:22
Ole Henriksen
And I think that's a great gift in life, continuously what we can give each other and always be curious, always wanting to learn new things, never holding back, saying you can't, I won't, I've been there. Because I mean, then you stop, and our brains stop working, because we know you signal, as we know, with gratitude.

19:41
Ole Henriksen
Gratitude is a choice. You find a positive. You say, wow, I'm going to keep a gratitude journal and put down what I love in my daily life, short little things. And suddenly you're reminded, well, I did love that morning cup of coffee. I loved that movie I saw last night on Netflix, whatever it may be. So I mean, all I can say is I'm honored to have you as a friend.

20:07
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
Thank you, Ole, likewise, obviously. And you are a guy from Jutland, Nibe, a tiny little city in Jutland and now you're in the world of Hollywood and celebrity culture. What do you think made you and LA such a great fit business-wise? I mean, you were among, you mentioned Sly, you mentioned Barbra Streisand, and you just, you know, clicked with these people. Why?

20:31
Ole Henriksen
Well, I mean, really, my love affair, of course, with Hollywood, being based on, among others, the movie industry, where you, we are surrounded by these stars all over, including at the spa. I often say that it would be a cocktail party without the cocktails.

20:48
Ole Henriksen
But where, there you are with Mark Wahlberg, Hugh Jackman, Daniel Craig, David Bowie, Iman, whoever. But they're also only people, I mean, not only, we're all special people.

21:00
Ole Henriksen
The climate. I love it. I love the fact you can jump in the ocean. I love the fact you go bicycling. I love that you can sit at a cafe in December on the terrace having a great meal. There's a spirit. There's a creative energy in the air here.

21:15
Ole Henriksen
And people are very approachable. So it's not necessarily, oh well, I'm so and so. People back each other up. They'll say, well, I know so and so, like Henry Jaffe did with The Dinah Shore Show. Over the years, that camaraderie has been exemplary.

21:32
Ole Henriksen
And then yes, taking a nosedive behind the scenes with the celebrities, of course, it's interesting. But I've never actually aimed to seek them out as friends. If I get invited to premieres, as I have, and as you have invited me, it's an honor. But I never — those were clients, they sought me out as a professional.

21:54
Ole Henriksen
But it's a great place to live. I mean, Laurence and myself, when we look up every morning over the balcony into this amazing city, we feel really grateful and very excited.

22:03
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
Would you say that there's something particularly Danish about the way that you do business, Ole?

22:09
Ole Henriksen
Absolutely. I am a man of my word. I am very disciplined. I think Danes work shorter work hours per week, but they work very hard, very focused. I'm also a man that operated a company European style. So that was very unique even in the spa world, when I started out way back in 1975 with my first spa in Beverly Hills. I gave 50% to all the employees with our service. And I gave 10% for product sales.

22:43
Ole Henriksen
And later on, as the business grew, and now is again, continuously run European style. We have profit sharing in the sense that you, of course, you get your annual bonuses based on performance.

22:55
Ole Henriksen
We have a 401k plan. So if you want to put $500 a month into that plan, we match it. When a woman is pregnant, she goes on maternity leave with full pay for six months. We have free medical. We even have dental, so I can maintain my Hollywood smile and my Hollywood teeth.

23:13
Ole Henriksen
Sustainability, the way we operate with materials that are 100% biodegradable. Ingredients that are safe for our world. We have to take such an interest today more than ever in rebuilding our world, because of global warming, because things are sliding down. Greenland is melting, that gorgeous island. Antarctica is suffering.

23:36
Ole Henriksen
So, as a Dane, I've also come from Jutland. I come from a blue collar working class family, where there was that notion, that famous thing of Janteloven, which is a law in Denmark, for you people speaking English, where, don't think you are anything special. And you're sort of like, don't think you are anything special.

23:57
Ole Henriksen
And I never believed in that bullshit. We're all special, and we should all fulfill our dreams. And for me, I can say that my respect for the working class people is as strong today as ever. So that's also why I'm kind and loving to everyone and take time for my fellow human beings, something we did in Jutland and something we are good at in Denmark. And not to say Americans don't because they do as well, but yeah so, I'm a proud Dane.

24:27
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
Maybe describe a little bit about Nibe where you're from. And do you ever sort of look back on your childhood, pinch yourself and go, Oh my God, I've made it this far. And what happened, Ole? Do you ever think that?

24:43
Ole Henriksen
Yeah, I love the fact you bring it up and then I'll definitely tell you a bit about Nibe. Because I think what's so important, when we wrote the book about success that was a bestseller as we both know and are grateful for in Denmark, we wanted the reader to take note of every step of success in their life.

24:59
Ole Henriksen
Whether it was, you know, as a kid when Mom and Dad praised you, when you can walk and run. Whether it's when you start in school and get wonderful grades. Whether it's in sports, in everything, you've got to say, not alone do you hope that your loved ones recognize it. But you also need to pat yourself on the back, because so many young people today lack self-esteem, self-worth, when they should embrace and be proud of who they are.

25:23
Ole Henriksen
And so for me, I would say I pinch myself all the time. I am so grateful. I take nothing for granted. I cannot believe my life, but I embrace it. And Nibe was indeed an amazing village, because I grew up in a blue collar working class family, as I just stated. Mom was 18 when she became pregnant, with me, that is. We shared the toilet with the neighbor. I got washed on the kitchen table. My mom would sing for me.

25:55
Ole Henriksen
I had my local circus in the back of the little apartment with my cousin Hanne. I played the guitar and banjo. I did the acrobatics. We did all sorts of stuff. And so I guess I did the circus thing because I've always been a bit of an acrobat, which I am to this very day. But it was also to make money. So I was always this businessman.

26:19
Ole Henriksen
And even extra money when Hanne, my cousin, would come out and tell the little boys and girls, now, Ole will perform a special number. If you give just a little extra, whatever it was, en ore, fem ore, five, whatever, then he's gonna perform. Then I'd come out and do striptease, so I'd be covered in blankets and shit, and then I'd show my little wiener at the end, that's the grand finale, and then we had extra money to buy candy.

26:43
Ole Henriksen
And then later on I would, of course, become the local milk boy. I got up at 5:30 am in the morning. I was ten years old, a little, little guy, heavy milk bottles. But I did it because I needed to help support. Nope, they didn't tell me to do it. But what you learn there is that when you move your body, the endorphins that run through your body, through your little brain, the energy you get, and the value of making money and sharing with others.

27:11
Ole Henriksen
You can spoil people with money, and I could buy my favorite books at the bookstore in Nibe— Høholt, he guided me with books. I loved reading Russian literature. I loved reading biographies. So Nibe was a place where we took time for each other. I'm in Nibe a lot because I visit family. My mom is still alive at 91, a very funny woman.

27:35
Ole Henriksen
And that part never leaves us. Nor should it. But I am indeed much more of a man of the world. And I'm grateful that I operate on that level today.

27:49
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
And today you are very famous in Denmark and you're known as the very positive person who always smiles. But there's no doubt, I know this from you, Ole, that there have been many low moments in your life. You told me that you were close to suicide when you were a boy, because of feeling like an outsider and being a young gay man.

28:10
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
And later on you were in an abusive relationship with a man who, let's be honest, almost killed you. How have you managed to overcome these difficult times and continue to be motivated and follow the right path and still smile, Ole?

28:26
Ole Henriksen
Well, as a little boy, or should I say a teenager, when with puberty, sadly, you discover your sexuality and, and suddenly, are mobbed. The boys, not all boys, but some of the ones that I often found actually came from broken homes.

28:43
Ole Henriksen
Maybe kids that didn't feel good about themselves would namecall me and chase me and try to hit me. I— of course it was bothersome at times. I would cry and feel sorry for the little Ole, and take walks along the fjord by my village and cry.

29:00
Ole Henriksen
But I also had all these other outside interests. So I still would go dancing at Skald Pavillionen, at this dance hall in the woods, with the girls, loving to dance, as I did. I would look at the boys and sort of be attracted to them. 

29:16
Ole Henriksen
I kept busy. I partook in essay competitions. I won a number of big ones. I created collages. I was in my own little world and I did feel lonely. But then I got enriched in a different way.

29:30
Ole Henriksen
Because we didn't go on vacations. We didn't have the money to go to Italy. We didn't have a car. So I learned that the little things and what you create can be incredibly gratifying and give you great joy.

29:45
Ole Henriksen
And yet when I moved to Copenhagen as an 18 year old, it was like a huge relief. I was in a sophisticated world of theater, of the ballet, and of gay nightclubs. And of course, I mean, it's amazing what you can do when you're very young. I mean, you can be out there having sex nonstop, drinking too much, still working hard. You managed to do it all. You can't get enough.

30:09
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
You're known in Denmark as Mr. Positive. People think that you smile all the time and approach life in a lighthearted and positive manner. Is this the full picture of who you are? Or is there something that people don't know about you, Ole?

30:22
Ole Henriksen
No, I definitely have no secrets as far as my love affair with life and with people. For one, I guess I've just always looked out there and said, wow, every morning embracing every day like a new special start and life as a gift. My dad was very much that man. And for that sake, my mom as well. But my dad was like shining sunshine. So, I always, I'll analyze, if I feel a little off, I'll sort of say why, but I'm never down in the dumps.

30:58
Ole Henriksen
Laurence and myself have so much fun. One of the great things in our long term relationship is the humor, the laughter, and that is a key, I think, for many of us, to keep that alive. And then, the fact, I guess, I get to share in positiveness because this is what I want to bring out so that everyone can look and feel their best.

31:21
Ole Henriksen
And my charity work with Headspace in Denmark, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, our former prime minister, is all for these young people that lack that self esteem, that lack direction in life, giving them a chance to get the guidance at the centers we have in Denmark. And they turn around, they see the light, if you will.

31:41
Ole Henriksen
And then they actually often become consultants and help other young people. And even with children in India, my very big project there, with Gadens Børn, the kids living on the street, we build schools, daycare centers, we feed meals to them, thousands of them. I mean, it's an amazing organization Pia Quist established 11 years ago.

32:02
Ole Henriksen
So, it's also this thing of reaching out that matters a lot. So, I just feel, here I am, more happy, more grateful, more excited about life than ever. And I guess what I've learned now, when I did the series on the brain there years ago, with Ole Juncker for TV and later on the book, what we learned is you become your thoughts.

32:28
Ole Henriksen
It's your choice in life. And, but the brain will register your thoughts. So when you think positive and happy and celebratory, the brain will reward you. If you sit as a slouch and tired, then you're going to be more and more tired. So, as I said, my mom stuck an Ever Ready battery up my ass when I was born, and it's still vibrating and I'm grateful for it.

32:53
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
Ole, do you ever get tired of being Ole Henriksen? You know, you have a certain image that you have to live up to. You cannot ever be grumpy in public. I mean, is it ever like, damn, I just wish I was, you know, somebody else.

33:07
Ole Henriksen
It's a huge honor. In the US, I certainly have a following within the world of beauty and in the stores and really when I did a lot of TV, it was always an honor and at big events in the beauty world, when they all want to do photos with me, I'm deeply touched. And I'm always available.

33:25
Ole Henriksen
And in Denmark, of course, even more so where the young kids run up, want to do photos. Wherever I am, people come up and express that they have learned from me, that I helped transform things in their life, and that is just a huge honor. So, I don't ever have to put on an act because I am me and I'm just a happy me.

33:54
Ole Henriksen
And that feeling of course, well, I couldn't think of being any other way. You can get a little tired late at night, but even then, a good night's sleep repairs you. And I pray every night. I express my, I pray, Dear God, Dear Masters, Dear Higher Powers up in the universe, I want to say thank you for yet another beautiful day.

34:16
Ole Henriksen
I'll chat a little bit about what that day incorporated. And then, I will also pray for peace, love and unity in our world, and for all my fellow human beings around the globe. And yet we know, peace, well, it's never really been achieved throughout history, but you should never give up on it. And so, I'm the luckiest man in the world.

34:42
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
How would you define this part of you, the Danish part of Ole Henriksen?

34:47
Ole Henriksen
Well, I actually think I'm more Danish than ever, strangely enough, and that began with the apartment in Copenhagen because I spent a lot more time in Copenhagen, Laurence and myself, and there's a whole different world.

35:02
Ole Henriksen
But the Danish part I've also taken with me out on the global scene. Us Danes are really great at celebrating. We don't just do it low key. It's the singing. It is the speeches. It is the dancing. It's by that wow effect that's so incredible. I just attended Poul Nyrup Rasmussen's birthday, his 80th, and there was an all day celebration that just was beautiful, right from the heart.

35:31
Ole Henriksen
And then, of course, I think us Danes are very much always on time. Something that is not always the case on the global scene. And then we often know that people that are famous are very, very late. They think that that's just the norm. I'm on time for everything. I'm always ten steps ahead of myself, as a matter of fact, because I know if I arrive early for an event, a meeting, or whatever it may be, I can relax.

36:00
Ole Henriksen
So that way you don't walk in stressed and then, you know, come up with stories that are not true why you are late. So, Danes are really amazing that way. I applaud my fellow DANES for being timely and always very well prepared.

36:16
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
What is your favorite Danish word? And please spell it to our American listeners so they can look it up if they want to.

36:25
Ole Henriksen
I would say the word tak, t-a-k, but there's an extension, taknemmelig, again, gratitude in English. Then you say t-a-k-n-e-m-m-e-l-i-g. Because tak, I mean, you also mean it from the heart, but there's so much more depth and volume and beauty to taknemmelig, gratitude that is.

36:54
Ole Henriksen
Because at the end of the day, I think it's so important for us to be grateful for everything: Mom and Dad that gave us life, our friends that matters to us, our family. When Hans Henrik and I hugged today, when he went to fly back to Denmark, my younger brother, we cried.

37:11
Ole Henriksen
And I cry actually very easily. So as much as I laugh and I'm wild and crazy, I cry and it feels good. But gratitude is actually my most favorite word. Taknemmelig. Taknemmelig. Taknemmelig.

37:25
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
Fantastic, Ole. You're doing a bit of PR for our book too.

37:30
Ole Henriksen
But, the reason we're doing the book is first and foremost because we wanted to share with our fellow Danes the magic of living with gratitude and what the transformative powers of it. Because we all have it. But sometimes we need to be reminded and then incorporate a bit more. Denmark is rated, you know, either number one or two as the happiest group of people and the best country to live. What can I say?

37:59
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
You became an American citizen at a time when you could not have dual citizenship and you had to give up your Danish citizenship for a while. How did that make you feel? You were basically only American for a while there.

38:11
Ole Henriksen
That was hard, because what happened was our CPA, now that Laurence and myself also got married many years ago, said that as far as inheritance, should I die before him, chances are I will, being older, that there would be a higher tax put on Laurence from the get go.

38:29
Ole Henriksen
But as an American citizen married, there would be that gap that he didn't have to pay taxes on. So of course I did it in the name of love for Laurence. And yes, saying goodbye to my passport was tough.

38:45
Ole Henriksen
But I got to say the American passports are much more beautiful. They're very glamorous. The American passports, on the inside pages, have all the beautiful American monuments. Your photo looks great, you can actually see my smile.

39:00
Ole Henriksen
The Danish ones you have to do on an angle and you have to look very serious. I sort of look like Hans Christian Andersen in mine. But then the good news were, of course, when dual citizenship became a possibility, well, I ran to get it and now it's great to have both.

39:17
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
And you mentioned also before that you bought an apartment in Copenhagen a few years ago. How was it reconnecting with your roots in this way, actually having a homebase in Copenhagen now?

39:29
Ole Henriksen
Well, it was actually Laurence's idea because we were back for the premiere of I Love It in concert, the musical about my life, again, 21 songs that connected my life that premiered at Musikinstitut in Aalborg with the symphony orchestra every night, 58 men, an amazing orchestra. Huge honor. And I'm best friends, of course, with the creators this very day. But with that stated, we are back in Copenhagen.

39:58
Ole Henriksen
And Laurence said, you know, Ole, I love Denmark. And why don't we buy an apartment? And I said, let's do it. So we had, this was on a Thursday. And we found a realtor that same day in the afternoon. And then Friday, he took us out to look at a number of properties. And then at the end of the day, he said, there's something that's not going to be on the internet yet that I can take you to on Sankt Annæ Plads that I think you'll like.

40:28
Ole Henriksen
And that actually became ultimately our apartment. These were office floors owned by Accel, a venture capital group in Denmark that put them up for sale. And I moved very fast. I mean, Laurence and myself. So, I wired the money in that Monday from the USA, we flew back that Sunday, landed the same day.

40:53
Ole Henriksen
And then we just had to get the permit from the city of Copenhagen to convert it into a residential property. That happened fast. Bought the apartment, and then again, or offices as they were, then the demolition process took place. And we converted it into this beautiful two level apartment. And it felt unbelievable. Also seeing Laurence blossom and we have so many amazing friends in Denmark.

41:20
Ole Henriksen
So, the apartment, really, I mean, there's no doubt that connected Laurence and myself to Denmark in a whole new way. We have celebrated Christmas there with the family, dinner parties. We walked down by the waterfront. The guard goes by every day playing music.

41:39
Ole Henriksen
The children's playground is right out there in the middle of the avenue. It is sensational. You can go to Tivoli. I love all the wild rides there. I was just in Tivoli again recently, but all the adults didn't want to do it. So I was doing it with all the little kids screaming like a little crazy kid.

41:57
Ole Henriksen
Copenhagen is an intimate, elegant, sophisticated city. Culturally offers the best. Architecturally, magnificent. And the canals that run through the city are breathtaking. And all the bicyclists, I mean, where in the world do you see more bicyclists there? Maybe China, but surely it's spectacular. And the values we live by and the way we share in the wealth is beautiful. You get something for your tax money for sure.

42:29
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
And Ole, you mentioned honor. You've received quite a few awards and honors in Denmark. What does that mean to you?

42:37
Ole Henriksen
Well, every award I am blown away by. I am over the moon, ecstatic. I take none of them for granted. Sometimes awards have been handed out unbeknownst, where I was in an audience and then I love being put on the spot. Because I think actually when you speak from the heart and in the moment, it's much more natural and fun.

43:05
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
And Ole, you mentioned Laurence several times. He's American. He does have a bit of Norwegian heritage. So, what is it like being married to an American? Are there cultural clashes, or is that smooth sailing?

43:22
Ole Henriksen
It's absolutely smooth sailing. When we met, actually three different people wanted to introduce us. Those were clients of mine, but also clients of Laurence when he was a hairdresser before he became interior designer.

43:35
Ole Henriksen
And, none of it happened until I ran into his then boss at the car wash. And his boss had the hots for Laurence, but Laurence had said, we are friends, but I'm not interested. So he thought, well, maybe, he said, how's your love life? And I said, oh, my love life stinks, I said.

43:55
Ole Henriksen
He said, well, you gotta meet Laurence. And, immediately we came to discover his positiveness, his sense of humor, his creative juices, his big heart to everyone in his path. You are just a perfect match. And now, all these years later, of course there can be some of these silly little grumblings.

44:20
Ole Henriksen
We laugh at it. And then we sort of see the aging process as much as I'm, you know, Mr. Fit. Let's face it, even with that, stuff happens to your body, and that's just, you accept it, you embrace it, and sort of, you know, the tight butt that was a bubble butt isn't quite what it used to be.

44:40
Ole Henriksen
And all these things, you just go with the flow. So, and he became a man of the world because he had not traveled outside of the US. And he took to it like water, his love affair with all the big cities, with the world of art. It's the best thing that ever happened.

44:59
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
Ole, our final question to you is, you are obviously still a very young 72-year old man. Where do you want to grow old? And if you don't mind me asking, I actually know you don't because I asked you before, where would you like to be buried?

45:15
Ole Henriksen
Well, for one, growing old will continue both in Los Angeles and Copenhagen and around the globe. Because I have the pleasure of traveling for the brand nonstop. I, both Laurence and myself, want to be cremated. And that sort of makes it very easy because, I mean, you're just put into a little clay pot.

45:36
Ole Henriksen
Then the question is, what do you do with the ashes? I think I'll make for an amazing fertilizer. A beautiful plant. But that way I'm never forgotten.

45:47
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
And where would that plant be?

45:49
Ole Henriksen
You know what? It could be divided. It could be one in Copenhagen, Kongens Nytorv, in the middle of Kongens Nytorv, the Royal Square, since I feel very royal. Or, and then the other should be on Rodeo Drive, where I like to shop in Beverly Hills, in front of Louis Vuitton.

46:08
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
Okay, that sounds perfect. Well, Ole Henriksen, thank you so much for being a guest on Danish Originals. We really appreciated having you.

46:18
Ole Henriksen
Thank you, Tina. I just wanna say to everyone listening, continued success, happiness, and love to all of you. And thank you, Tina. I love you.

46:27
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
I love you too.

46:31
Tina Jøhnk Christensen
For today's episode, Ole Henriksen chose P.S. Krøyer's Badende drenge en sommeraften ved Skagens strand, or Boys Bathing at Skagen, Summer Evening from 1899 from the collection of the National Gallery of Denmark.