Sophie Hilbrand will suffer from all the fuss surrounding her buddy Khalid Kasem, who turns out not to be a pure coffee, expects TV critic Victor Vlam. “Celebrity guests will avoid her.”
Khalid Kasem has abruptly stopped presenting Khalid & Sophie because the AD once again links him to shady dealings. First there was all the fuss about him leaking information to criminal Ridouan Taghi, and now he admits to bribing an official on audio tapes. Sophie Hilbrand continues alone. Or with someone else.
Dark cloud
In any case: this riot around Khalid will also hit Sophie hard, expects the well-known TV critic Victor Vlam. “I have to be honest: I think Khalid & Sophie is damaged beyond repair. And that is annoying for Sophie and the editors, because as far as we can see now, they really can’t do anything about it.”
He continues in the podcast The Communicados: “But they do suffer from the negative news surrounding Khalid. The problem with the program – even though it gets a different name and even though Khalid no longer presents it – is that that dark cloud makes it more difficult to get guests.”
Suze and Veronica
And then you’re screwed as a talk show, Victor knows. “For talk shows, that is one of the most determining factors in how many people watch them. The Suse van Kleefs and the Veronica van Hoogdalems of this world will continue to join us, but the news guest of the day has a choice and they will very often avoid it.”
He continues: “If you are Rutte and you are considering giving a farewell interview in a talk show, then you probably won’t go for Khalid & Sophie. If you are Linda de Mol who finally gives an interview about what has happened over the past two years, she will probably be advised by her media advisors not to sit there.”
Ticking time bomb
Why not? Victor: “That has to do with the fact that the program is a kind of potential ticking time bomb. On the day you join us, negative news may suddenly come out about Khalid Kasem. Then it can be interpreted that if you join, that is support for Khalid Kasem.”
He continues: “As Rutte, you obviously don’t want to have to explain that. Then you’re already sitting there at the table with a 1-0 deficit. It is also possible that if big news about Khalid comes out, images from the latest edition of Khalid & Sophie will be shown. And if you happened to be sitting there at the table, then you suddenly appear there.”
Guilt by association
You really want to avoid that, says Victor. “So in the minds of the viewer you are linked to that negative news.”
Co-host Lars Duursma: “Guilt by association.”
Victor: “Exactly.”
Lars: “But is that really the case, even if the name of the program changes immediately?”
Carrying presenter
Lars wonders that. “Because if it immediately becomes ‘Sophie’ and Khalid is cut out or it becomes Sophie and another presenter, will you really still be linked to Khalid Kasem?”
Victor: “Yes, I absolutely think so indeed. Look, it’s the program he’s been the face of for years. The presenter, the man whose name the program bore. Yes, you will be linked to that afterwards.”
Poor Sophie: from co-host to collateral damage.