BERLIN (AP) 鈥� Forget , and the : a depressed German loaf of bread named Bernd das Brot is celebrating his 25th anniversary as the reluctant star of a that accidentally became equally popular with adults.
, Bernd das Brot (Bernd the Bread) is a puppet renowned for his deep, gloomy voice, his perpetual pessimism and his signature expression, "Mist!" (Think 鈥渃rap!鈥� in English.)
Played and voiced by puppeteer J枚rg Teichgraeber, Bernd is a television presenter who wants nothing to do with TV and can鈥檛 wait to go home to stare at the wallpaper.
This year, his friends 鈥� a sheep and a flower bush 鈥� are urging him to become a bread influencer.
Bernd's beginnings
Born as a sketch on the back of a napkin in a pizzeria, Bernd鈥檚 infamous grimace was drawn by Tommy Krappweis who modeled it after co-creator Norman C枚ster鈥檚 face. The duo had been asked to come up with mascots for KiKA, a German children鈥檚 public television channel.
Comic artist Georg Graf von Westphalen designed Bernd as 鈥� white bread typically sliced for sandwiches 鈥� with short arms and a permanent scowl. Bernd channels German stereotypes with his grumpy disposition, penchant for complaining and dry sense of humor and irony.
Bernd's first episode aired on KiKA in 2000 alongside his more-optimistic pals, Chili the Sheep and Briegel the Bush.
A reluctant popularity
Because KiKA is a children's channel, there was typically dead air from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. On Jan. 1, 2003, the network put Bernd's short episodes into the night loop for the first time.
The move brought an adult audience into Bernd's world, often those sitting at home and smoking pot, or returning after a long night of partying. The night loop cemented his popularity as a German cult classic.
In 2004, Bernd won the , the German television equivalent of . The jury said he represents 鈥渢he right to be in a bad mood.鈥�
鈥淏ernd shows you that you are less vulnerable with humor and self-irony. And perhaps the most important point is: It鈥檚 totally okay if you don鈥檛 feel well sometimes. That鈥檚 completely fine,鈥� Krappweis, Bernd's creator,
Bernd's broken heart
Bernd is depressed for a multitude of reasons, including his failed attempt to be the mascot for a bakery's advertising campaign (that's how he ended up as a TV presenter, as a last resort).
But it's in Episode 85 that we finally learn about Bernd's broken heart.
鈥淎 long, long time ago I fell in love with a beautiful, slim baguette. She was so incredibly charming and funny,鈥� Bernd tells Chili and Briegel. 鈥淏ut unfortunately it was in vain.
鈥淪he only had eyes for this run-of-the-mill multigrain bread with its 10 types of grain. It was so depressing.鈥�
The kidnapping
Despite Bernd鈥檚 best efforts 鈥� one of his catchphrases is 鈥淚 would like to leave this show鈥� 鈥� the episodes have never become stale. He sings, he dances, he鈥檚 been to space. He's the star of merchandise, a video game and headlines like 鈥淕ive Us Our Daily Bernd.鈥�
He was even kidnapped! In 2009, his 2-meter-tall (6.56 feet) statue was stolen from his traditional place outside the town hall in , where KiKA is based.
A claim of responsibility surfaced on YouTube, by sympathizers of a group of demonstrators who were protesting a company that had produced cremation ovens for the . The demonstrators, however, denied involvement in Bernd鈥檚 kidnapping and the video was removed from the internet.
Bernd was held hostage for nearly two weeks before being discovered unharmed in an abandoned barracks.
The anniversary year
KiKA is honoring Bernd's 25th anniversary, despite his complaints. New episodes, an update to his hit song and online activities for kids and adults alike will be featured. The celebrations begin now, as
The latest series will premiere in September as Bernd, Chili and Briegel launch the social media channel 鈥淏etter with Bernd" in their efforts to make him into a bread influencer.
The trio will present inventions to make school, and life, easier for viewers but naturally their concoctions backfire. Bernd instead becomes a defluencer 鈥� and an involuntary trendsetter.
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AP journalist Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed to this report.
Stefanie Dazio, The Associated Press
