Stefan Raab as Ken: Why He Reminds Us of Donald Trump and the Return of the Campfire Vibe
Okay, folks, let's be real for a minute about Stefan Raab. So you're sitting in front of the TV over the weekend, you flip on “Who Knows What Happened When?” and suddenly you get this feeling: is this a throwback to the '90s, or did we just take a little trip into American politics? I'm telling you, Raab in his current role—that completely over-the-top, bleached-blonde Ken—is something else. And I've got a thought about it I just have to share with you.
Dipl.-Med. and Big Head: A Tribute to The Nuts
For those of you who might have just started watching TV in Austria yesterday: this guy who's lately been hopping around the quiz show as a walking meme, that's Stefan Raab. The guy who kept us up at night 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 utterly brilliant 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 the whole format, this generational showdown, and just turns it on its head simply by being there. When he stands there in that plastic-man outfit, the whole history comes along for the ride: the “Nuts,” the legendary boxing matches against Regina Halmich, the absolute certainty that you'll hear “You won’t win the million on Stefan Raab here” before the evening even has a chance to get boring.
The Campfire is Burning Again: With Schöneberger and That Old-School Spirit
Word has it the two of them were talking recently—Raab and Schöneberger. And one phrase came up that immediately resonated with me: “The return of the campfire.” That's it exactly! That feeling of sitting in front of the TV as a teenager or young adult, knowing something was about to happen. That here was someone who wasn't just serving up polished, perfect television, but someone who would just stand up and act like a total goofball. And that's exactly what he's doing again. He plays Ken so over-the-top, so persistently spot-on that it's almost uncomfortable—but in the best way possible. It's that certain something that's often missing from the TV landscape today.
- The Hair: That perfectly sculpted plastic pompadour 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 actually channels a little bit of Donald Trump there. Not politically, of course, but in that sort of: “I'm the boss here, I've got the inside track, and if I don't, well, who cares anyway.”
- The Voice: When he takes over the hosting duties as Ken, that slightly monotone but incredibly commanding way of speaking—it's pure “Raab & The Nuts”-level stuff. Timeless nonsense executed at the highest level.
For us in Austria, our relationship with German entertainers has always been a bit unique. Either they don't catch on with us, or they become cultural icons. Stefan Raab clearly falls into the second category. Whether it was the “Bundesvision Song Contest,” the duels with his Pro7 colleagues, or now this comeback as Ken—we're here for it. And honestly? I'm glad he's back. Not because we desperately need another quizmaster, but because this “campfire vibe,” this carefree, intelligent goofiness, 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 intention and just a dash of Trump-esque chutzpah. Here's to the coming weeks, Mr. Raab. We've got the remote in hand.