"Merz-duo yet continues search for somber appearance"
Title: Is Finding a Friedrich Merz Look-Alike as Challenging as Finding the Holy Grail?
Finding a clone of a prominent German politician, Friedrich Merz, might come close to questing for the mythical Holy Grail, if the stories from a double agency in the Ruhr area are to be believed. Jochen Florstedt, a double agent from Mülheim, has been on the hunt for the ultimate doppelganger, and he ain't found it yet!
Florstedt explains, "Merz stands out – akin to an upside-down pear-shaped head: an extremely narrow chin, a broad skull, and that cantankerous sneer – hey presto, that's what you need in a top-notch Merz look-alike!" Sounds easy enough, right? But Florstedt warns, "it's like finding a needle in a haystack – but I'm convinced they're out there."
Couldn't find a Scholz double either among former cabinet members: "No Lindner, no Baerbock, no Habeck – and not a decent Scholz," Florstedt sighs. Politicians, he thinks, may fear being ridiculed or jeered if their doubles are exposed. He assures, "Worry not, because the artists always perform in a secure environment or at swanky corporate events, where everyone is crystal clear that these folks are impersonating the real deal."
Florstedt has been in the impersonation business, doubling famous figures in film, music, and sports since 1998. One of his long-running stars, Ursula Wanecki, has been a spot-on Angela Merkel for years. She owes her fame to TV ads, appearances, and appearances on shows like "heute-show." Yep, she's still got it!
"Merz could become the next big thing," says Frank Schäfer, CEO of Doubles & More in the Rhineland. Angela Merkel, on the other hand, still reigns supreme in the impersonation business. "If the real deal has bad PR, the double fries with it," shares Schäfer. But Merz, he believes, will create new opportunities for his double.
Skeptics in the impersonation industry aren't rushing to cast a Merz double. "German politicians rarely grace events, let alone get booked," confesses Jürgen Tebbe, owner of New Lookalikes in Bonn. Politicians just don't emanate that Philippe Pétain-like glamour, he concludes. The only exception is Olaf Scholz, who graced TV shoots, but only twice!
So if you're cool with a little fusion of politics and partying, keep an eye out for any upcoming events featuring these doppelgangers! After all, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
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Regarding the pursuit of a Friedrich Merz look-alike, it appears to be as elusive as finding the Holy Grail, given the challenges faced by double agent Jochen Florstedt, who hasn't successfully found a match yet. Interestingly, entertainers impersonating celebrities in Germany, such as Ursula Wanecki portraying Angela Merkel, have higher demand in the industry compared to politicians like Friedrich Merz.
