Der Komiker als Philosoph. Humor und Heilung bei Hape Kerkeling.

Abstract

The famous German comedian, actor, moderator and writer Hape Kerkeling became internationally known as a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago in his travel report Ich bin dann mal weg (2006), the bestselling German nonfiction book in the history of FRG. Equally famous were his memoirs Der Junge muss an die frische Luft - Meine Kindheit und ich (2014), which occupied more than twenty weeks the top of the bestseller list in Germany and the film adaptation of which will hit cinemas in December 2018. Both works show two facets of the author, the comedian and the philosopher, that allow him to go in search of his epiphany or personal enlightenment. Humor thus becomes a catalyst for transcendence and, on the basis of suffering, will enable a process of emotional healing through writing.