Monika Gruber

Monika Gruber (born 29 June 1971 in Wartenberg, district Erding) is a German cabaret artist and actress.

Life and career

Youth and education Monika Gruber was raised with her two younger brothers on their parental farm in Tittenkofen, Upper Bavaria. After completing her A-levels, she worked for several years as a foreign language secretary. At the age of 27, she had completed a two-and-a-half-year program at the Ruth von Zerboni drama school. Her first theater engagement was from 2000 to 2005, as an ensemble member of Iberl-Bühne, directed by Georg Maier in Munich-Solln.

TV career In 2002, Gruber gained her first experience as a cabaret artist in the comedy series Kanal fatal , in which she portrayed Kellnerin Monique, a typical Bavarian waitress who, in broad vernacular speech, talks about her adventures in gastronomy. At the same time, she also performed in Günter Grünwald's Freitagscomedy. From 2003 to 2009, she was a member of the Bavarian Television sketch series Die Komiker.

In 2012, the German broadcaster ZDF (Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen) gave Gruber her own TV series, Leute, Leute!, a boulevard satire. Contrary to the wishes of ZDF, Gruber didn't extend her contract for Leute, Leute! at the end of 2012, in order to gain more time for live performance. In the same year, she won a Bavarian TV award in the category of comedian for Die Große Quatsch Variety Show (Pro7), Monika Gruber live 2011 (BR), and Grünwald Freitagscomedy (BR).

From January 2011 to the end of 2013, Gruber, along with Bruno Jonas and Rick Kavanian, was a core member of Die Klugscheißer, a monthly satirical TV series of Bavarian Television. The show was discontinued when she withdrew to focus on her stage programs.

In April 2014, Gruber was again a regular guest on Grünwald Freitagscomedy, and she continued to perform with Günter Grünwald on a more regular basis in autumn 2014. For this reason, the title of the series was to be changed to Grünwald & Gruber Freitagscomedy. At the end of the year, however, Gruber and Bavarian Television announced that these plans would not be realized because of scheduling and conceptual difficulties.

In addition to her cabaret and comedy performances, Gruber acted in various TV productions. From 2008 to 2011, she played the leading role of Hannelore Herbst in the Bavarian Television series Der Kaiser von Schexing. From 2011 to 2013, she played reporter Barbara Hansen in the first 30 episodes of the ARD series Hubert & Staller. At the same time, she also played Moni Riemerschmidt in the new Heiter bis tödlich episodes of the Bavarian police series München 7 along with Florian Karlheim, Andreas Giebel, and Christine Neubauer.

Cabaret stage program Gruber toured through the south of Germany and Austria in 2004 with her first solo program, Kellnerin Monique, schmeckt's ned? In 2005, her solo program Hauptsach' g'sund debuted. Her third stage program Zu wahr, um schön zu sein, celebrated its premier on 13 September 2008 in Munich, and was performed at the 17th Arosa Humor-Festival. From April 6, 2011, Gruber toured with her program Wenn ned jetzt, wann dann!.

In January 2014, Guber performed a fifth solo program, Irgendwas is' immer. and locally supports Lebanese refugees.

On June 10, 2023 Gruber spoke on a demonstration against the climate policy of the German government, in particular against the planned update of a law regulating heating of buildings (Gebäudeenergiegesetz), mobilizing 13,000 opponents.

Personal life Gruber suffered from anorexia nervosa for several years during her adolescence.

From September 2011 to September 2012, she was in a relationship with the managing director of the Paulaner brewery, Andreas Steinfatt.

Cabaret programs (selection) 2004: Kellnerin Monique: Schmeckt's ned? 2005: Hauptsach' g'sund 2008: Zu wahr, um schön zu sein 2011: Wenn ned jetzt, wann dann! 2014: Irgendwas is' immer

Acting (selection) All performances were in German or in Bavarian vernacular.

Television 2002: Retro 2004: The Old Fox 2004: Tatort (Crime scene) – Sechs zum Essen 2008–2011: Der Kaiser von Schexing 2010: Lotta & die alten Eisen 2011–2013, 2017–: Hubert & Staller 2012: 2012–: München 7 2016–: Moni's Grill

Movies 2011: 2012: 2014: Winterkartoffelknödel 2014: Die Mamba 2017:

Theatre 2009: Honigmond

Televised cabaret performances (selection) 2003–2009: Die Komiker 2004: Auffahrt Nockherberg 2005–2009 and 2014: Grünwalds Freitagscomedy 2005: Auf bairisch g'lacht 2006: Die Gruber 2006: Coconut Kiss 2007–2013: Neues aus der Anstalt 2009: Normal is des ned 2011–2013: Die Klugscheisser 2011: Wetten, dass..? 2012: Leute, Leute! (ZDF) bis 2012: Ottis Schlachthof 2013: Was gibts Neues? (ORF eins) 2014: Die Anstalt 2015: heute-show (ZDF)

Books Man muss das Kind im Dorf lassen, Piper, München 2014.

Awards 2006: Bavarian Cabaret Award in the Senkrechtstarter (high flier) category. 2007: Ernst-Hoferichter-Preis 2008: Merkur Theatre Prize of the newspaper Münchner Merkur 2010: nominated for German Comedy Award in the 'Best Comedian, female' category 2012: Bavarian TV Awards in the 'Entertainment, Comedian' category.