After completing his *Abitur*, Gerhardt performed his compulsory military service as an anti-tank gunner in the 5th Company of the 123rd Anti-Tank Battalion. Subsequently, he studied German Studies and Philosophy, writing his thesis on *The Philosophy of Language of Nicholas of Cusa*. As a freelance contributor to the Cologne-based tabloid *Express*, he also wrote reports on the city's cultural scene. After embarking on a career as an entertainer, he ceased his work for *Express* in the 1990s. He rose to fame in 1988 with his program *Dackel mit Sekt*, having been discovered by Jürgen von...
