Jordi Versteegden, media journalist for De Telegraaf, thinks that the editors of Johnny de Mol have a lot of trouble attracting guests for his talk show HLF8.
Johnny de Mol is accused by his ex-fiancée Shima Kaes of aggravated assault and attempted manslaughter. Although that was already announced in December 2020, the presenter is now under more fire than then. Her report has been leaked and it is full of the most horrifying details, including medical reports and photos.
Camp against
Meanwhile, Johnny keeps going on with his poorly viewed talk show HLF8, but the guest list is very disappointing. And Jordi Versteegden, the media reporter for De Telegraaf, is not surprised. “It will be a difficult story for him,” says the journalist in The Culture and Media podcast†
Not everyone wants to join Johnny anymore, Jordi thinks. “I also hear the name of Fidan Ekiz, who is also regularly there as a wingman. He also says: ‘Yes, I don’t know if I still want to sit here.’ I think editors there are going to have a hard time getting guests in behind the scenes. Of course you have a camp for and a camp against.”
‘Very strange’
Jordi does not think it makes sense that Johnny just continues to present his talk show. “We know that these are serious charges and the strange thing is now that Johnny can remain in his place at HLF8. Why am I saying weird?”
“Of course we recently had that whole riot with The Voice of Holland, also a Talpa riot so actually more or less. HLF8 is also from Talpa. Why has it been decided to remove all those people who are indicted from The Voice from the program, but Johnny, who is now also subject to a strong complaint, can remain in place?”
Two sizes
Colleague Kitty Herweijer thinks that there are two standards. “What strikes me is that in the MeToo spheres and the whole thing with The Voice, quite a lot of attention has always been paid to: believe women, take women at their word, listen to women. Johnny also very much chose that approach when that happened with Jeroen Rietbergen and The Voice.”
She continues: “Obviously, that does rub off. When it comes to yourself, he actually takes a completely different position. I think that’s difficult. It seems to me a very unpleasant year for Johnny de Mol to have a talk show too. His family is real drama-drama.”
Goosebumps
Kitty points out that Johnny’s situation has changed quite a bit. “Of course we knew about that relationship and that declaration, but the moment you read what is really in that declaration, you are of course quite shocked, because it is so detailed. However, you should always be wary as long as there is no verdict.”
Daphne van Rossum, presenter of the podcast, is also shocked by that declaration. “I have to say: I first saw her as a bit of a gold digger and I’m a bit ashamed of that now, because when I read that declaration I really got goosebumps. There are witnesses and everything. It’s pretty intense.”
cowards
Film journalist Marco Weijers: “The fact remains that it is really just weird that different measures are taken at The Voice and at HLF8.”
Talpa does not want to say why that is, according to Jordi. “What I think is cowardly about Talpa is that they do not want to respond to this. When you call Talpa it is: ‘No comment.’ I wonder what the strategy behind this is.”
Yesterday, Rev. Ruben van Swieten, EO star Margje Fikse, Bastiaan Ragas, Diggy Dex, Stefano Keizers and Lale Gül were among others in HLF8. Tonight, among others, Guus Meeuwis, Thomas Acda and Kraantje Pappie will be joining us.
podcast
The Culture and Media podcast: