Hoax-Inspired Mayor Set to Invite Johnny Depp to Bulgaria

Lifestyle | September 1, 2010, Wednesday // 13:28
Bulgaria: Hoax-Inspired Mayor Set to Invite Johnny Depp to Bulgaria The news about Johnny Depp's "incognito visit" to the coastal town of Burgas made a blast in the media last month only to burst spectacularly like a party balloon after it was officially exposed as an advertisement hoax. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The advertisement hoax, which made thousands of Bulgarians believe that Hollywood mega star Johnny Depp is on an incognito visit to the city of Burgas, has inspired its coastal mayor for an ambitious exploit.

"I plan to invite Johnny Depp to the music festival Spirit of Burgas next year. My team will prepare an official inquiry, which will be sent to his PR agents," Dimitar Nikolov, mayor of Burgas, said in an interview for 24 Hours daily.

"Let's hope he will agree to come, we may even introduce him to his double," the mayor added.

Asked whether he felt sorry for being taken in by the advertisement hoax, the mayor smiled and even expressed gratitude to the organizers.

"If Burgas was a boring city, in which nothing happens, there are no emotions and exciting visits, then the advertising agency would not have picked it for its stunt. I want to thank them for the free of charge promotion."

The news about the actor's "incognito visit" to the coastal town of Burgas made a blast in the media last month only to burst spectacularly like a party balloon after it was officially exposed as an advertisement hoax.

It turned out that a Bulgarian actor with a striking resemblance to Depp had been the person photographed on the balcony of hotel "Primorets" in Bulgaria's southern coastal city of Burgas.

Johnny Depp was actually the 23-year-old Bulgarian actor, Georgi Velizarov, who admitted impersonating his Hollywood, much more famous colleague, for years.

An advertisement agency planned Velizarov's appearance to attract attention with a simple, but subtle PR stunt, designed to promote a brand new site for photographs and a newly renovated hotel, until recently marred by the infamous glory of a den of local mobsters.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

Lifestyle » Be a reporter: Write and send your article
Tags: Johnny Depp, Laetitia Casta, The Prodigy, Burgas

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria