Sebastian Hotz, better known by his online pseudonym “El Hotzo,” has publicly admitted to misconduct toward women. In a recent posting about his private behavior, the online comedian admits that he has repeatedly lied to and cheated on women.
The year 2024 was eventful for Hotz. In addition to his well-known activities as a satirist, who also provided content for the “ZDF Magazin Royale”, he established himself as a radio presenter, podcaster and author. But there were also controversies. In the summer, a post on
“Forgiveness trip” to the USA
As a result, Hotz tried to turn the narrative. Together with Jan Böhmermann, he filmed a satirical documentary for RTL+ in which he went on a “forgiveness trip” to the USA, shortly before the presidential elections. But now Hotz is making headlines because of allegations that are not related to his work but to his private life.
Last Sunday, Hotz spoke in an unusually serious tone on his X and Bluesky accounts. He admitted: “I have been unfaithful in relationships several times over the past few years. I tried to cover up my actions with increasingly complex lies and thereby undermined the credibility of my (ex) partners.” He also stated that he had emotionally manipulated women, lied to them and kept relationships secret in order not to be discovered.
The exact allegations have not yet been confirmed. There is speculation on social media that Hotz is referring to statements made by a former partner who reported bad experiences in a relationship, but without mentioning him by name.
In private, El Hotzo is different
In his posting, Hotz himself made a connection between his behavior and his public image. He wrote: “I took advantage of my role and reputation as a reflective media person and harmed many people in the process.” What is particularly problematic is that he publicly represents values such as openness and progressiveness, but privately he has acted in the opposite way.
He admitted that he had had opportunities to change in the past but had not taken advantage of them. Instead, he tried to justify his behavior to himself. At the end he wrote: “I take responsibility for my actions and would like to apologize from the bottom of my heart to everyone I have harmed.” He signed the statement with his first name “Sebastian” to make it clear that he was speaking as a private person not as a fictional character.
However, there was criticism on social media that Hotz did not publish his statement directly on his high-reach main account, but instead posted it in response to another post. Some users accuse him of wanting to downplay the importance of the matter. One critic described his apology as “the bare minimum” and suspected it was more damage control than real insight. How extensive the damage is, however, remains unclear.