Johan Derksen reacts in his own way to Gordon’s outburst of anger. He states that his SBS 6 colleague is just a patient. “Let that man rant. That man is at his wit’s end.”
Gordon has reacted furiously from his hometown of Dubai to the fuss that has arisen in our country about his TV show Down the Road. Critics believe that in 2023 it really is no longer possible to use people with Down syndrome for entertainment on television, especially because it paints a distorted picture of reality.
Patient Gordon
Gordon does not take that criticism to heart. In a long message, he lashed out at numerous media colleagues, including Angela de Jong, Arjen Lubach, Özcan Akyol and Johan Derksen.
What does Johan think? He responds Inside today: “Let that man rant. That man is at his wit’s end. That’s a patient and everything fails. Then he has a program in which he can score cheaply on the backs of children with Down syndrome and then he gets criticized for it again and then he has the idea that the whole of the Netherlands is against him.
He continues: “Look, we have nothing against that man, as long as he lives in Dubai and doesn’t sing songs.”
‘He is bitter’
Johan emphasizes that he has been critical of down television for years, even when Johnny de Mol was still the face of it. “I’ve said it for years too. Johnny was very nice with those children, but I think it really scores on the back of disabled children.”
It is true that Gordon has no connection at all with the down candidates, says Johan. “I like this program… Somehow there is no chemistry. Look, that boy… It’s over… When he was together with Gerard Joling, I fell off the couch laughing. It was very ordinary, but you laughed your ass off. But that boy is bitter.”
“For the money!”
According to Johan, Gordon’s acidity has become extremely high. “He hates everyone around him and he hates the Netherlands. He is only here for a short while to fill his pockets and that is what happens with children with Down syndrome and you see that it wrings, it rubs.”
Table guest Valentijn Driessen wonders whether types like Gordon also care about people with Down syndrome behind the scenes. “Or is it really just for television?”
René van der Gijp firmly: “No, it is purely for television.”
Johan: “It is for the money.”
‘Even more narcissistic’
Valentine blames it. “That’s dramatic, isn’t it? Then it’s not from your heart. I’ve read it too. It’s two lines about others and then it’s just “me, me, me” again. He is even more narcissistic than Louis van Gaal. This man is, yes.”
Johan: “The man looks irritated and somewhat overwrought. Apparently he can’t work together. He argues with everyone.”
René states that Gordon is just like that. “I remember he was in Scheveningen once and an hour before the broadcast he said: ‘I just shouldn’t do this.’ I said, ‘Yes, then you won’t.’ “No, I shouldn’t do this, this just isn’t for me!” So that struggle began. He stood on the balcony, he started sweating and sweating even more.”
Seven wines
And then? René: “He was handed wine all the time from his manager and he drank it. Well, after a glass or two of wine it got better. So it is a struggle for him, while for Gerard it is not a struggle. He’s nice. He’s got it right, I think. With Gordon I have the idea that he struggles terribly with life.”
According to him, Gerard Joling is much nicer. “I have the idea with Gerard that if you call him a huge dumbass, it will rust his ass. But not Gordon. He also has to let it go. He has to let it go. Live your life, man. There is only one life.”
Johan: “When Gerard comes in here, it’s party time. He’s just right for us. That always runs like clockwork when Gerard is here.”
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The excerpt from Today Inside:
