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For half a century, the ventriloquist Kliby delighted young and old with his Caroline doll. Now it stops. That will sadden many. BLICK tells him what he’s doing now.
LOOK: Kliby, you announced your retirement from the stage on your 70th birthday. Will it be called Urs Kliebenschädel again in the future?
Kliby (laughs): No, I haven’t had that dangerous name for a long time. Do you know what love skull means? There are two crossed axes in the coat of arms of our family. These are skull dividers. I am a descendant of executioners. That’s why I’ve only been the Kliby on stage for 50 years. My schoolmates already affectionately called me “Klibely.” Since September 22, 1988, Kliby has also been my last name, backed by a federal court decision.
His resignation seems like a radical break. You don’t like the world of comedy today?
It has nothing to do with that. I liked the number 70 and I’ve been on stage for 50 years. All round numbers. Most retire at 65, Kurt Felix resigned at 50. The retirement is not so radical, I have been planning it for almost a year.
But do you still make a lot of young comedians laugh?
Not all, I mean it honestly. Today, humor is often below the belt. Too much is insulted and exposed on stage. I do not like. I like childish mouth and word games. A sense of humor that is only directed against people is taboo to me.
How did you become a ventriloquist?
When I was drafted into the army, a doctor on duty told me that I was not breathing properly. At home I read a book that explained that this type of breathing is a prerequisite for ventriloquism. That sounded very exciting. Then I started practicing and three years later I was quickly on stage.
And then went straight up?
No, Kurt Felix said first: “It’s good enough for the stage, but you’re not good enough for television!” In 1977, two years later, he took me to “Teleboy” anyway. The entire nation instantly fell in love with Caroline. We had more than two million viewers. “Whoooooo crazy,” Caroline would say.
How was Caroline really created?
My wife Ruth and I liked animals attached to a pajama bag as motifs. One of them was a donkey, and I said to Ruth, “Can you sew me a doll like that?” And she did. Voilà!
Celebrate his birthday on Christmas Eve. Wasn’t that annoying as a kid?
More for my brothers. They always had fewer packages under the Christmas tree than I did. Grandma finally took pity on them. For example, if there was a coach as a gift, I would wrap the top and bottom separately for my sister and brother. There was also a calendar. Then they received three gifts.
You and your wife have suffered from various health problems. How did you get over all this?
Yes, we really had a lot to do. I had two strokes in three weeks, prostate cancer, and a heart operation with four bypasses. At the same time, my wife Ruth was diagnosed with breast cancer. But fate has brought us even closer. We look good to each other. Just a few days ago I came back for a follow-up check, as always in Advent. Every time the doctor raises his thumb, this is the best Christmas present. Everything is fine! Everything is fine with Ruth too. I am very happy with her. Now, in Advent, decorate the whole house with angels, Samichläusen and deer. Beautiful.
Will you get vaccinated against the crown?
We will wait a little longer and see what the side effects look like.
Is there something in your life that you regret?
I was always very punctual, orderly and familiar. A bit fussy. I have always taken everything very seriously. Maybe too serious.
You and your wife have been married for 44 years. How difficult is it to think that one part will outlive the other?
It is always difficult to lose someone. But we live in the here and now. We consciously ignore the thought of death. So that we can continue to live better.
Kliby, born on December 24, 1950 as Urs Kliebenschädel, is a trained customs broker and first worked at SBB’s ticket counter in Kreuzlingen. Along with his donkey Caroline, he has enjoyed great success as a ventriloquist since the 1970s, especially on television shows like “Teleboy.” He sold over a million records, won 20 gold and 12 platinum records and a diamond award. In 1981 he appeared in “Wetten, dass ..?” in. In 1989 he participated in the Folk Music Grand Prize with the song “Lache isch gsund”. In the 1990s he also moderated the “Donnschtig-Jass”. Kliby is married and lives in Kreuzlingen TG.
And what should be in your obituary?
“Laugh healthy!” it would be good. It’s also the headline for the song Caroline and I participated in at the 1989 Grand Prix of Folk Music. I want to tell people, “Don’t be so sad, just laugh a lot.”
What’s really happening to Caroline now?
It comes to the museum. This year I was already honored at the Frauenfeld Historical Museum as part of the “Thurgau Heads” exhibition. Since the exhibition will be shown again next year, I have decided to make available the original Caroline, who is retiring.
Caroline at the museum. You can’t do that to the child.
(Laughs) Starting in October, you will be allowed to return home. And go back to sleep in your heated suitcase. Anyway, it’s not finished yet. We still have two shows that I had to postpone due to Corona. Of course, Caroline is there too.
Do you think Caroline is giving you a gift?
It gives me more free time. And gives us advice. For example, she recommended the greatest memory to us.
How does it work?
We go down to the basement twice a week. Who first remembers what we wanted, wins.
SRF 1 dedicates an entire program to Kliby and Caroline on Christmas Eve at 9.30pm (repeat on December 27, 6.10pm). And on December 28, the two can be seen on “1 gegen 100”.
