Michael Niavarani: Stupidity as Art - Cabaret premiere in the park!

Michael Niavarani: Stupidity as Art - Cabaret premiere in the park!

On May 30, 2025, the update show “Homo Idioticus 2.0” with Michael Niavarani celebrated its premiere at the Theater im Park. This show is a continuation of his first performance in 2014, which divides people into different categories. A humorous analysis of human behavior is carried out, with Niavarani classifying the characters as complete idiots, wapplers, suitcases, idiots and ragamuffins. What is particularly provocative is his statement that the American president, regardless of his actions, still plays a specific role.

Niavarani sees natural stupidity as humanity's biggest problem, while he tends to put the dangers of artificial intelligence into perspective. With his sharp wit, he also addresses current political issues, for example by talking about leading politicians such as Herbert Kickl and H.C. Strache makes fun. His satirical statements about Putin are sure to make the audience laugh, but they also bring with them serious reflections on faith, knowledge, religion and science.

Stupidity and man

In “Homo Idioticus 2.0,” Niavarani goes beyond comedy to reflect on human identity and evolution. The questions he raises relate not only to today's society, but also to human instincts and their origins. Despite the identified challenges, Niavarani presents an optimistic outlook that humanity has coped well so far, which is thought-provoking.

These themes are not dissimilar to the approaches in Jean-Michel Rabaté's essay, which explores the anthropology of stupidity. The essay draws on key philosophers such as Kant and Freud, who also grappled with the nature and effects of stupidity. Kant, for example, addresses various forms of stupidity in his work “The Experiment on the Diseases of the Head,” which is an early analysis and provides an interesting connection to Niavarani's satirical approach.

Humor as a political tool

The humor that plays a central role in both works, be it in Niavarani's cabaret or in Rabaté's essay, has a cathartic function in politics. Last but not least, Rabaté's work also references the figure of Švejk from Jaroslav Hašek's literature, who confronts the absurdities of militarism with playful stupidity. Švejk's interactions with the police and the bureaucracy are viewed as a reflection of human experience and political reality.

In this context, Rabaté also presents the difficulties of defining stupidity, which poses a challenge for philosophical debate. The connection between stupidity and infinity is further deepened by thinkers such as Alain Badiou, showing that stupidity can be seen not only as an individual but also as a collective phenomenon. This ultimately brings the universal nature of stupidity full circle back to Niavarani's themes and their relevance today.

Tickets for the show “Homo Idioticus 2.0” are available starting at €39. The program promises not only entertainment, but also deeper insights into human nature and the challenges that affect us as a society.