Jurgen von der Lippe

by David JeffriesOne of Germany's longstanding musical comedians, Hans-Jürgen Dohrenkamp began using the stage name Jurgen von der Lippe ("Jurgen of the Lipp," as in Lipperland, Germany) in 1976 when he made his debut with the novelty group Gebrüder Blattschuss. By combining well-known German melodies with new, humorous texts, the group was an instant success. A year later, Jurgen made his solo debut with the album Sing was Süsses, released a second album with Gebrüder Blattschuss, and began his career as a television and radio presenter. By 1979 he was on his third solo album, Extra Drei, and out of Gebrüder Blattschuss. A weekly WDR radio variety show, acting on television and in film, and more albums kept him busy through most of the '80s. Then, in 1989, he began hosting the television show Geld oder Liebe, a kind of Dating Game with a twist, where contests could choose money over love. The successful show lasted until 2001, but Jurgen had already diversified into the world of books and DVDs and was prepared for new opportunities. The years 2002 and 2003 were filled with touring, and in 2004 he took the leading role in the sitcom Heiland auf Dem Eiland. In 2007 he won German television's important Adolf Grimme Award for his work as host of the game show Extreme Activity.