Valentijn Driessen has incurred the wrath of LINDA.mini columnist Joost Hofman with his statements about paternity leave. He calls the VI star ‘Falentine’. “Just like a virus!”
In Today Inside, Telegraaf journalist Valentijn Driessen expressed his annoyance about a colleague who has been on paternity leave for ages. He accuses him of a poor work ethic, but is now being criticized by LINDA. mini-columnist Joost Hofman, himself a young father. “Falentijn,” he sneers in a column Instagram.
Ridiculous
Joost thinks Valentine’s attitude is ridiculous. “Valentijn Driessen is the man who says on a beautiful summer day that it is too hot, and on a winter day with fresh snow says that he is looking forward to summer. The man who does not want to surprise you with Sinterklaas.”
He continues: “The man who, when someone has lost his life by jumping in front of a train, complains out loud that he is fifteen minutes late. The man who is not worthy of his name because of so little romance in his life.”
Female reader
Then why does Joost write about it? “Because if you are a female reader, you may not know the name Valentijn Driessen – but your friend does. Because VI still attracts a huge number of male viewers.”
Then he quotes what Valentijn said at the VI table about an absent editor: “He’s on paternity leave. Two weeks. Where is he going? He’s not feeding that child, is he?”
Empty words
There is much more context, says Joost. “But we don’t want to waste so many words and time on it, but if the texts are repeated by ten groups of friends, this means that these empty words from Valentine’s Day suddenly spread through groups of friends like an ineradicable virus.”
He continues: “In two years’ time, the editor on duty will no longer remember which TV item he worked on. About which meeting he missed. About which meeting mattered. Because it doesn’t matter.”
First laugh
What does matter? “Your child’s first smile,” says Joost. “Telling your wife, who is still full of hormones, that she is doing great. Talking together about a future that does not yet exist. Staring into the distance while your child grows.”
“Maybe I should change a quote from Cruijff so that Valentine understands it: ‘Parenting is simple, but simple parenting is the hardest thing there is.’”