The loss of contact with the public during the pandemic hit Carolin Kebekus hard. Now she’s back on tour. Her program “PussyNation” can now be seen on RTL. The comedienne promises in star-Interview lots of silly nonsense.
Ms. Kebekus, in 2013 you felt the impact of the establishment because of two articles critical of the church – from the church to the directorship of the WDR. Almost ten years later, you are insulted as a “system hooker”. Have you changed or have times changed?
I think both. I myself have changed, which is good and right. I wouldn’t do the numbers I did back then today. But I believe that times have also changed: There are simply a lot more people expressing themselves on the Internet, even with real names. Corona has also developed a hostility to facts. This makes discussions more difficult.
How does that affect you?
There are now people who accuse me of saying on my show what the government tells me to do. As if Olaf Scholz called me every day and told me what jokes to make.
Has this hostility to facts always existed and has now only become visible through social media, or are we dealing with a new development?
I don’t think that used to be the case. A worldwide virus is an extreme situation that is not so easy to explain. It’s easier to say: This is a conspiracy because Bill Gates wants to chip everyone. People tend to divide the world into good and bad. That’s why it’s a simple solution to say: There must be a bigger plan behind it.
In your ARD program “The Carolin Kebekus Show” you react to this challenge with a mixture of enlightenment and humour. Aren’t you afraid that you’ll only reach people who share your point of view anyway?
no I believe that this show is in very good hands with the public broadcaster. It is precisely here that we reach groups of people who would otherwise not see us and who are not our target group.
Many people feel overwhelmed by the difficult world situation – Ukraine war, climate crisis, Corona. Do you sometimes wonder whether escapism, senseless comedy, would be more popular instead of your enlightening themes?
The good thing about the program that is now running on RTL is that it was created before Corona. We haven’t even gotten it right yet. That’s why I’m not talking about the pandemic and not about the war. It’s timeless in a way. I’m happy about that: I don’t feel like hearing jokes about Corona or vaccination anymore. A lot of it is very silly nonsense.
Do you structure your live programs differently than “The Carolin Kebekus Show”?
Yes, that’s a big difference. “The Carolin Kebekus Show” is created together with very talented authors. There are fixed categories, clips and guests. My solo show, on the other hand, is pure stand-up comedy – that only has something to do with my show.
Did you miss the contact with the public during the corona pandemic?
The loss of contact with the public was terrible. We started the show in lockdown, completely without an audience. It was like in a vacuum. That made you totally uncreative.
What do you do to switch off and gain strength?
I really have to block times when I can’t be reached. For me, spending time with my family and friends is a total luxury. Because of my work, I rarely see them. These are the moments when I recharge my batteries and get new ideas.
Many people can’t take all the bad news anymore and switch off. How do you deal with that?
We have lived in very good times for a very long time. We are slowly becoming aware that many of the privileges we have cannot be taken for granted. You have to filter that. Humans are not made to absorb, categorize and have an opinion on so much news from around the world. I try to create a balance for myself: if I’ve heard really bad news for half an hour, I listen to good news for half an hour.
You named Anke Engelke and Gaby Köster as important role models. Unlike the two, you’ve gone in the direction of political humor. Why?
At some point I felt a responsibility because so many people were listening to me live. Also a lot of girls who stared at me with big eyes. That’s when I thought you must say something that’s only 80 percent silly. That’s how it developed.
Do you have current role models, such as US comedians?
I know Sarah Silverman’s programs that are very funny and I think they’re great. But it’s not like I’m saying: I want to be like them. I try not to watch myself that much because I’d rather have my own comedy, go my own way.
How important is regional roots for your own brand of humor?
I am strongly influenced by the Cologne humor. It’s a culture of its own: the carnival has a lot of comedy. You grow up with the fact that you sometimes have to give a handmade speech in kindergarten. It gave me access to humor that I noticed as a small child.
Her career began with the “Friday Night News” on RTL. Is it something special for you that RTL is now broadcasting your program “PussyNation”?
I was an intern when I started at RTL. At that time they also broadcast my first program, “PussyTerror”. And also “AlphaPussy”. In order to complete the Pussy trilogy, it is of course only logical that the third program also takes place there. I think that’s in good hands with RTL.
RTL is showing the stage program “PussyNation” by Carolin Kebekus on Friday, August 19 at 10:30 p.m.