The celebrated German satirist Marc-Uwe Kling, known for his “Kangaroo Chronicles” series, retains a deep-seated awareness of frugality, a legacy of his childhood experiences despite achieving significant commercial success. In an interview with the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” (NOZ), Kling reflected on the enduring impact of limited resources, stating that he learned early on that money was scarce. This formative experience continues to influence his spending habits, notably revealing his reluctance to utilize taxi services.
Kling’s professional journey began with a remarkably modest start; his initial solo performance was secured for a virtually symbolic fee. He recounted staging his first program at the “Scheinbar” a Berlin-based variety theatre, incurring 100 euros in rent. Remarkably, the performance generated a total revenue of just 101 euros – a net profit of only one euro.
His early remuneration mirrored this tight budget. Kling described receiving a fee of 32 euros for one appearance, deeming it a small amount for an evening’s work but expressing immense gratitude for the opportunity.
Beyond finances, Kling demonstrates a commitment to sustainable living. He adheres to a primarily vegetarian diet and actively seeks to eliminate fossil fuels from his lifestyle, compensating for unavoidable consumption. He stressed, however, that he does not expect these practices from others, believing that individual responsibility regarding climate action is often a misleading focus. Kling emphasized the necessity of systemic and political solutions to the climate crisis, not simply relying on individual behavior changes. He further indicated his decision to cancel his Amazon account during the creation of his novel “QualityLand”.