Stefan Raab as Ken: Why He Reminds Us of Donald Trump and the Return of the Campfire Vibe
Alright, let’s be real for a minute and talk about Stefan Raab. So there you are on the weekend, parked in front of the telly, you flick over to “Who Knows What When Where?” and suddenly you’ve got this feeling: is this a nostalgic trip back to the 90s, or have we just taken a detour into American politics? I’m telling you, Raab in his latest role – as this completely over-the-top, bleached-blonde Ken – there’s something about it. And I’ve got a thought I need to share with you.
Dipl.-Med. and the Big Head: A Tribute to the Nutjobs
For anyone who’s only just started watching TV in Austria: this bloke who’s currently hopping around the quiz show like a living meme, that’s Stefan Raab. The man who kept us up at night with “TV total”. The man who gave us “Big Head”. The man who, as “Dipl.-Med. Stefan Raabe”, enriched the German language with another completely unnecessary but utterly brilliant honorary doctorate. And that’s exactly the point: this new Ken character he’s playing isn’t just some throwaway gag. It’s a masterclass in self-deprecation. He takes this whole format, this generational duel, and just tips it on its head with his presence. When he’s standing there in that plastic man outfit, it all comes flooding back: “Die Bekloppten” (The Nutjobs), those legendary boxing matches against Regina Halmich, the absolute certainty that you’ll hear “Du gewinnst hier nicht die Million bei Stefan Raab” (You Won’t Win the Million Here with Stefan Raab) before the evening even gets a chance to become boring.
The Campfire is Burning Again: With Schöneberger and the Old Spirit
Word has it that the pair were chatting recently – Raab and Schöneberger. And a phrase came up that instantly resonated with me: “The return of the campfire”. That’s exactly it! That feeling you had as a teenager or young adult, sitting in front of the TV, knowing that something was about to happen. Someone who wasn’t serving up that slick, perfectly polished TV world, but instead just got up there and made a complete fool of themselves. And that’s exactly what he’s doing again. He plays Ken so over-the-top, so relentlessly well, that it’s almost uncomfortable – but in the best way possible. It’s that certain something that’s often missing from today’s television landscape.
- The Hair: That perfectly sculpted plastic ‘do is, of course, a direct nod to the “Big Head” from his earlier sketches. A tribute to his own career.
- The Attitude: That self-assured, almost arrogant smirk? He’s actually got a bit of Donald Trump about him. Not politically, obviously, but in that kind of “I’m the boss here, I’ve got the pulse on things, and if I don’t, who cares anyway” sort of way.
- The Voice: When he takes over hosting duties as Ken, that slightly monotone but incredibly commanding presence – it’s pure “Raab & Die Bekloppten” level. Timelessly brilliant nonsense.
For us in Austria, it’s always a bit of a special relationship with German entertainers. Either they don’t connect with us, or they become cultural icons. Stefan Raab is clearly in the second category. Whether it’s the “Bundesvision Song Contest”, the showdowns with his Pro7 colleagues, or now this comeback as Ken – we’re on board. And honestly? I’m glad he’s back. Not because we absolutely needed another quizmaster, but because this “campfire” vibe, this carefree, intelligent silliness, is just balm for the soul. It’s reassuring to know that Dipl.-Med. Stefan Raabe still has a licence to be ridiculous – and that he’s using it with full intention and a pinch of Trump-like audacity. Bring on the next few weeks, Mr Raab. We’ve got the remote in hand.