Klamroth premiere at "Hart aber fair": Casual Louis

Created: 01/10/2023, 12:25 p.m

By: Stefanie Thyssen

Louis Klamroth at his premiere in the "Hart aber fair" studio © BREUEL-BILD/Jason Harrell

For more than 20 years, Frank Plasberg (65) moderated "Hart aber fair" on ARD.

He invented the format, coined it and released it at the beginning of November.

Successor Louis Klamroth celebrated its premiere on Monday.

His debut in the check.

The topic

"A country is getting poorer - who will pay the 2023 crisis bill?" was the title of the first edition with a new host.

A topic that the moderator appreciates because it is not very controversial, at least less explosive than hotter issues like the New Year's Eve riots or Lützerath.

The guests

When politics meets reality - that was the motto of "Hard but fair" under Plasberg for years, even if it had recently receded into the background.

Klamroth re-appropriated it, inviting metalworker Engin Kelik in and placing him in the center of the table throughout the broadcast.

A statement.

And the 33-year-old host asked the robust Kelik empathetically and interestedly about his life as a father of two children with a net income of 2300 euros a month.

"How was Christmas for you?", "How does it feel for a father when the children make a wish and you cannot fulfill the wish?".

Two politicians, SPD leader Lars Klingbeil and CDU member Jens Spahn, were also invited

In addition, the “business wise woman” (Klamroth) Monika Schnitzer and “Spiegel” journalist Melanie Amann as experts.

Violent exchanges of words did not materialize – apart from a few squabbles between Klingbeil and Spahn, which seemed almost troublesome (“That’s not true” – “Yes, that’s true!”).

Klamroth only had to take tougher action once when Spahn got angry.

Then the moderator left his seat at the desk, reared up in front of the former Minister of Health - "Mr. Spahn!

Mr. Spahn!

Mr. Spahn!” – and looked like Plasberg 2.0, who had to make the group quiet with an identical gesture from time to time.

when Spahn got angry.

Then the moderator left his seat at the desk, reared up in front of the former Minister of Health - "Mr. Spahn!

Mr. Spahn!

Mr. Spahn!” – and looked like Plasberg 2.0, who had to make the group quiet with an identical gesture from time to time.

when Spahn got angry.

Then the moderator left his seat at the desk, reared up in front of the former Minister of Health - "Mr. Spahn!

Mr. Spahn!

Mr. Spahn!” – and looked like Plasberg 2.0, who had to make the group quiet with an identical gesture from time to time.

The new moderator

Plasberg 2.0 – the fact that Louis Klamroth was not only reminiscent of his predecessor in this scene was the biggest surprise of the evening.

The concern (also behind the scenes of the show) was that Klamroth could lead the evening too briskly.

That's how he last did it in the ProSieben programs for the federal election, where he kept interrupting his interlocutors in the most unpleasant way.

On Monday he seemed calm, level-headed and sometimes very well-behaved.

At the core of the show - from the feature films to the scenery to the fact check and co-moderator Brigitte Büscher - nothing has changed anyway.

You obviously didn't want to scare the regular viewers.

Only once did Klamroth utter a hearty swear word when he asked Lars Klingbeil whether, in view of the government work, he sometimes thought: "Shit, we're already doing so much".

Otherwise?

Casual Louis!

No sign of nervousness.

Well prepared, confident demeanor, clear structure, clear plan.

A premiere without glitches.

reactions and rate

Colleague Caren Miosga was the first to congratulate.

During the transition to the "Topics of the Day" at 10:15 p.m., she congratulated "Louis" on the "successful premiere", which was acknowledged with much applause from the studio.

Then the 33-year-old was able to smile relaxed for the first time.

The criticism almost always certifies that the moderator made a sovereign debut.

On Twitter it was rather bad.

"Is it #hardbutfair to describe the new moderator as a miscast because of his professional youthful clumsiness and openly displayed lack of education?" Was a comment here.

2.42 million viewers tuned in.

Frank Plasberg (read our farewell interview here) had an average of 2.6 million viewers last year.

Conclusion and Outlook

The premiere was a success, there is nothing to shake about that.

It will be interesting to see whether Klamroth will develop a bit more bite in the next few issues, which would correspond to his personality.

And above all, how he does when it comes to climate issues.

As reported, he is the life partner of Luisa Neubauer, Germany's number one activist.

A program on your personal and stomach topic (Lützerath, for example) should be the real test for the new man in "Hart aber fair".