After participating in “DSDS”, Joey Heindle appeared in numerous reality shows. In the interview he looks back on his career.
For Joey Heindle (28), the role in a Hollywood film is probably a turning point in his career so far. In Baden-Baden he was in front of the camera for the film “Someone Dies Tonight”. The 28-year-old became known in 2012 through his participation in the RTL casting show “Deutschland sucht den Superstar”. At that time he made it to number 5 on the show. From then on he went from one reality format to the next. In the RTL jungle camp he won the crown in 2013, two years later he wanted to participate in “I am a star – let me in again!” again to Australia.
After various other TV shows, Heindle took part in the seventh season of “Celebrity Big Brother” in 2019 and made it to second place. For the singer, however, the show was anything but fun. “That was absolute bullying for me,” he says of the season. He now wants to turn his back on reality TV. He is also currently taking a break from social media to concentrate on himself. In an interview with the news agency spot on news, Joey Heindle reveals why he would prefer to withdraw at the moment and that he has a lot to work up mentally. He also explains what he’s particularly proud of in his life so far.
You have worked with Hollywood stars through your new film role in Someone Dies Tonight. Are German Celebrities Different?
Joey Heindle: Quite different. I’m currently trying to stay out of the German celebrity world. The problem is: Nobody treats you to anything. I don’t care what people think of me now. I do my thing. I always went my way, even if it was difficult at times. Nevertheless, I made my way through and have always remained myself. What also honors me is that I work on the side in the rescue team or in the fire department. Now I only do what I enjoy.
You recently deleted all Instagram posts except for one photo that you wrote “Think, sort, report to”. What’s it all about?
Heindle: Social media just hasn’t been doing me any good lately. You look in there all day and you can see what people are doing and what nasty things they write to you. Right now I just have a few things that I have to process in my head. Instagram is also not good for me. I don’t want to do anything more for now, but I don’t know for how long. I don’t feel like this daily pressure anymore, with which I always ask myself: “What is he doing? What are they writing?” It has become too much for me. People only see what’s happening on social media and think you’re fine. Nobody knows how one’s soul really feels. And the thing is: you always give so much and get so little in return.
So, are you taking a general social media break?
Heindle: Absolutely. I didn’t just decide that. There was something that bothered me and burned my soul. I don’t feel like that anymore. That just has to be the case now. There might be other things to worry about than hanging out on Instagram all day.
Was there anything specific that hurt you so badly?
Heindle: Nothing for comments. The time is extremely difficult for me at the moment. I have a lot to work through and so much has happened in the past few years. It has absolutely nothing to do with me and Mona, everything is great with us. She also supports me in everything and stands by me. A lot of bad things and good things have happened – things that I would love to talk about, but I am not ready to do yet. Maybe you can imagine a thing or two, but it was a lot of the past that broke me. Not so broken that I can no longer think now. But sometimes you just need more time to pursue your thoughts.
Do you go so far as to seek therapeutic help?
Heindle: No, it’s just about myself. I want to take more time for other things and try to keep saying to myself, “Hey, life is good.”
You have already gained some experience on German TV. Do you regret anything in that regard?
Heindle: Yes, “Celebrity Big Brother”. For me that was absolute bullying. I’m not interested in the format itself. It’s more about how the residents treated me. I would never do that again. I had to chew on that for a long time because the situations were sometimes so absurd. The people only played one show there – you don’t hear anything about them anymore. Except for Janine (Pink). She is a super cool person and has always protected me.
The show didn’t help my image, it actually damaged it. I was just unlucky. I don’t know whether a lot was a game that was agreed upon or whether everything was played. In the end you never know that and I don’t even want to know.
In contrast, I did a lot of great formats, such as “Global Gladiators” 2018 with Lucas Cordalis – that was one of my favorite shows. It was then that I became aware of what I would like to change.
Do you want to turn your back on reality TV completely or are you still keeping that open?
Heindle: Reality is always such a thing. You can always pull this up in different ways. I’m talking purely about reality TV, where you might have to play each other off, for example at the “Summer House of the Stars” or “Temptation Island” for couples. I would never go along with it. They can’t even pay for it. Besides, I can’t stand next to Hollywood actors and cut heads on the other side. That doesn’t fit at all. It’s like eating Nutella with a cucumber (laughs).
There will definitely be formats that are cool again. What I found good, for example, was “Grill den Henssler” or an experiment for Sat.1 that I did, in which Willi Herren was also there. That’s reality too, just not this bullying reality, because I don’t do that anymore. Of course, that makes it even more difficult, because these are often the programs where you really earn money.
What was your high point and your lowest point in your life so far?
Heindle: The highlight of my life was that I completed the paramedic training. I never had anything in hand before. I then used the lockdown to do something for myself. It’s always been my dream. I enjoy working for the rescue service and the fire department. If you suddenly have to reanimate someone, it’s hard. It’s really close to you, but you can help a lot of people and that gives me a lot in return. I’ve never been someone who liked to learn. Then suddenly I had folders and books about anatomy and just managed it with my own diligence. That was my high point when I finally got my diploma. Nobody can take that away from me now.
There have been so many low points in my life. I don’t want to say how many times I’ve thought: “I don’t feel like this life anymore”. I was just finished. Sometimes you are in such extreme situations, in which you no longer know what to do next. In most cases you don’t mean it that way. But in my whole life I would never harm myself.
What are you particularly proud of?
Heindle: That I managed to go through life in a reasonably stable manner over time. I have had a lot of lows that were extremely severe. That I made it out without any help – I’m proud of that. Sometimes I wonder how I managed to do that. I’ve learned from a lot of things. When I look at things from the past, like “DSDS” for example, I have to say: I was quite a snot. But today I am not at all sorry for a lot of what I have said, because I was simply young. Now I’m an old man (laughs). I exercise a lot and go to the gym four times a week. So in the end a lot went really well and I’m proud of myself.