Gerard Joling was reprimanded by the host in Humberto Tan’s talk show last night, because he described politician Sigrid Kaag as a witch. “Gerard Joling, you can’t say that.”
Humberto Tan spoke yesterday in his talk show with Frits Wester about all MeToo issues at D66 and the clumsy way in which party leader Sigrid Kaag handles them. It is no secret that Gerard Joling is not exactly in the progressive corner and he reacted quite critically during the conversation.
Grab a broom
Gerard is completely done with Kaag. “Well, in my opinion it has already passed its best before date. I’d say grab that broom and fly away for a while. Hey? Seems to me.”
Oops, that’s going too far, says Humberto. To dismiss a woman as a witch is according to critics not done† “It may seem like a harmless pun, but there’s an age-old system of misogyny, torture and exclusion behind it — and a deep-seated fear of empowered women with power,” he said. The Correspondent†
Humberto intervenes
Humberto then intervenes. “Gerard Joling, you can’t say that.”
Gerard laughing: “Should I take it back? Because I don’t! Absolutely not.”
Humberto seriously: “No?”
Gerard: “No. I thought it was the only comment. If it’s a good broom it won’t go far enough, but that aside. We have to move on!”
Humberto peddling: “He’s stereotypical, Gerard.”
Gerard doesn’t know what it means and says jokingly: “Ah, I’m not saying anything anymore.”
‘Next topic!’
Humberto seriously: “You don’t even call her a woman anymore, you call her a witch.”
Gerard is surprised. He responds with a laugh: “Well, I know more than you think, but I’m not going to tell you now.”
Humberto: “Oh, what do you know?”
Gerard: “No, you are comfortable in the program, I am also enjoying it: the next topic.”
Humberto: “But you make me curious now. What do you know then?”
Gerard: “No, I don’t know anything, I’m just having a nice chat. If I think: I hear something or I know what, then I accelerate, and if I think: I better keep my mouth shut… Maybe I could have done that better! But it already flew out!”
Frits Wester is disappointed
Frits Wester is disappointed by the turn the conversation is taking. He says to Gerard: “But now something is happening, isn’t it? We’ve known each other for a long time and we can laugh a lot with each other, but now we are also laughing away at such a serious subject again.”
Gerard: “No, you are right again.”
Humberto: “No, I’m talking about Gerard’s comment, not the subject.”
Frits: “No, not the subject, but we are now going to translate it again into a ‘broomstick’ and this and that.”
old loft
Humberto: “No, ho ho, I like the subject, Frits… Because that’s why I’m so critical about it… I’m watching a charade of a game today, while something is going on at the moment. They act as if nothing is wrong. That annoys me.”
Table guest Stef Bos: “It is also very painful that it is bought off with money.”
Gerard: “Yes! She only talks about transparency, transparency, and then you can just do crazy things with women at D66 and then it will be bought off. Very good, D66! That’s completely worthless, isn’t it?”
Stef states that D66 has an ad hoc policy when it comes to MeToo matters. Gerard: “Did you say ‘ad hoc’ or ‘old loft’ about Mrs. Kaag?”