Freek Bartels has to take an ugly sneer from the Volkskrant. The musical star, who won the TV show In Search of Joseph in 2008, is described as a B star.
Things are going badly for Paul de Leeuw’s hotel show. Very bad. One bad review after another bad review hits him. Also TV critic Hassan Bahara from de Volkskrant is now going all out at Hotel Hollandia. “Why this frantic pursuit of a new TV success is the question with every TV rebirth of De Leeuw.”
Talking to B stars
It rarely leads to an equaling of Paul’s earlier highlights, Hassan sneers. “The failures – presenter of Op1, second season of Busje is coming soon – have become more numerous in recent years. You would like to shout to him: don’t be afraid, a meaningful life outside of TV fame is also possible.”
The satirical types are still okay, he thinks. “But the rest of the program, the chatter that De Leeuw has with B-stars, makes you exclaim with some pain in your heart: what is that man still doing on TV?”
‘It’s about Freek’
Well, that’s a mean comment about Freek Bartels, who was the main guest this weekend. Private boss Evert Santegoeds at the Shownieuws desk: “So that’s about Freek Bartels?”
Colleague Bart Ettekoven: “Yes, among others.”
Evert: “He was there yesterday, so when they talk about B-stars, it is Freek Bartels.”
Well, very unkind of de Volkskrant. True of course.
‘A-stars don’t want to’
According to Aran Bade, the show expert from RTL Boulevard, our country’s A-stars do not want to go to Hotel Hollandia at all. “The better question could be: should we continue? I also see it a bit in the guests. It seems as if Paul himself will have difficulty getting people into that show, because everyone thinks twice.”
The satire also doesn’t work, he continues. “I looked back and you see that Paul is not looking for interaction with those comedians at all. Perhaps a long road ahead, but perhaps BNNVARA will intervene. They cannot be reached for comment.”
Not over
Evert thinks it is a bit silly that Hassan from de Volkskrant suggests that Paul’s career is over. “This does not mean that Paul de Leeuw’s TV career is over, not at all, because he recently made two wonderful programs. With families who had to deal with cancer and with that van.”
He concludes: “So I think it is a bit short-sighted for De Volkskrant to say: what is that man still doing on television? But this won’t work out anymore.”