Bülent Ceylan
Bülent Ceylan is a German comedian and Kabarett artist, born on January 4, 1976, in Mannheim. His mother, Hilde, is of Hungarian-German descent, while his father, Ahmet Ceylan (d. 2012), was a Turkish entrepreneur who arrived in Germany as a guest worker in 1958. In Mannheim, he received his primary education at the Friedrich-Ebert elementary school and continued his secondary schooling at the Ludwig-Frank-Gymnasium. Ceylan’s childhood involved using humor to alleviate his family's financial worries and bring joy to others. After completing his Abitur in 1995, Ceylan briefly interned at VIVA and RPR1 radio stations. He initially pursued higher education, studying philosophy and political science from 1998, but left university to focus on comedy. Early in his career, he began performing on small stages and developed the show 'Produzier’ mich net!' with Roland Junghans in 1998. Subsequent programs included ‘Nou Mässitsch!’ (November 1999) before achieving wider recognition with 'Döner for one' in November 2002. Ceylan’s comedy often centers on the experiences of Germans with Turkish family backgrounds and people from Mannheim, frequently incorporating the Mannheim dialect. He has developed numerous successful programs, including 'Halb getürkt' (October 2005), 'Kebabbel net', 'Ganz schön turbülent' (2010), and 'Luschtobjekt' (January 2020). His work has earned him several awards, including the German Comedy Award (Newcomer) in 2009, the CIVIS-Medienpreis in 2009, the German Comedy Award (Best Comedian) in 2010, and the Kleinkunstpreis des Landes Baden-Württemberg in 2002. He has appeared in television shows like 'Quatsch Comedy Club' and acted in episodes of 'Hausmeister Krause' and 'Bewegte Männer'. Beyond comedy, he starred in the film 'Verpiss dich, Schneewittchen' (March 2018) and participated in Stefan Raabs 'Autoball' championship in 2008. He has also performed at metal festivals such as Summer Breeze (2010) and Wacken Open Air (2011, 2014). In 2019, he competed on 'The Masked Singer', finishing third as the Engel (Angel), and in December 2024, he won 'Schlag den Star'. Ceylan is married and has four children, residing in Weinheim. He has published his autobiography 'Ankommen. Aber wo war ich eigentlich?' (September 2021), which became a Spiegel-Bestseller. He released his debut album 'Ich liebe Menschen' in 2023 and tours with his band, bringing together diverse groups through music. He is involved with Mannheim Aidshilfe, the Sterntaler children’s hospice, and anti-racism projects, and serves as a reading ambassador for the Stiftung Lesen. He has also launched a foundation to help children in need called 'Bülent Ceylan für Kinder' and written a crime comedy novel titled 'Yallah Mord!' (2024), featuring characters from his shows. Bülent Ceylan is considered one of the most popular entertainers in Germany, known for his distinctive Mannheim dialect and humorous characters.
