Drag artist Ernie Reinhardt, known as Lilo Wanders, shares his views on life's hardships and personal growth in an interview with dpa. The 70-year-old emphasizes that difficult phases are necessary for maturation and warns against giving up. He is currently on a reading tour for his new autobiography.
Ernie Reinhardt, who became world-famous as Lilo Wanders and appeared in the show «Wa(h)re Liebe», lives south of Hamburg and is gay. In an interview with the German Press Agency (dpa), the 70-year-old discussed the role of suffering in life. «I suspect that every person has to go through something. Because of course that makes you mature – if you don't give up», he said.
Reinhardt added: «We have to go through something so that we can let go in the end. The good thing about getting older is that you recognize such things – including what you've overcome. That's a gradual process, though.» He reflected on a suicide attempt at age 18 and emphasized: «Especially when you're young, there's always a solution. That's why we should all look out for each other.» Giving up is never a real option.
Reinhardt recently published his autobiography and is on a reading tour. On Saturday, October 25, he will read in Vechta, and a week later he performs as Lilo Wanders in Lüneburg. These appearances highlight his continued presence in the entertainment industry.