Bötschi asks Reto Hanselmann "I didn't want people to say I was an SVP member"
From It-Boy to successful party organizer: Reto Hanselmann talks about his most painful cosmetic surgery, says what scares him - and reveals which roof damage has been with him since childhood.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Reto Hanselmann is the organizer of the most famous Halloween party in Switzerland: the "Season of the Witch" at Kaufleuten in Zurich.
- In an interview with blue News, the 43-year-old talks about his fears - and reveals why he enjoys working in the garden.
- "I was overweight as a child and was often teased because of it. So I developed a huge inferiority complex," says Hanselmann.
Reto Hanselmann, I'm going to ask you as many questions as possible over the next 30 minutes and I'd like you to answer them as briefly and quickly as possible. If a question doesn't suit you, you can also say "go on" once.
Super.
Love or money?
Love.
Cold shower or caffeine?
Caffeine.
Singing in the shower?
No.
Which superfluous object in your home do you love the most?
My Hurom fruit press. I thought that if I bought one, I would automatically live healthier. I hadn't considered that such an appliance also means work.
So the juicer usually sits around unused in your kitchen?
That's right.
About the author: Bruno Bötschi
blue News editor Bruno Bötschi regularly talks to well-known personalities from Switzerland and abroad for the question-and-answer game "Bötschi fragt". He asks them lots of questions - always direct, often funny and sometimes profound. It always remains open until the very last question as to where the fast-paced ping-pong will lead.
What housework do you particularly enjoy doing?
I like vacuuming my apartment.
The hardest job you've ever had to do with your hands?
Setting up and dismantling my Halloween party, which always takes place at the end of October at Kaufleuten in Zurich.
Please name three reasons why life is wonderful?
I appreciate that there are four seasons. I love my garden in Zurich more than anything. And I'm lucky to have nice people around me and I really hope it stays that way for many years to come.
How happy are you right now on a scale of one to ten points?
Seven points.
Is that normal for you?
I'm an extremely security-loving person - especially when it comes to finances. If things are less than normal, i.e. I'm not busy organizing an event, I quickly become anxious. I become insecure, dissatisfied and unhappy.
Should we humans strive for happiness at all?
I believe that happiness comes naturally. Just as there are days when things don't go so well. But they are just as important because they make us appreciate the positive days even more.
The English philosopher Kieran Setiya writes in his book "Life is hard" that we humans should learn to endure what life brings. Because there is no such thing as the perfect life.
I am also convinced of this.
Do you believe in God?
I believe in a higher power and in the universe, but not in the biblical story.
Your favorite Bible verse?
Go on.
Do you like looking at the clouds when you're on an airplane?
I like looking out of the window and watching the clouds play. It has a calming effect on me. As I get older, I realize that I'm getting more and more afraid of flying.
Why do people jostle when boarding an airplane?
It's a phenomenon that I can't explain. After all, every passenger with a valid ticket is allowed on the plane. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that patience is no longer a virtue. If you want something today, you want it immediately.
As a familiar face, are you left alone in Zurich?
Most of the time - but there are exceptions.
What are they?
People who have drunk too much alcohol.
Ever pushed a man because he came too close to you?
I don't do that.
When was the last time you smuggled something past customs?
Two years ago, I bought a collage leather jacket in New York. At Zurich airport, a customs officer asked me if I had anything to declare? I thought I was smarter than him and said "no" twice. When the officer insisted and asked a third time, I changed my mind. I admitted that I had bought the leather jacket I was wearing in New York.
What happened next?
I had to pay a small fine.
Which famous person have you been mistaken for in the toilet?
At first I understood which famous person I had been in the toilet with (laughs). I have to disappoint you, I've never been mistaken for another celebrity.
Your relationship with numbers?
Badly.
How tall are you?
1.87 meters.
How many pairs of shoes do you own?
80 to 90 pairs.
How many suits?
30.
What belongs in every man's closet?
Underpants ... although there are people who don't wear any (laughs).
Is it really true that you've invested over 120,000 francs in all kinds of cosmetic surgery so far?
I have now invested around 250,000 Swiss francs in aesthetic procedures. However, we're talking about expenses that I haven't had to pay for myself to a large extent because I'm sponsored by the respective companies.
What was your first procedure?
I had Botox injected into my face.
What was the last thing you had done to your body?
A neck lift.
Is it really true that you had your beard hair transplanted?
That is true. I had hair transplanted from the back of my head. The beard makes my face more angular, which is something I've always wanted. I feel much more masculine now.
How much did this procedure cost?
8000 Swiss francs.
How long did you stay out of the public eye after the transplant?
Six weeks.
What was the most painful cosmetic surgery you have undergone so far?
The hair transplant was extremely painful. I also had to sleep on my back for ten days afterwards. Which was difficult for me as a side sleeper.
What is the absolute latest thing in terms of cosmetic surgery?
The lip flip.
What is that?
The lip flip involves injecting a little Botox into the muscle above the upper lip. As a result, the upper lip flips slightly outwards and therefore appears fuller.
How do you define beauty?
I'm much harder on myself when it comes to beauty than I am on my fellow human beings. I prefer men with a slight tummy and women with curves to people who look supposedly perfect. Perfection bores me.
But why do you always want to look perfect yourself?
That's a bad habit I've had since I was a child.
Do you think you look better today at 43 than you did at 18?
Definitely.
Is it easier to be beautiful when you've had champagne?
Yes.
Is it true that a super good-looking man doesn't have to be particularly funny because he already looks great?
I completely disagree.
Would you like to be married to yourself?
No thanks.
You're the most successful plus-one in Switzerland. Is that true?
That really is a thing of the past. As a young man, I was an older man's chick. I also regularly accompanied Jubaira Bachmann and Viola Tami to events. In recent years, however, I have built up my own business as an event organizer. This has also had a positive effect on my mental health. I'm happier today than I was when I was 20.
Do you have a photo of your husband in your wallet?
I don't have a wallet at all (laughs). But of course I have pictures of him in my cell phone.
Would you show me one?
Not publicly, but to you.
Who is the more pleasant flatmate: Viola Tami or Sven Epiney?
I actually lived with Viola Tami in a shared flat a few years ago, whereas Sven Epiney is just my neighbor. They are two people who are very important in my life. I've learned a lot from Viola and I'm also the godfather of her children.
What do you particularly like about Sven Epiney?
We regularly work together in the garden in summer. Sven is also a great handyman. If I want to install a new lamp, I often ask him.
Does it almost sound like Sven is the perfect husband for you?
No, I've known him far too long for that (laughs). But I always say: Sven Epiney is like a brother to me.
Which three people would you take with you to a desert island?
Viola Tami, Gossipa and Simona Villiger.
You live in Zurich, have homes in Monaco and Ibiza, plus a finca in Mallorca and an apartment in Davos and Munich. Have I done my research correctly?
That is correct.
Where do you prefer to live?
Zurich.
I recently read in the media that you wanted to buy a loft in Berlin...
... that project came to nothing, at least for the time being.
I'll give you three Reto Hanselmann phrases from the media and you tell me what they mean: "I looked at George Clooney 's penis."
That's right. A few years ago, I went out to eat at the Nobu restaurant in Malibu. At some point I had to go to the toilet when suddenly a slim man stood next to me at the urinal. At first I just thought: I know that face. But it wasn't until I was back in my seat and the man came back from the toilet that the penny dropped: Oh, that's George Clooney.
"I didn't have it easy at school. And I took this roof damage with me."
I was overweight as a child and was often teased for it. So I developed a huge inferiority complex.
"I lost myself in cosmetic surgery."
I had my first cosmetic surgery when I was 20 and had my nose done. But unfortunately, the various beauty procedures didn't give me the self-confidence I had hoped for. I often received compliments on my appearance. But instead of being satisfied and happy, I immediately looked for the next thing I didn't like about myself.
What does home mean to you?
For me, home means my family and my friends.
In one sentence: How would you promote Switzerland?
A small country that offers you everything in a wonderfully compact form.
What political views of your parents were embarrassing for you as a child?
My parents are very liberal. They also never had a problem when I revealed to them that I was gay.
Do you prefer to be for or against it?
In favor.
Would you describe yourself as a feminist?
I always stand up for women. It's absolutely incomprehensible to me that they still don't have the same rights as us men in many areas.
Could you imagine getting into politics?
No, thank you.
Have you ever been asked by a party whether you would like to run for office?
Yes and no. The SVP once invited me to the traditional Albisgüetli conference. But I didn't go.
Why not?
Because I didn't want people to say that Hanselmann was an SVP member.
What kind of person is Hanselmann?
I can't decide on a party. I'm close to the Greens on some issues and the SVP on others.
What's so fascinating about alcohol?
It gives me more self-confidence for a brief moment.
Why were you addicted to cocaine?
Out of stupidity - until I got the comeback at 21: a heart attack. That opened my eyes. It was a stroke that led me to change my life. Since then, I haven't touched drugs and I don't drink alcohol from Sunday to Friday.
You'll be 44 on July 20 - any plans for that day?
No thanks.
Half of your life may be over. How does that feel?
Awful.
Why again is getting old so terrible?
Death is getting closer and closer.
Do you think about death more often now than when you were younger?
Much more.
Are you more afraid of death today?
Much more.
Do you have a living will?
Not yet.
Health care proxy?
No.
Will?
Yes.
We are slowly coming to the end and thus to the self-rating test: You rate your own talent from zero points, no talent, to ten points, maximum talent: Footballer?
Three points. My mother once wanted me to have a hobby. That's why she sent me to football training. It was an absolute horror.
Cook?
Eight points. I was allowed to look over my grandmother's shoulder in the kitchen for years and learned a lot from her.
Gardener?
Nine points. My grandparents had an allotment and I loved it.
Lover?
Nine points. My zodiac sign is Cancer. They are sensitive and cuddly people.
Would you like to make a brilliant closing statement?
Life is short - so my tip is to keep your eyes open, learn to appreciate the good moments and look less at your cell phone.
