Stefan Raab as Ken: Why He Reminds Us of Donald Trump and the Return of the Campfire Vibe

Right, folks, let's have an honest chat about Stefan Raab. So there you are, Saturday night in front of the telly, you flick over to “Who Knows When What Was?” and suddenly you get this feeling: is this a trip back to the 90s, or have we just taken a detour into American politics? I’m telling you, Raab in his current role – that completely over-the-top, bleached-blonde Ken – there’s something to it. And I’ve got a thought I need to share with you.

Dipl.-Med. and the Big Head: A Tribute to the Crackpots

For anyone who’s maybe only started watching telly in Austria yesterday: this bloke who’s now bouncing around the quiz show as a living meme, that’s Stefan Raab. The guy who kept us up late with “TV total”. The guy who gave us the “Big Head”. The guy who, as “Dipl.-Med. Stefan Raabe”, enriched the German language with yet another completely unnecessary but brilliant doctorate. And that’s exactly the point: this new Ken character he’s playing? It’s not some throwaway act. It’s a masterclass in self-mockery. He takes the whole format, this generational duel, and just completely turns it on its head with his presence. When he stands there in that plastic-man outfit, you’ve got the whole history behind it: the “Crackpots”, the legendary boxing matches against Regina Halmich, the absolute certainty that before the evening even gets close to boring, you’re going to hear “You won’t win the million on Stefan Raab here”.

The Campfire is Burning Again: With Schöneberger and that Old Spirit

Word is, the two of them were recently chatting – Raab and Schöneberger. And one phrase came up that immediately resonated with me: “The return of the campfire”. That’s exactly it! That feeling you had as a teenager or a young adult, sitting in front of the TV and just knowing: something’s happening here. This is someone who isn’t serving up that polished, perfect TV world, but someone who stands up and just plays the fool. And that’s precisely what he’s doing again. He plays Ken so exaggeratedly, so persistently well, that it’s almost uncomfortable – but in the best way. It’s that certain something that’s often missing from today’s TV landscape.

• The Hair: That perfectly sculpted plastic quiff is, of course, a direct nod to the “Big Head” from his earlier sketches. A tribute to his own career.
• The Attitude: That confident, almost arrogant grin? It’s actually got a little touch of Donald Trump. Not politically, of course, but in that sense of: “I’m the boss here, I’ve got the big picture, and if I don’t, well, who cares anyway.”
• The Voice: When he takes over hosting duties as Ken, that slightly monotone but incredibly commanding presence – it’s pure “Raab & The Crackpots” territory. Just timeless nonsense executed at a top level.

For us in Austria, it’s always a bit of a special relationship with German entertainers. Either they don’t resonate with us, or they become cultural icons. Stefan Raab definitely falls into the second category. Whether it’s the “Bundesvision Song Contest”, the duels with his Pro7 colleagues, or now this comeback as Ken – we’re in. 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 good to know that Dipl.-Med. Stefan Raabe still has a license to be ridiculous – and that he’s exercising it with full intent and a dash of Trump-like chutzpah. Looking forward to the coming weeks, Mr. Raab. We’ve got the remote ready.