Maarten van Rossem has already made quite a few talk show appearances, but he says it has not made him rich. “If I had done what Peter R. de Vries did…,” he says.
Now that he is no longer a jury member of De Slimste Mens, we mainly see Maarten van Rossem on television when he is invited for a talk show. And he never actually says no to such an invitation. “Do you simply like to explain the hard way, or is vanity a factor?”, explains The Telegraph him during an interview.
Vanity
Maarten admits that he likes being on television. “Vanity probably also has something to do with it. A good teacher is also an entertainer, otherwise it wouldn’t work. You have to have fun saying something to children, students or, if necessary, a national audience. But teaching comes first.”
When asked whether money is also a factor, he answers: “At talk shows I have never received more than a bottle of mineral water in a transparent bag.”
Peter R. de Vries
Visiting talk shows will not make you rich, says Maarten. “The rumor that TV work pays enormously is incorrect. I was slightly shocked when I heard that Peter R. de Vries was paid 2,500 bucks per performance. If I had done the same, I would have become very rich. But I earn well. More than I spend.”
Finally: is he disappointed that the plug is being pulled on his TV show with Emma Wortelboer? “Yes, it is one of the canceled NPO programs,” he says. Cynical: “A great loss for humanity.”

