Upon the chancellor's encounter with the drag queen
Autumn is approaching, and RTL is bidding adieu to it with a sunset over Berlin. The turnout of celebrities is impressive, with various high-ranking politicians mingling on the rooftop terrace of the capital studio - and partying with enthusiasm.
Not too long ago, Olaf Scholz expressed his displeasure towards the media in an interview. He criticized the media for focusing too much on who's attending, who's misbehaving, and who looks good. However, according to Scholz, politics is not just another episode of "Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten." The question remains, then, what if Scholz himself pays a visit to RTL, where "GZSZ" is filmed?
On a Thursday evening, Scholz attended RTL's summer party on the roof of its capital studio. Around 300 guests, including teams from RTL News, stern, Capital, and ntv, had been invited. Scholz was late and missed out on the picturesque sunset view over Berlin, but he arrived around 9:30 PM. Upon arrival, he first met Olivia Marei, an actress from "Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten." The encounter was unforgettable, and it became the talk of the town.
The evening had already been quite eventful. Inga Leschek, RTL's program director, welcomed the guests and apologized for the delay of RTL CEO Stephan Schmitter, whose train to Berlin was held up due to a bomb threat. She reminisced about the summer of sports, including the football European Championship and the Olympics in France, which boosted ratings for the public broadcasters. Leschek also hinted at an exciting RTL rematch between Regina Halmich and Stefan Raab the following weekend. Leschek also cautioned the politicians about what she perceived as errors in film funding. Culture Minister Claudia Roth listened attentively, but her mood noticeably improved after a direct conversation with Leschek.
So, who's showing up, who's misbehaving, and who looks good?
Prominent guests like Natascha Ochsenknecht and Kader Loth were some of the earliest arrivals and stayed well into the night. Model and presenter Micaela Schäfer, actress Mariella Ahrens, and entertainer Désirée Nick were also in attendance. Of course, who looked great is a matter of personal opinion. Drag Queen Olivia Jones was undeniably the most eye-catching, and she later also had the pleasure of meeting the Chancellor.
The Union initially had the political upper hand: CDU leader Friedrich Merz was seen chatting with Andrea Nahles, the head of the Federal Employment Agency. "Nice to see you again!" Merz said. North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister President Hendrik Wüst met his colleague Kai Wegner, Berlin's governing mayor. But then, the coalition caught up, with the parliamentary group leaders of the Greens and FDP, Britta Haßelmann and Christian Dürr, engaging in conversation with Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's Minister President Manuela Schwesig, Family Minister Lisa Paus, and Chancellor's Office head Wolfgang Schmidt. Finance Minister Christian Lindner was also expected to attend. Nothing untoward happened, not even from Wolfgang Kubicki.
The crisp autumn chill on the rooftop terrace didn't dampen the spirit, as everyone was close enough to keep each other warm or engage in lively conversations. A brief moment of extra excitement ensued when the fire alarm went off in the RTL headquarters' stairwell - a piercing siren that added to the conversation fodder while the responding firefighters inspected the building and gave the all-clear.
Then, the Chancellor arrived. A friendly gesture here, a quick handshake there - and suddenly, Olaf Scholz was standing before GZSZ star Olivia Marei. She confidently took Scholz's hand and congratulated him on his recent speech in the Bundestag. "I told him I thought his handling of Friederich Merz's stance on border closures was fantastic," Marei later divulged.
Certainly, there may have been guests with a different experience that night. But Olaf Scholz seemed to have a great time, and his perspective on "GZSZ" must have been transformed as a result.
Despite Scholz's previous criticism towards the media's focus on celebrity gossip, the entertainment aspect of the event was undeniable. The Chancellor enjoyed interacting with the stars, particularly Olivia Marei from "Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten."
Amidst the festivities, the question of who was misbehaving or who looked good was still a topic of discussion, much to the displeasure of Olaf Scholz.
