Arjen Lubach reacts for the first time to the discussion about his TV salary, which is relatively low compared to stars of commercial TV and in America. “He thinks that is a little bit crude.”
According to Victor Vlam, America expert and TV expert, it is important to increase Arjen Lubach’s salary. The talk show host will now probably receive the NPO maximum salary of 216 thousand euros, but Victor thinks a salary of 1 million euros more is in order. For the time being, however, there is little enthusiasm for that wild proposal.
1 million for Arjen
Victor has now spoken to Arjen at an event organized by Alexander Klöpping. “It’s funny that he knew right away that I was ‘that guy’… Because that’s what he literally said to me: ‘You’re the guy who argued for a salary of 1 million.’ I have indeed done that in this podcast,” he says in the podcast The Communicados†
His co-host Lars Duursma: “Yes, someone had forwarded that message to him that you argued for a salary of 1 million. He thought there’s something in the comparison with those American hosts and what they earn, I think, huh? He said something like that, didn’t he?”
‘Little bit rough’
That’s right, says Victor. “Yes, I believe that he indeed found that a little bit crude that he can earn relatively little in the Netherlands. At the same time, he’s aware, because that’s what he said, that if he goes above that salary cap of 200,000, he’ll be accused of being a money grabber and all that stuff.”
According to Victor, Arjen doesn’t feel like those kinds of headlines at all. “He also wants to avoid that negative publicity. And for that reason, he would also find a switch to the commercial sector less attractive.”
On the street
Isn’t it actually a little not done to just throw these statements by Arjen on the street? After all, complaining about his relatively low TV salary will earn him few sympathy points. “We have now thrown all our personal conversations with Arjen on the street”, Victor suddenly realizes.
Lars: “No one ever dares to talk to us like that again.”
Victor: “You have to be careful, yes.”