Youp van ‘t Hek thinks Bas Smit is a terrible blowhard, as he makes clear in his column in the VARA guide. He mentions the age-old influencer as an example of ‘comfort television’. “His fragrant success!”
It is by far the most embarrassing celebrity show of last year: The Smell of Success, in which Antoinnette Scheulderman spent hours tickling the egos of influencers such as Bas Smit and Sylvie Meis by asking them what success ‘smells’ like. They thought it was wonderful. Bas doesn’t like to receive criticism, but a kneeling Antoinnette? He likes to make time for that.
Comfort television
Youp van ‘t Hek puts it all under the heading of ‘comfort television’. Just like The Driving Judge is according to him. “Such a program is absolutely important for public health. You see that things at home are not too bad. I call that comfort television. TV that makes you not too bad yourself,” he says in the VARA guide.
Then he continues with a sneer at Bas Smit: “Example? Bas Smit explaining his fragrant success, all participants in On Land, at Sea and in the Air, hundreds of completely unknown celebrities who hunt and betray each other in Wie is de Mol-like programs, the guests of Harry Mens and I could go on for an hour.”
Sadness
Bas Smit who expresses his ego on television makes you feel better about yourself, says Youp. “In short: watch TV. Lots of TV. When you see this sadness, your own life becomes a complete relief. So relief.”
But the pinnacle of comfort TV? According to him, that remains The Driving Judge. “Preferably with types who call each other names. Crazy asos to whom everything has to be explained seven times before they understand it a little bit.”
