I've followed this Gil Ofarim episode/court case since day one.
A basic description? Gil Ofarim is a top 40 pop-singer in Germany, and is Jewish (if it matters). Back in October of 2021....he went to Leipzig. He was driven up to a luxury hotel in town, where he had reservations. I should note....this is the Covid-era, and people are a bit stressed out and acting different. On VIP status....there's no doubt that he was on the 'special-treatment' list.
Ofarim enters the hotel and gets into line (I've watched the video, and would say at least a dozen people are ahead of him). Ofarim is a VIP and normally in these lux-hotels....you get immediate service. So he's waiting (on this, it's hard to guess the amount of waiting time).
When he finally gets up to the desk....one of two things happen: (1) Ofarim is warned during checking in about his Star of David being obvious and that Leipzig is not a place to walk around with this shown, or (2) they simply check an aggravated Ofarim in without any notice of the Star of David. It's one or the other.
The moment Ofarim concludes checking in....he goes out and does a social media message....slamming the hotel about the warning. The hotel says 'no'....they never said a word about the Star of David...they merely checked him in.
The court case is mostly accusing Ofarim of lying, and potentially causing bad PR...with a fine and possible jail-time.
I've reviewed this stupid video, and watched the text chatter of the court case over this week.
Personal view? I have no doubt that Ofarim believes something occurred on the Star of David....but the description he gives....might not be the whole story. The clerk may have noticed the Star of David....just staring at it, and Ofarim may have conjured-up in his mind....this whole fake warning episode.
Ofarim's lawyer? Doing the best he can, but I think the judge sees this case as a waste of his time, and certainly doesn't want another extra day on it.
Ofarim losing the case? Well....it certainly makes him look bad.
I'll just say this...from spring of 2020 to the end of 2022....people were in some Covid-mindset, and were often affected by lack of oxygen (from the stupid masks).
3 comments:
It has been my fortune, or misfortune to have met several "Promis" in Germany from Herbert Grönemeyer to the band The Scorpians. Most of them I found to be pretentious, narcissists with delusions of grandeur (Wolfgang Fierek tops the list). So whatever they would say, I take with a grain of salt. A few stand out as being quite approachable, Horst Lichter comes to mind, very nice fellow. (BTW Herbert Grönemeyer and the Scorpians were actually pretty cool.)
I think this guy just thought he could bolster his popularity by being the victim, and probably just had a celebrity tantrum at having to stand in line like a normal person.
I tend to believe that people that use Instagram...often want to get their people influenced in some way, and making up a story...isn't that hard.
This situation here....late in the day...lot of travel....stress of Covid....wearing the mask---depriving yourself of oxygen...I think he just went to a new level of influence and didn't see how stupid this was going to be. I feel sorry for the guy (if guilty, he ought to just pay some fine and not get any jail-time). As for dishonoring the hotel clerk? Well...he owes that person something. Finally, the judge ought to mandate three years of zero social media...to teach a lesson.
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