Stefan Raab comeback: Please don’t do the Gottschalk

Opinion

Stefan Raab’s comeback
Please don’t do the Gottschalk, Stefan!

His ambition was legendary, his departure a rare highlight in the industry: Now Stefan Raab wants to celebrate his TV comeback with a boxing fight against Regina Halmich. Does it have to be that way?

It was one of the bitterest TV moments in recent years: on his last “Wetten, dass…?” broadcast in November 2023 Thomas Gottschalk complaining on an excavator shovel from the studio. The presenter complained as he said goodbye that he could no longer speak on television like he did at home, and he didn’t want to burden his production manager with constant shitstorms. The performance was hard to beat in terms of indignity and made it painfully clear that Gottschalk had more than missed the timely jump. Especially since it was already his third “last” “Wetten, dass..?” broadcast.

Knowing when to stop is an art in itself. And one person seemed to be particularly good at this – at least so far. Surprisingly, Stefan Raab has returned to public life after a nine-year break. The entertainer went looking for followers on Instagram over Easter and managed to get over 2.9 million fans in just a few days. Now it is clear: In September there will be another boxing match between him and the former boxing world champion Regina Halmich. He has already lost to them twice, and now Raab, who is known for his ambition, obviously wants revenge. But does it have to be that way?

Stefan Raab still has ardent fans today

His fans agree in the comments on Instagram: Raab should please come back, moderate “TV Total”, compete on “Schlag den Raab”, or even run for chancellor straight away. It is understandable that there is a great longing for past glory days. Hardly anyone has shaped German television as much as Stefan Raab. He is considered an exceptional talent in the TV industry, invented countless successful formats and even revived the outdated ESC almost single-handedly. An entire generation of millennials grew up with Raab on TV, saw him belt out “Raabigrams” every week, play sports at events like the Wok World Cup or raise the “puller alarm.”

However, it should not be forgotten that the desire for a comeback also requires a large portion of transfiguration: Back then, Raab was able to step down without much public opposition, and in the toxic climate of the noughties he often acted mercilessly and below the belt. Jokes about East Germans, a shameful legal dispute with an underage student and countless misogynistic sayings are also part of Raab’s legacy. “International Women’s Day – does that mean a discount in the brothel?” he once said in old-fashioned fashion. All of this would no longer be imaginable today.

Raab showed greatness with his withdrawal

Stefan Raab said a relatively unspectacular goodbye to the TV business in 2015 with one last episode of “TV Total”. The year before, there had been laughter at his expense for the first time when Jan Böhmermann’s “NEO Magazine” editorial team foisted on him a fake video of a supposedly Chinese version of his show element “Disgrace or Cash in”. His presentations became more listless and Raab seemed to play empty.

His early withdrawal was stylish, Raab demonstrated his feel for the industry and only further cemented his cult status among fans. It is precisely this status that he is now risking with his surprising comeback. One reason why the 57-year-old is taking this risk could be an alleged major project of his: Like this “Bild” newspaper reports, Raab is said to have developed his own streaming service. It should be about entertainment topics and designed purely for cell phone use. For a launch like this, a press frenzy like the one we’re seeing at the boxing match would certainly be helpful. Then the whole thing could serve its purpose as a one-time thing. Anything else only threatens to end in bitter disappointment. That’s why: Please don’t do the Gottschalk, Stefan!