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Oliver Kalkofe: How German humor has changed!
In interviews, Oliver Kalkofe reflects on the change in humor in Germany and calls for more respect in our interactions with one another.
Oliver Kalkofe: How German humor has changed!
The world of humor has changed significantly in the last few decades, and one of the most influential voices is Oliver Kalkofe. The comedian, actor and satirist, who celebrates his 60th birthday on September 12th, sees the changes in German humor as positive, as he explains in a recent interview. Loud Sat1 Regional he comments on the sensitivity that plays a role in dealing with jokes about minorities these days.
Kalkofe notes that jokes about gays, women and other groups used to be commonplace, but are no longer accepted. “I think it’s right that we have become more sensitive,” said the satirist. However, that doesn't mean that nothing is allowed in the humorous field anymore. He criticizes the claim that one is no longer allowed to say anything and reminds us that there used to be a certain pressure on humor from the church and politics.
The development of humor
A look back at the 90s shows how humor has changed in Germany. Before this time, cabaret was often political and serious, while the nonsense was more in the foreground. Kalkofe himself refers to programs from the USA and Great Britain, such as “Saturday Night Live” and “Monty Python”, which have set new standards. The acceptance of his humorous approaches was honored with the Grimme Prize in 1995, which helped him gain a foothold in the German television landscape, reports MDR.
“Humor used to be considered impolite in Germany,” says Kalkofe. Despite this development, he remains skeptical of what is now considered satire. Even after a good 30 years on stage, he sees both his own work and the general trends in comedy as accompanied by a healthy critical eye. He acknowledges that some content from the past is no longer relevant, but also talks about the right to make jokes - always with the knowledge that the reactions to them are not always expected.
Satire and social change
The influence of satire on social dynamics will be deepened in an interdisciplinary conference that deals with humorous media in situations of upheaval. This examines the extent to which comedy can reflect social change. The contributions clearly show that the limits of what can be said must be continually negotiated, which underlines the importance of satire in today's world H-Soz cult thematised.
In times of social media, in which anyone can become a broadcaster, the responsibility of satirists is even more pronounced. Kalkofe sees the success of satirical formats as positive because they emotionalize people and make them think. At the same time, he points out that fake news is a real challenge that can influence the boundaries of satire.
“I would like us to treat each other more respectfully these days,” Kalkofe concluded his thoughts. Because in the new media dynamic it is more important than ever to value good communication. The attentive observer will continue to see in the coming years how humor will continue to develop and what new forms and themes it will take on.