Jan Slagter, the sultan of senior television, went completely wild on AD tiger shark Angela de Jong last night. The point of contention? Matthijs van Nieuwkerk. “What you are saying is childish!”
Hilversum’s media landscape depends on favoritism and entwined interests, which often results in unbelievable television. For example, the opinion of Guido den Aantrekker about mother and son Hazes has become completely irrelevant – too colored – and you can also see from miles away what Jan Slagter thinks of transgressive behavior. “Wook!”
Matthijs comeback
So you can guess what happened last night in the talk show by Eva Jinek happened when Angela de Jong indicated that she thinks it is still too early for a comeback from Matthijs van Nieuwkerk. Like fellow dinner guest Tom van ‘t Einde of EenVandaag, she thinks it is better to wait until the report on his behavior has been completed.
Angela is quite firm about it: “The investigation is still ongoing and there are still a lot of editors that I encounter behind the scenes at all kinds of talk shows who are about to shake when the name Matthijs van Nieuwkerk is mentioned. Then I don’t think you…”
Then Jan breaks in for the first time. “Now you’re exaggerating, Angela. Now you’re really exaggerating.”
Sick at home
Tom agrees with Angela. “No, that’s true. I come across that too.”
Angela: “That’s true.”
Tom: “No, Jan, but why would you give someone who is under investigation and accused of really violent things such a stage before the investigation is finished?”
Jan emphasizes that he is not Matthijs’ spokesperson, but: “It is not as black as you all think.”
Then Jan comes up with an example of Matthijs’ misconduct that has been taken out of context. Tom: “No, but that sound engineer is one of many, of course, isn’t he? I think there have been seventy people who have told their story.”
Angela: “And how many people have been sick at home?”
Big interview
According to Jan, Matthijs wants to give a big interview, but that is stopped by the NPO. Fellow guest Aran Bade, reporter for RTL Boulevard: “No, but we also have RTL, SBS.”
However, Matthijs wants it at the NPO, says Jan. “And that was stopped. “No,” they said. ‘That is only allowed after the investigation.’ I think that’s crazy too. No one here is talking about Minister Wiersma anymore!”
Hostess Eva Jinek: “Yes, Jan, it is about Wiersma, you know. It bothers him a lot. It is an issue that haunts him.”
Angela: “In any case, I have seen Wiersma apologize in all kinds of cameras.”
Jan: “Matthijs would have wanted it too.”
Angela: “Well, we approached him a hundred times as AD if he wants to give an interview.”
“This is childish!”
Angela did not find the first reaction that Matthijs gave at the end of last year strong. That turned out to be a modified version, because the first versions were too much of an accusing finger at others. “So far we know that three statements have been issued. It started with: ‘It’s all everyone else’s fault’, a bit Trump-esque.”
Then Jan loses his self-control. “Well, a bit Trump-esque? Now you’re turning it into a caricature. Angela, right. A bit Trump-esque?”
Angela: “Can I just finish my story then?”
Jan: “Yes, but I think a bit Trump-like is a bit childish if you say so.”
Angela: “Well, he was beating around wildly and it was all someone else’s fault. I can call that Trump-like.”
“Not with you!”
If Matthijs is going to give an interview at all, it is better not to do so under the banner of Jans broadcaster MAX, Tom concludes. “When I hear you talk like that, I think: this is the culture that is actually the problem. Broadcasting bosses who just don’t feel what the sensitivities are. (…) That may be very personal, but I mean it.”
John stays with it. He thinks that Matthijs is being treated too harshly. “I’m not going to name names here, but there are a lot of people who still have a job in television and who may still be walking around here (referring to Jinek producer Ewart van der Horst, ed.) Who are also part of it. made up and we are not talking about that.”
Fragment
You can see a short fragment below, a longer fragment on the website of RTL.