Convicted sex offender Thijs Römer is making his comeback: he has created a ‘beautiful’ new theater show. At least, that’s what his uncle Paul Römer announced on the radio.
As a former TV bobo, Paul Römer has a permanent place in the media forum of KRO-NCRV’s Spraakmakers on NPO Radio 1. And he used that permanent place yesterday to extensively advertise his nephew Thijs Römer, who has written some performance about the past years of his life, during which he was in jail, among other things.
‘What a world!’
The glorifying way in which Paul delivered this immediately caused irritation in the studio. And TV authority Tina Nijkamp is also surprised. “How strange of Paul Römer to announce news about his cousin on Radio 1 in the Media Forum. Isn’t he there as a media expert, not as an uncle? More Boulevard or Show News news.”
She continues on her analysis channel: “That even Radio 1 agreed to this!!!! A real commercial!!! Absurd!!! According to Paul Römer, ‘media is more than radio and TV’. That’s why he wanted to tell it in the Media Forum. No Paul, this is entertainment news, not media news. What a world.”
Curious
Fallen criminal lawyer Bram Moszkowicz doesn’t understand it either. “I think it’s a strange place to announce that. At the public broadcaster, it’s Thijs’ uncle. I would have given that to other programs, if you know what I mean,” he says at the desk of Show news.
He continues: “In itself, the man is right that Thijs has served his sentence and everyone should get a second chance in the Netherlands, I think it’s a good principle. But I wouldn’t buy a ticket.”
‘Who’s doing this?!’
Telegraaf reporter Jordi Versteegden wonders whether this will work out in terms of ticket sales. “I even wonder who is going to do that. Why would you sit and listen to someone for an hour and a half who repeats the story that he has already stopped at the psychologist?”
Maartje Schaap, lawyer for Thijs’ victims, is critical. She says RTL Boulevard: “I don’t think they are really looking forward to Mr. Römer’s ‘self-reflection’. I am also curious about what exactly he is reflecting on with this performance. During the hearing in Assen, Mr. Römer had little room for ‘self-reflection’.”