Overview

• Joseph Langelinck, performing as the “Grumpy Guide,” was discovered at an e-sport event and developed the persona after studies at the Düsseldorfer Kunstakademie.
• The 33-year-old artist’s tours are booked weeks in advance, prompting the museum to add special sessions to meet sustained demand.
• During the hour-long walks, Langelinck quizzes visitors on baroque and modern art while mocking curators’ hanging strategies as self-willed and inept.
• Museum director Felix Krämer credits the concept to Australia’s rude-waiter restaurant trend and says it signals a shift toward more playful, interactive programming.
• Audience reactions range from delighted laughter and applause to uneasy discomfort as the guide peppers his commentary with insults like “Have you got a hamster’s brain?”