Erica Meiland does not intend to censor herself now that colleague Johan Derksen has been canceled so abruptly. “Always paying attention to what I say does not suit me,” says the SBS 6 star and Islam critic.
The fact that Johan Derksen’s TV career has ended after more than twenty years has caused quite a stir. According to Katja Schuurman, people are becoming increasingly afraid to say something. What’s more, television is only getting duller now that everyone is expected to color within the lines all the time, critics say.
Erica cancelled?
Erica Meiland has come to the site of Today Inside with reruns of Chateau Meiland, but that was close. After all, she too was on the verge of being canceled after spicy statements about Islam. Despite the burqa riot, the reality star is still very active as an Islam critic.
Few subjects in the Netherlands are as sensitive as Islam, so you would think that Erica would be careful, but nothing could be further from the truth: yesterday she had a Twitter chat with Geert Wilders. Does Erica ever think about clenching her teeth now that Johan has so suddenly disappeared from the tube?
‘I say everything’
Erica gives way to nothing and no one, she says in the Weekend. “No, always paying attention to what I say doesn’t suit me. When I talk about something, I try to express how I see it as best I can, without censorship.”
She does not understand at all why Johan has disappeared from the tube. “I certainly think that Johan should have continued. It was about an act versus an opinion in my case, but the fact that he has been canceled by radio stations and theaters is really going too far. I’m going to miss the men and hope they change their minds.”
Every day on TV
What does Erica think that because of the abrupt end of Today Inside, she is suddenly on television every day with repeats of Chateau Meiland?
“I understand the channel and I like it for the fans!”, she says cheerfully.
