Eckart von Hirschhausen

Eckart von Hirschhausen (born Eckart Axel von Hirschhausen on 25 August 1967 in Frankfurt) is a German physician, talk show host, comedian, author, and journalist. He studied medicine, supported by a scholarship from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation, at the Free University of Berlin, the University of Heidelberg and the University of London. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Heidelberg, and from 1996 to 1997 also studied scientific journalism at the Free University of Berlin.

In 1996, von Hirschhausen began writing, mainly for Focus and Der Tagesspiegel. From 1998 to 2003 he hosted the weekly health advisory show Service: Gesundheit on Hessischer Rundfunk Television, and since 2004 has been a weekly contributor to Stern. Since the mid-1990s he has performed as a stand-up comedian, show host and magician, and is also a cabaret artist. His cabaret routine focuses on the doctor-patient relationship, pointing out the inability of professionals in his field to express themselves clearly. At the end of 2008, he founded the charity foundation "Humor hilft heilen," dedicated to more healthy laughing in hospitals.

Von Hirschhausen has received numerous awards, including the St. Ingberter Pfanne in 2004, one of the most important German awards for minor arts, the title of "Tie-man of the year 2009," and the IQ Award in 2012. He has been described as the current German champion of magic tricks. He has been a lifelong resident of Berlin, and his brother is the economist Christian von Hirschhausen.