Brothers Bill and Tom Kaulitz from the band Tokio Hotel have a new channel. In the reality series “Kaulitz & Kaulitz” they stage themselves.
Selfie with sunglasses: Tom and Bill Kaulitz Photo: Netflix
Such tight-fitting, pink “lederhosen” are really chic. Add platform heels in hot pink, a pink blazer, makeup and big hair – and the rambunctious boy is perfect for Oktoberfest.
At least that’s how Bill Kaulitz, Tom’s twin brother, sees it. The scene from the reality series ‘Kaulitz & Kaulitz’, which has just started and according to the company is dominating the streaming charts, shows how the two, who have lived in Hollywood for years, Founder of Magdeburg Tokyo Hotel prepare yourself for a visit to the annual Munich Identity Festival. There is no doubt that Bill is aware of the provocation of his exalted, strange group that sometimes still works in conservative Bavaria.
At least he has the attention of the media. After a few flirtations with a German YouTuber in the Beetle tent, Bill and his friend are drunkenly kissing in the headlines – and the YouTuber is then showered with homophobic hate online. Bill Kaulitz, on the other hand, is certain of the support of his brother and his social circle. “Kaulitz & Kaulitz” tells of functioning relationships that are characterized by love, tolerance and respect.
Tolerant and friendly
And is therefore very different from the usual reality TV intentions. Instead of exploitative arguments, stupidities and superficialities dramatized with appropriate effects, to which the audience is expected to respond with a malicious “Thank God, I’m not like that”, you see two – not really interesting, but nice – brothers talking to each other nicknamed “ Mouse” and always draw strength from this wonderful, invisible but tangible twin bond.
And the rest of those involved, friends, assistants, band members and Kaulitz’s mother, are also tolerant and friendly. Even when Bill Kaulitz fully experiences his ‘theatrical personality disorder’ (diagnosed remotely without expertise), his severe attention deficit disorder. The most important thing is that everyone looks at me repeatedly the self-assured Bill, who finds it impossible not to start a sentence with ‘I’..
It’s not surprising that you really watch it and enjoy participating in the sometimes exotic, liberal, completely desirable brotherhood between champagne, Hollywood Hill villa, awards galas, Heidi’s Halloween party and luxury hotel suite. What may be surprising and somehow hopeful, however, is that the series, which on the formal level is a cringe-worthy, colorful celebrity reality show, can convey this deeply held humanist message so beautifully.
Twin construction with double symbolism
This not only pleases the brothers, whose livelihood consists of real celebrities (much more than making music), and not only makes their advertising contract partners, including Heidi Klum and the streaming portal, happy. But perhaps it will succeed in unobtrusively imposing a dose of tolerance and openness on the viewer.
The twin construction, which in cultural history is closely linked to the double symbolism of Romanticism, helps with this. Even if you sometimes want to dismiss Bill with his eccentricity and artificial expression of surprise, it’s fascinating to see the similarities and differences with his brother Tom, the quieter, if equally unnaturally pseudo-masculine-looking corrective. Depending on your mood, you can lean more towards Bill or Tom.
It’s all in us, after all: at parties you’d rather be the promiscuous, neat, weird Bill. Sometimes you just look forward to coming home to Heidi and cleaning up the little accidents of the young dogs. Just a very normal life.