National Look-Alike Day – Celebrating Likeness

Has anyone ever told you that you look like someone else? Or were you often mistaken for someone else at school? Then join the fun and celebrate National Look-alike Day on April 20th!

National Look-alike Day was invented in the USA by TV journalist Jack Etzel and photographer Rick Minutello. In the 1980s, they were in downtown Pittsburgh for a news programme. That’s how they happened to meet a man who looked exactly like Humphrey Bogart. Fascinated, they asked numerous passers-by who the man reminded them of. Facial expression, hat, cigarette – it had to be Bogart himself! So the two journalists not only got a good story, but also the idea for a new entry in Chase’s Calendar of Events, the standard work for curious holidays all over the world.

Doppelgangers – fascinating and uncanny

There is something fascinating about very similar-looking people. They involuntarily attract our gaze and make us observe them very closely. Where does the resemblance begin, where does it end? Does the physical resemblance also imply a spiritual bond? Doppelgangers make us laugh when they cause confusion. Or they scare us when they appear as clones or evil twins. They can stand for death, as some people believe, or for the search for meaning and identity, as e.g. in romantic literature and silent movies. As a twin or double, you always have goosebump potential for those who stare at you in disbelief! On 20 April, however, the main thing is to have fun.

How to become the perfect double

• First think about a someone you resemble. Is it a celebrity, someone you know or a fictional character?
• Once you have found your look-alike, study the person carefully: what clothes do they wear, how do they talk, how do they move. Put together your outfit, for example a matching T-shirt of your own design, and practise gestures and speech in front of the mirror until you look just like the original.
• Funny and a bit weird: make use of your doppelganger’s trademarks! If it’s a singer, for example, intonate her songs to yourself all day. If it’s an actor, incorporate as many film quotes as possible in your conversations.
• Slip into the other person’s shoes on all levels! Change your profile picture to that of your look-alike in your messengers and social media channels. But make sure you have permission first.
• Post your funniest pictures and experiences on your social media channels. After all, it’s all about spreading fun! 

Your unknown doppelgangers

Did you know that there are up to seven people in the world who look exactly like you? No one is really unique, at least on the outside, believes photographer Francois Brunelle. For his photo project “I’m not a look-alike”, he tracks down people all over the globe who resemble each other and asks them to stand in front of his camera. The results are astonishing.