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agen Rethers solo program lasts three whole hours, in which he explains the world to his audience. Or he simply doesn't, because far too often the world remains impossible to explain. Casually, with lots of charm, he sits in his piano chair and comments on this morning's newspapers. Whether his subject is Africa, child exploitation, Merkel, Grönemeyer or the hollowness of mankind, his audience is being pulled back and forth between contradictory emotions - laughter often dies due to the seriousness.


At the time being you are touring through Germany with your show "love". Why "love"?
RETHER: Why not. It should always be about love. I consciously avoided choosing a funny, comical title. I don't like these typical comedy titles. The name of my program is a keeper. That's my topic, what it's ultimately about.

How do you keep your program up to date?
RETHER: By constantly doing so. Every time I read or hear something that attracts my mind, I put it in my show. Sometimes I read something while being on the train and then I just use it in the evening. I'm not tied to daily news though.

What in your opinion is the strength of comedy?
RETHER: Humour has the effect of pushing something rational into an emotional state. And that's where it's situated. Humour has always been a means to cope with serious issues. Certain things in this world can only be approached by comedy.

Is this the reason why you became a comedian and not a politician?
RETHER: Exactly. Many politicians are also comedians and there are many comedians who are politicians - this goes hand in hand. But I'd hate to be politically correct, so I prefer comedy.

Do you really dislike Grönemeyer or is that just a running gag?
RETHER: I think his attitude is a little stiff sometimes, but he is a good musician. Every now and then he mistakes a metaphor. I don't have anything against the person Grönemeyer himself, but I do have a problem with the way he commercialised the death of his wife. I didn't like that.

For your female fans: are you in a relationship at the moment?
RETHER: Female fans, what is that? I don't have any. There is just one message I have for all women out there: get educated, study and replace the men in the manager seats.

You are a single father?
RETHER: No, I don't have children.

That's a classical journalistic mistake. Bad research.
RETHER: That's the only lie in my show. I always wanted to take pictures of my audience, but I didn't know how to sell it. So I told the people that I take them for my little daughter, and everybody believes it.

Your favorite book is Tschaikovsky's "The Idiot", what is your number two?
RETHER: Bulgakow's "Master and Bloody Mary".

What thinkers do you feel close to?
RETHER: That's difficult. There are too many. Actually, there are so many books that are worth being read. I don't know: Frank Zappa would be one for sure.

You are working yourself up on stage, showing a feeling of helplessness. Why?
RETHER: It just arises from this feeling. I have to reproduce it every night, like an actor. Sometime I feel it more, sometimes less. It wouldn't work if you would be up in arms about the same things every evening, you'd simply be an idiot. If, for instance, you're playing a sex offender on stage every evening, you don't become one, but you'd have to represent it. You can put yourself in his position for a short period of time, but you can't do this every evening with the same conviction. Not long ago, a man from the back shouted: "Hagen, I want a child from you!" That was sweet.

This is how mankind is?
RETHER: This is how humans are. What they have become.

What are the things you invest time in?
RETHER: Getting my nails done. No, seriously, cutting nails is very important to me and I always make time for it. You have wonderful nails by the way, they're really fantastic! Can you play the piano with them?

No. But writing on the computer works fine.
RETHER: Then you can play the piano with them as well. What do I invest time in? That's a great question. You hit the mark right there. I invest time in too few things; I am not the stamp-collector type. I take time to read the papers but everyone in my profession does so. I reduced everything - I should live a little bit more.

RETHER: Was that all or did you just stop in the middle?

No, that's it, enough's enough.
RETHER: Ask me anything else. Make up another child, or let's talk about childhood education. I don't really get this education thing anyway. Why is the older person, the already grown-up person always right? Even if the child has a point, it still doesn't get to be right. Children need one thing over all, they need love, simply love..