Rutger Castricum is completely sacked by the feared critics Guido den Aantrekker and Jan Dijkgraaf. They denounce his performances in the ratings hit Today Inside. “No content!”
After more than a month at the table at Today Inside, the standings are drawn up: what do critics think of the new regular guest Rutger Castricum? Guido den Aantrekker and Jan Dijkgraaf certainly belong to the critical camp. They believe that the PowNed presenter adds absolutely nothing to the viewing figure hit of SBS 6.
‘Zero chemistry’
Rutger made his career as the most brutal reporter in The Hague, but nowadays he is quite lenient. According to Victor Vlam, the reason for this is stated in the policy plan of broadcaster PowNed: a daily talk show would be aspired, and Rutger would be seen as the man who should carry it. But then he must be NPO-proof.
In anticipation of that alleged ambition – he himself denies – Rutger now has a lucrative gig in the most watched talk show in the Netherlands: Today Inside. The day before yesterday he was sitting at the table again. “I’m dropping off tonight at Today Inside. Zero chemistry there,” Story boss Guido den Aantrekker tweeted during the broadcast.
Fake laughter
Guido does not find Rutger to look at. He say: “I thought Rutger Castricum was laughing. That is apparently yet to come. What is the profit for VI? Really adds zero except some fake laughter at itself.”
His followers agree. Jan-Dirk says: “Rutger is no longer the Rutger we know from GeenStijl and his first years at PowNed. Has opted for the safe stability.”
And Michiel: “I literally fell asleep.”
‘Can I laugh yet?’
Jan Dijkgraaf does not like Rutger’s VI performances either. He says in his podcast Bassie and Jan Mosque: “You constantly see those eyes go from: can I smile yet, can I smile yet, can I smile yet? Even if nothing funny happens. So he just neighs all the time.”
And that for at least a thousand euros per performance, says Jan. “It’s all so fake. That man is a very good laughter. In the past, they pressed a button and laughed. And he does that live and he does it very well, but he just has no substance, the whole Rutger Castricum.”
Second Bart
What does Jan think is behind it? “Rutger Castricum’s whole goal is, and that is why he is so nice and accommodating in terms of NPO and he never has nice opinions again: he just wants that talk show and everything is aimed at that. And if they get that talk show, they get a lot more money,” he says. But: “He can’t. He can’t interview.”
Hasn’t Rutger just grown up? “I understand that someone is no longer twelve if they are 40+. I understand all that. But one Bert Huisjes is goddamn enough, isn’t it?