Mike Krüger's wife rejected him at their first meeting

Comedian Mike Krüger has recounted the less-than-smooth beginning of his relationship with his wife, Birgit, in a recent podcast interview. The couple has been married for over 50 years.

Krüger, 74, described first seeing Birgit while he was playing drums in his school band. Impressed by her appearance, he approached her with a casual question, believing she might smoke. "I went up to her and said, 'Do you smoke too?'" he recalled.

His attempt to initiate conversation based on this assumption failed when Birgit responded with a firm "no" and walked away. Krüger admitted the move "completely backfired," noting that his wife has always been a non-smoker. He later learned she likely thought he was a "complete idiot."

Despite the awkward start, Krüger managed to connect with Birgit again through a mutual acquaintance. Their first official date involved an overturned beach chair, which Krüger humorously cited as a sign of their compatibility. "And since then, we knew, yes, this fits," he said.

The podcast episode featuring Krüger's story, "Gestatten, von Sinnen!," releases new installments every other Friday.