Kurt Krömer (48) gave the "Spiegel" an interview in which he talks about the end of his successful show "Chez Krömer", vulnerability as a means of sympathy and his now famous, painted fingernails.

After seven seasons of "Chez Krömer", the entertainer announced at the end of last year that the show would be discontinued. In the new interview, Krömer now compares the end of the successful series of interrogation-style conversations with a finished picture: "I had the contracts for two more seasons – but at some point I realized that the work on this picture was over."

Apparently, Krömer has lost the motivation to argue with controversial interlocutors such as former "Bild" boss Julian Reichelt (42) or controversial politicians like Frauke Petry (47). Krömer: "I went through the whole thing for seven seasons. Now I don't want to anymore." Some programs were catastrophic, so Krömer. With people like Petry, he still thinks about "what drove them to come at all."

The depression that Krömer made public in an issue with Thorsten Sträter (56), who was also depressed, also plays a part at the end of the show. After four weeks in the clinic, the comedian could no longer play the role of his TV personality, he reports: "With the therapy, the corset of having to be either an asshole or a nice guy became too tight for me."

In his new stage program, Krömer is now vulnerable. "He even talks about his children, which was previously taboo for me. The program is 90 percent autobiographical, every gag has a real core." He also tends to like people who open up and talk about alcohol addiction and depression - it's easier for him to make contact, says Krömer. And points out: "Of course you click better with people who have weaknesses. For example, I still have 45 minutes, then I have to go to therapy."

The depression is now part of his personality. "It's like shooting porn films, you're asked about it your whole life."

There seems to be a similar interest in Krömer's fingernails, which the comedian paints in solidarity with the LGBTQ scene after drag queens from the BKA theater in Berlin told him how much rejection they still face. "When I color in that square inch of thumb and get asked about it every day, I realize we still have a little bit of work to do."