Alf Poier
Alf Poier, born Alfred Poier on February 22, 1967, in Judenburg, Styria, Austria, is an Austrian artist and stand-up comedian. He attended elementary school in Sankt Peter ob Judenburg and graduated from the commercial academy in Judenburg in 1987. Before embarking on his artistic career, Poier held various jobs between 1987 and 1995, including night watchman, waitress, office worker, student, and journalist. Poier began performing cabaret in Graz in 1995, initially placing second at the Kleinkunstvogel cabaret competition. His career gained momentum with the release of his first program, 'Himmel, Arsch & Gartenzwerg,' in August 1995. He continued to perform extensively in Austria and Germany following this debut. He also won the German Comedy Awards (Best Newcomer) in 2000 and the Österreichischer Kabarettpreis in 2002. Poier’s work is characterized by a unique blend of cabaret, images, and objects, creating what he calls a Gesamtkunstwerk. He participated in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Weil der Mensch zählt' in 2003, placing sixth and incorporating references to different animals in a parody of the contest. He attempted to represent Austria again in 2005. He has released several albums, including Himmel, Arsch & Gartenzwerg (1996), Zen (2001), Alf singt die schönsten Lieder mit Band (2003), Lustige Lieder der Traurigkeit und Not (2005) and This Isn’t It (2010). He also released several DVDs, such as Mitsubischi (2008), Zen (2007), Kill Eulenspiegel (2007) and Satsang (2009). A song he wrote, 'Good Old Europe Is Dying,' caused controversy due to its lyrics. He opened his private museum, 'Botschaft für Bewusstsein, Scheißdreck und Kunst,' in Eggendorf (Tullnerfeld) in September 2008. After a 26-year career, Poier retired on July 31, 2021, primarily due to health issues, including chronic nausea and gastritis.