Frits Wester is under considerable fire after his scissors question to Minister Sigrid Kaag. His own colleagues at RTL also find it highly inappropriate. “This is just a very infantile move.”
In recent days, several Dutch celebrities have cut a lock of hair to show solidarity with the women in Iran, who are fighting against oppression by the Islamic regime. Sigrid Kaag also has to believe it, according to political reporter Frits Wester of RTL Nieuws. He took a pair of scissors to the minister yesterday.
Kaag doesn’t cut
Frits has put a lot of pressure on Minister Kaag at the weekly press conference. “I happen to have a pair of scissors with me. Are you willing to do the same?”
Kaag accepts the scissors, but politely declines the offer. “Well. I just said, “I’m thinking about it.” I work in a different way. (…) If I’m going to cut my hair – and I’m telling you that, you don’t have hair – I’ll do it at a time that I choose. I choose my moment and you can trust me in that.”
fierce criticism
Frits’ action is unbelievably criticized. “Had Frits Wester been without attention for too long?”, says former NOS boss Hans Laroes.
Telegraaf columnist Nausicaa Marbe: “If you force or put women in front of the camera (camera) to do this, you are not in a good mood. Stay away from people. Then this becomes a pointless gesture with which we in the Netherlands measure each other’s ‘goodness’ or media horniness. Iranian women are useless. Kaag is absolutely right.”
Today Inside star Raymond Mens: “Frits Wester once also asked Balkenende whether he had a reaction to the split of Jan Smit and Yolanthe, only to capitulate the Prime Minister afterwards because he actually gave that reaction. Very sad.”
RTL colleagues
Frits’ RTL colleagues are also critical. “The point was that women themselves decide what to do with their hair? A man who hands them a pair of scissors is… Well”, says US correspondent Erik Mouthaan, for example.
RTL Boulevard star Luuk Ikink: “I think Kaag responds well in itself, because it should not be a gimmick of: oh, you must necessarily cut your hair.”
Co-host Daphne Bunskoek: “You can’t tell someone. That is something you do on your own.”
Luke: “Exactly, exactly.”
Infantile reaction
Frits also got a twist in the RTL talk show Jinek. There, dinner guest Özcan Akyol said: “I think it’s a very infantile action by Frits Wester. He really puts Kaag in front of the block and I think she reacts sovereignly. In the Netherlands we tend to make polonaise and carnival out of everything.”
Caroline de Bruijn, who acts in the RTL series GTST: “I completely agree with that.”
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