A fake flirtation and a make-up disaster teach Sylvie Meis “Do you understand fun?” to their limits.
Actor Ante Brekalo (36) caused quite a stir on social media a few weeks ago. The 36-year-old claimed to be the new man at Sylvie Meis’ (46) side. But the supposed love affair quickly turned out to be a joke. The presenter, model and entrepreneur is “Do you understand fun?” (April 20, 8:15 p.m., the first) fell into the trap – with far-reaching consequences.
“In fact, the Dutch and partly also German press reacted very quickly and there were many requests for a statement or interview,” remembers Meis in an interview with the news agency spot on news. Brekalo was part of a fake photo shoot for a Hamburg hotel in which Meis was supposed to be portrayed as a new prominent brand ambassador – including horrible make-up, blurry images and a love selfie…
Dear Sylvie, can you now laugh about this prank?
Sylvie Meis: Yes, that was a wild and unforgettable experience. I was also able to laugh at the prank pretty quickly. At that moment I didn’t think it was that funny. But when the “Do you understand fun?” team resolved the situation, I was so relieved. I really felt like I was in a bad movie there.
They are always perfectly styled. Suddenly you’re given bright blue eye shadow and bright pink lipstick. Do you usually have fun when it comes to your appearance?
Meis: I’ll be honest, when it comes to my appearance, I don’t take much fun. For me, part of my job is that I appear well-groomed and sensible. I have high standards there. Of course the wild styling irritated me, but thanks to my long experience I stayed relatively relaxed and simply saved what could be saved myself.
How much time do you invest in your appearance? Are you vain?
Meis: Part of my job as a public figure, campaign face and model is that I take care of my appearance. The customer expects a well-groomed appearance. That’s why I invest time in regular beauty appointments such as manicures, hairdressers, etc. Fashion and make-up are also among my passions, I simply enjoy being able to express myself in this area. I don’t like the word “vain” because it has very negative connotations. I don’t worry too much about my own beauty, it’s just part of taking care of myself.
Later, you will be paired with a male model who will suddenly be seen as your new friend on social media. What was going through your head?
Meis: I thought: “Help, my parents, what do they think of me? He’s not even my type. And how the hell did the post end up on my channel?” I really thought that I must have been hooked and what am I doing next? Panic would be the right word for this moment.
You quickly responded with a denial on Instagram, what kind of waves did this fake love report cause?
Meis: In fact, the Dutch and partly also German press reacted very quickly and there were many requests for a statement or interview. It’s unbelievable how quickly it always happens.
How do you generally cope with the fact that your love life is always a public topic?
Meis: Unfortunately, I’m used to it over the last few years, but sometimes it’s not easy. I can’t get to know anyone in peace without it quickly becoming public and being commented on, judged and condemned by the world. This is something you have to live with as a public figure, but it doesn’t make it easy to get to know someone.
Looking back, what was the worst thing about the shoot for you?
Meis: Definitely the moment when I thought my Instagram account had been hacked and the fake love news had gone live. That was just too much for me.
Did it never occur to you that something could be wrong here?
Meis: Honestly not. It irritated me that I didn’t have my usual team around me, but this was well justified by the spontaneous shooting request. Even my manager Marina was involved, she played along well and didn’t let anything show. Sometimes you don’t believe all the “crazy” things that happen to us every day, so looking back I can of course smile at the amount of strange things, but in my job I am confronted with some individual situations every day. Therefore, little surprises you.
How relieved were you when the situation suddenly changed from “Do you understand fun?” was dissolved?
Meis: I was so incredibly relieved that it was all just “fun” and didn’t really happen. I didn’t know what I would have done next, so the resolution came at the right moment.
Could you imagine playing decoy yourself? Who would you like to fool?
Meis: Oh yes, I think I would have a lot of fun with that. But I shouldn’t say who now, otherwise it won’t work. (laughs)
These are the other stars of “Do you understand fun?”
In addition to Sylvie Meis, the new “Do you understand fun?” edition on April 20th also features Max and Friedrich von Thun, Judith Rakers, Horst Lichter, Walter Lehnertz and Phil Laude.