Michael Herbig
Personal details

Michael Herbig

Michael Herbig, often known by his stage name Michael "Bully" Herbig, is a highly influential and multi-talented German comedian, film director, actor, voice actor, producer, and author. Born on April 29, 1968, in Munich, Germany, his career took off in the early 1990s with appearances on radio, where he first developed the "Bully" persona (a nickname associated in Germany with the VW Bully van). He achieved widespread national fame as the host, co-writer, and star of the wildly popular sketch comedy show Bullyparade (1997–2002) on ProSieben, alongside his long-time creative partners, Rick Kavanian and Christian Tramitz. His directorial and acting career reached monumental success with the film adaptations of characters from the show. His 2001 comedy Western, Der Schuh des Manitu (Manitou's Shoe), became one of the most successful German films of all time, drawing over 11.7 million viewers, a feat he followed up with the hit sci-fi parody (T)Raumschiff Surprise – Periode 1 (2004). In these films, Herbig typically plays multiple lead roles, such as the Apache chief Abahachi and his twin brother Winnetouch in the Manitou films. While primarily known for comedy, Herbig has successfully ventured into dramatic and thriller genres, notably directing the critically acclaimed 2018 film Balloon, which recounts the true story of two families who escaped from East to West Germany in a homemade hot air balloon in 1979. As a prolific voice actor, he is the current German voice for Woody (originally voiced by Tom Hanks) in the Toy Story franchise, Kuzco in The Emperor's New Groove, and Fender (originally Robin Williams) in Robots. He has also directed, written, and starred in the 2025 sequel, Das Kanu des Manitu (Manitou's Canoe). In recent years, he has gained new recognition as the host of the German version of the popular comedy reality series, LOL: Last One Laughing (since 2021).

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