“Dancing on the waves.” That is the name of the new book by radio maker Frits Spits, after the song of the same name by Van Dik Hout. “You have no say in the really important things in life, all you can do is dance on the waves.” He noticed this at the beginning of this year when he had a heart attack. Or five years ago, when his wife Greetje died after 46 years of marriage. But also when he recently met a new love. Frits Spits talks about it on Wednesday in the TV program KRAAK. Ask Door at Omroep Brabant
In October it was exactly 50 years ago that Frits Spits, born as Frits Ritmeester in Eindhoven, made his debut on Dutch radio, with the name he had already thought of as a twelve-year-old boy. He made legendary programs such as ‘De Avondspits’, which millions of people listened to in the years 1978-1995, and then ‘Time for Two’. A few years ago he was named ‘the radio maker of the century’.
He actually looks with a bit of amazement at the man he was then. “All that hair, all on this head, unbelievable,” he says, tapping his bald scalp.
“I don’t care about material things anymore.”
Since his heart attack, he has become more aware of the finiteness of life. “Not that I want to, but you can’t avoid it. It really changed me. I don’t care about material things anymore. I used to like a new car, but now I don’t care about it anymore. Spending time with my beloved, that is important.”
And that includes his new girlfriend. “I never expected it, I wasn’t looking for it either, but I love her very much,” he says with a smile. “That is also a wave that I dance on.”
“As soon as I lose curiosity, I have to stop.”
In his book, Frits Spits talks candidly about his life using Dutch songs. From Ramses Shaffy to Meau, because Frits also embraces the new. “I’m always looking for new things, as soon as I lose that curiosity I have to stop.”
He is now 75, taking things a bit easier, but can still be heard every week with his Saturday program ‘Taalstaat’ on NPO Radio 1. He puts his heart and soul into it every week. He also cautiously sometimes thinks about quitting. In an interview with de Volkskrant he spoke about ‘five more years’. Then he will be 80. A good age to retire? Some doubt creeps back into his voice as he says, “Yes, I’m – almost – sure.”
CRACK. Asks Door is broadcast every Wednesday at 5:15 PM and repeated afterwards. The program can also be viewed online and in a longer version via Brabant+ and as a podcast.
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