Johann König became known through TV shows such as "NightWash" and "Quatsch Comedy Club". Today, the "comedy poet" is among the first guard of German comedians and fills large halls with his stage programmes.
The strength of Johann König's shows lies in the skilful mix of comedy and tragedy - with wordplay at the highest level. His stage presence is also unique: brittle voice, mischievous smile, seemingly random pauses and a notebook from which he reads his poems are the only props he needs to thrill his audience.
Johann König was born Johannes Köhn on 21 June 1972 in Soest, Westphalia. After leaving school, König first completed an apprenticeship as a paediatric nurse before studying sport to become a teacher at the German Sports University and the Faculty of Remedial Education in Cologne. At this time he writes his first poems, which already show his humorous streak.
From the sports university to the stage
He proves that Johann König can make people laugh during his first performances in the late 1990s in the carnival stronghold of Cologne. Already at that time he earned the epithet "comedy poet".
While König performed at various literature festivals and cabaret events in the following years, he tinkered with his first solo programme. In 1990 the time had come: "Alles Spekulatur" is the name of Johann König's show, with which he goes on tour. It takes some time, but eventually the artist goes from being an insider tip to a star.
The comedian's first TV appearances also contribute to this. In the early 2000s he appeared on "NightWash", the "Harald Schmidt Show" and the "Quatsch Comedy Club". In 2001 he was awarded the German Cabaret Prize as Discovery of the Year. Further awards follow, including the audience award at the big cabaret festival in Berlin in 2005. The third solo programme, which he presents in public in 2005, is called "Johann König eskaliert".
Anecdotes straight from life
Johann König finds his topics in everyday life. From gender to climate protection, from everyday work to building a house, it's all there. He also jokingly and lovingly makes his family part of the programme - both his wife Theda and their three children. A ticket for Johann König's stage show guarantees a successful evening with tragicomic anecdotes from the sometimes absurd life of an average German.
In addition to his performances, Johann König has also increasingly devoted himself to his work as a book author since the mid-2000s. In 2006, his first book "Gestammelte Werke" (Stammered Works) appeared, a few years later he published "Der Königsweg" (The King's Path). In the meantime, a picture book has also become part of his œuvre: together with the illustrator Daniel Napp, König published "Es ging ein Fisch zu Fuß zur Post" in 2018.
Johann König: frequently asked questions
Where does Johann König come from?
The comedian was born in Soest. Today he lives with his family and a cat in the Nippes district of Cologne.
How did Johann König become known to a large audience?
His first television appearances - among others in the "Quatsch Comedy Club" - made Johann König known outside the Rhineland. His role as an outside reporter in the "Wochenshow" on Sat.1 (2011) also contributed to his fame.
How does Johann König develop his programmes?
The comedian manages entirely without directors or gag writers because, according to his own information, he cannot speak any texts written by others. All gags and punchlines come exclusively from him.
