Overview
- Gottschalk acknowledged he was disoriented during his Bambi laudation for Cher and retracted his line that she was the only woman he had ever taken seriously after boos from the audience.
- Saying he experienced a 'blackout', he told Spiegel and Bild he did not understand what was happening on stage and apologized, adding that he takes women very seriously.
- Performer Sophie Berner, who appeared as a Cher double on a disco ball, said the unannounced stunt likely confused attendees, apologized for the mix‑up, and described Cher as calm and encouraging afterward.
- Public criticism has intensified, with influencer Jana Heinisch urging him to step away from TV and ProSieben host Jeannine Michaelsen faulting producers for assigning him the high‑profile tribute slot.
- A geriatric chief physician said a stress‑induced blackout is plausible and warned against drawing health conclusions from a single incident, as attention turns to Gottschalk’s planned RTL farewell on December 6.