Legendary ORF talk show host Hermes Phettberg died at the age of 72

Legendary ORF talk show host Hermes Phettberg died at the age of 72

The ORF talk show host and controversial artist Hermes Phettberg has died at the age of 72. His companion Hannes Moser announced the sad news on Facebook today and said goodbye with the words: “Farewell, dear friend.” Phettberg, whose real name was Josef Fenz, has suffered from serious health problems in recent years, including multiple strokes, which have severely affected his health. He was reportedly bedridden and largely withdrawn from public life.

A life full of controversy and creativity

Hermes Phettberg became known at the end of the 1990s through his show “Nette Leit Show”, which asked the memorable question “Frucade or eggnog?” began. His artistic work was characterized by provocative performances and diverse creativity, which often flowed into the areas of art and politics. Already in the early 1990s he attracted attention with his sadomasochistic art works, which aroused the public's interest. His political ambitions even led him to membership in various political parties, with him publicly switching to the SPÖ in 2018.

Phettberg was not only a talk show host, but also a sought-after columnist who wrote a weekly column in “Falter” from 1992. His exciting life's work ranges from theater to controversial action art projects, which he carried out together with Walter Reichl. In recent years he has had the posthumous honor of having his friend Kurt Palm dedicate a documentary film to him. Phettberg's death marks the end of a chapter in Austrian cultural history that was marked by both the artistic and the political Reports from exxpress.at and the Summaries of presse.com clarify.