creepy dutch tv host

April 23, 2008 2:20 PM

This must be the creepiest tv host ever (possibly NSFW). Perhaps it's a joke, perhaps the guy is sozzled? That is all.

Actually: if you know more about the video, do tell...

posted by krautland (105 comments total)

ARGHGH!! DO NOT WANT
posted by psmealey at 2:27 PM on April 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

If it's a joke, it's not funny at all. That's nasty, yo.
posted by cashman at 2:29 PM on April 23, 2008

Paul de Leeuw.
posted by book at 2:30 PM on April 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

!!! That's Hilarious!! A total WTF right there!
posted by saxamo at 2:32 PM on April 23, 2008

I'm all for single link YouTube posts (even if it's from Break.com), but this could really use some context. On that note, there is more info here.
posted by dhammond at 2:34 PM on April 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

dhammond: I agree about the context. that's actually why I posted it.
posted by krautland at 2:36 PM on April 23, 2008

I'll admit this looks ultra-creepy to the untrained eye, but I assure you it's all in good spirits, it's the most watched daytime show in The Netherlands; this was probably endlessly rehearsed and the presenter has known the little boy for years...I agree in this case your reaction might be understood, although it's obviously unthinkable this could have been on the air without repercussions if it wasn't a comedy bit.

This is why the Dutch can't have nice things.
posted by psmealey at 2:37 PM on April 23, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

That man wants to eat that child.

But really, can you blame him? That kid looks delicious.
posted by quin at 2:39 PM on April 23, 2008 [4 favorites has favorites]

I am frowning so hard right now.
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 2:42 PM on April 23, 2008

I want my baby-back baby-back baby-back ribs.
posted by illiad at 2:46 PM on April 23, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

I am frowning so hard right now.
Was it the singing? Because that made me really uncomfortable.
posted by whatzit at 2:49 PM on April 23, 2008

Paul de Leeuw.

"... the openly gay De Leeuw gave his mobile number to the male presenter Sakis Rouvas live on-air, and made other comments which somewhat lengthened the Dutch results."
posted by Armitage Shanks at 2:51 PM on April 23, 2008

I tried to get past my initial revulsion and appreciate whatever edgy humor was intended in this bit.

I failed.
posted by brain_drain at 2:52 PM on April 23, 2008

THREAD STARTUP v1.1

ROM CHECK = OK
RAM CHECK = OK
HUMOR CHECK = FAIL
posted by Avenger at 2:56 PM on April 23, 2008 [11 favorites has favorites]

Oh hey Digg, what's up? Creepy pedeophile video? Really? Well, if that's your thing... Me? No, I'm cool, but you... you have fun.
posted by PostIronyIsNotaMyth at 2:56 PM on April 23, 2008

I couldn't finish it. Creepy is an understatement.
posted by nola at 2:57 PM on April 23, 2008

Some things are just not worth getting past your initial revulsion of... for... by... forget it.
posted by psmealey at 2:59 PM on April 23, 2008

book and dhammond's explanation explains everything. I kind of wish I lived in Europe so I could see more of this de Leeuw character. Seems pretty funny, actually. Actually, he seems quite hilarious.

But, then again, I like to fuck my cat.
posted by KokuRyu at 3:01 PM on April 23, 2008 [26 favorites has favorites]

Next put a link of some Moroccan guys holding hands or some two Russian guys kissing in the mouth and call them gays.

This pedophilia crap is getting over the charts.
posted by zouhair at 3:03 PM on April 23, 2008

It's like Allen Ginsberg's big rock candy mountain.
posted by bunnytricks at 3:06 PM on April 23, 2008 [8 favorites has favorites]

Serge Gainsbourg: Lemon Incest (yeah, that's his daughter).
posted by furtive at 3:13 PM on April 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Yeah, that's gross.
posted by delmoi at 3:16 PM on April 23, 2008

I better not get on some FBI list for watching that.
posted by aerotive at 3:17 PM on April 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I mean, strictly as a forensic exercise, can anyone think of an ostensible structure for the so-called humorous hook here? I have been thinking and thinking but have not produced any possibility. What is that show's overall shtick? Bawdy skits and ironic interviews with kinky people? And if that is the case (just guessing), then after the boy comes out and gets pawed by that gelatinous effluence Mr. DeLeeuw, the ending features the boy kissing the Effluence back and then getting bent over by it. Was there something else that we don't see in the video that contexted it as humor? I only saw here a serious paean to pederasty.

Please excuse my joking with his name (I couldn't help it, because the vid, whose major middle section I skipped over, was very stand-offish). OK, that said. How does a society (or nation, or community) decide what is to be allowed by the players who come to the town square to entertain the populace with pictures and skits? DeLeech, and thousands like him in TV shows and movies everywhere, are just such story-tellers. In ancient times and other places those tellers were enthused by messages to be obtained from the workings of animal-divinities, Buddha and bodhisattvas, villains and heros, gallant lovers and rescues, etc. Think back thru time. When did any known example of town-square story-telling ever say "We men who love to seduce and penetrate boys are stars of a bigger-than-life story; and the narrative is all about physical mauling"? Was there such story-telling with pictures in Athens? In other parts of the world that celebrate pederasty, like parts of the mideast and C. Asia, or China (up to Communist takeover)? Probably the only examples, if someone can name them, were couched in moral tales... not in "the mauling is everything" limnation by DeLoathe.

Let us say that we do not know whether pederasty is morally criminal. What then is the role of the town players? Pictures and narrative (plus music, plus glitz, etc.) are one of the most powerful psychic motivators known to mankind. Do we limit their craft? Do we review all stories? If it is not morally criminal, then what stops it from quickly turning into the corollary -- moral exemplar? Society must come to grips. It must take stock and say "OK, let's all be square with man-boy love," or "We will crush this whole narrative," or just ignore it. This is where we are now; it links to the R.C. Church pede- and ephebophilia, which, by the way, would be part of a story-telling that exists between the lines of the liturgy. If a man's art or his mission, and his way of life lead him to boys, what should we do about it? (Think also of Pasolini). Is the eros of it an integrative part of the whole? Does it have a social benefit? Should it be our way? I solicit opinions. As you can tell, I'm at least not in favor of allowing mauling as the narrative for our entertainment. What is the message of "He mauls"?
posted by yazi at 3:29 PM on April 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

A little late but NSFW unless you work with pedophiles.
posted by GuyZero at 3:37 PM on April 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I mean, strictly as a forensic exercise, can anyone think of an ostensible structure for the so-called humorous hook here?

I think the breast ironing MetaTalk callout would serve as a useful primer as to why "creepy dutch tv host" is funny.


Please excuse my joking with his name

FAIL
posted by KokuRyu at 3:41 PM on April 23, 2008

i'm glad to see this wasn't a post about me.
posted by ianaces at 3:42 PM on April 23, 2008

I agree with yazi. That shit was nasty.
posted by PM at 3:42 PM on April 23, 2008

Kokuryu: what does "fail" mean? You don't excuse me? I actually don't get it. I was thinking thru the problem in a way that I thought useful and I revealed to readers (those that put up with my wordiness) that I did not like the guy. Was being polite.
posted by yazi at 3:45 PM on April 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I found it funny, the kid seemed to be pretty cool about the whole thing. It would have been nasty if the kid looked uncomfortable.
posted by Dr. Curare at 3:53 PM on April 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Was there something else that we don't see in the video that contexted it as humor?

Maybe it's funnier if you understand the lyrics. Or maybe the gag is the kid being able to sing on despite the manhandling. Someone Dutch might be able to explain the gag.

If it didn't look so rehearsed, it'd be more impressive. How many of you would be able to sing while some crazy TV host dangles you upside-down by your ankles?
posted by CKmtl at 3:53 PM on April 23, 2008

Dr. Curare: Why was it funny, exactly? Where are the Dutch people's heads at?

BTW: I looked briefy at the "breast ironing" post just now. How is that a way for me to understand an ostensible humor here? That post was a serious documentary about atrocity. I am confused. Or are we talking about people who intentionally see humor in serious documents of atrocity, or in porn on TV that has no other meaning except "I maul him [and he likes it???]"? Oh!!! I perhaps get it. Is the joke that a boy is really a very stupid animal for letting a gelatinous effluence maul him in front of the enormous town square? Is he additionally stupid becuase of DeLeech's ugliness? I.e., we can laugh at this stupid young thing for allowing an ugly to touch and humiliate him?
posted by yazi at 4:00 PM on April 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

book: "Paul de Leeuw."

I'll take Lisa Deleeuw over Paul, any day. (wiki link -- img somewhat nsfw)
posted by symbioid at 4:01 PM on April 23, 2008

Kokuryu: what does "fail" mean? You don't excuse me?

What are you, thirteen years old?

Anyway, I suppose the long (and less snarky) response would be that it's ironic that your long soliloquy questioning the funniness of what is essentially de Leeuw's performance art was bungled by sophomoric attempt at making fun of a funny foreigner's name (and then kind of but not really apologizing for doing so.

So, no, I don't excuse you. Heh. It's just like being back at Arbutus Junior High in 1985.
posted by KokuRyu at 4:12 PM on April 23, 2008

Paedophiles?! Brass Eye is on the case!
posted by basicchannel at 4:20 PM on April 23, 2008

Paul de Lewd.
posted by ...possums at 4:21 PM on April 23, 2008

Paul de Lewd.

Well, that was creative.
posted by delmoi at 4:36 PM on April 23, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

links are nsfw
Though I do not always like the way he does it, he is known for his politically incorrect 'scetches'. In an admitted fake he totally burned down a approx. 5 year old for singing out of tune and had an 'offcam' argument with one of the camera-men about working conditions. It just makes me doubt about the genuine character of this footage.
Lately he kinda got sued (fake tv judge from another tv-show) by a vegan streaker who crashed his show. de Leeuw convinced/ordered the streaker to stick around a bit after which things turned ugly for the streaker. Well... he's a streaker.

Just some more context I suppose.
posted by stFire at 4:39 PM on April 23, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

Dutch people are weird. Wanna hear a Dutch insult? "Go sit on the roof and poop dimes." Seriously, they say that to one another.
posted by hjo3 at 4:41 PM on April 23, 2008 [4 favorites has favorites]

"Go sit on the roof and poop dimes."?
I know "walk to the moon", but his? Meybe you were a victim of our (and probably many other nations') habit of learning silly phrases to foreigners.
posted by stFire at 4:46 PM on April 23, 2008

djeez, it's about bedtime, my typing capabilities are getting worse by the minute...
posted by stFire at 4:49 PM on April 23, 2008

From the Wiki entry:

"but instead the openly gay De Leeuw gave his mobile number to the male presenter Sakis Rouvas live on-air, and made other comments which somewhat lengthened the Dutch results..."

Hmmm, is that what the kids call it these days?
posted by Mike D at 4:53 PM on April 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Ian, you're into discipline? Perv. And apparently Scott Baio, but not Josh Hottnet. Sick man. Just sick.
posted by gauchodaspampas at 4:57 PM on April 23, 2008

stFire: Nah, I learned that phrase from an actual Dutch woman. And she was pretty uptight (and rather embarrassed to furnish the translation), so I doubt she was putting me on.
posted by hjo3 at 5:01 PM on April 23, 2008

Context?
NSFW tag?
Funny?
Best of the Web?

Batting 0 for 4.

Thanks stFire for noting that the dude's schtick is non-PC shock. That puts this into some perspective. I mean, it's still not funny, but I get where it's going.
posted by sadiehawkinstein at 5:06 PM on April 23, 2008

stFire: A streaker struggling to keep his clothes on, awesome. That must be on a scavenger hunt list somewhere.
posted by CKmtl at 5:16 PM on April 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Dutch people are weird. Wanna hear a Dutch insult? "Go sit on the roof and poop dimes." Seriously, they say that to one another.

Are Dutch dimes the size of softballs or something?
posted by Mr_Zero at 5:41 PM on April 23, 2008 [3 favorites has favorites]

Well, seems that one can't ask about another's response to one, if Mr/Ms KokuRyu has hizhur way. Also, one cannot joke about the name of a public personality. KokuRyu seems to think that any name that is "foreign" is off-limits. Gee, I guess that would be every name of every person in the world. I myself limit name-calling to targets who are public personalities, not to acquaintances or posters on blogs. (Good friends rib each other all the time.)

I wish Mefis who are extremely PC would think twice before pushing "post comment" button. Think about how PC tends actually to be school-marmishly useless.
posted by yazi at 5:49 PM on April 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I wish Mefites would stop using the word PC altogether, as it means nothing and is just a bully tool to tell people that they have no right to be offended.

That video was meant to be offensive. You find it funny or you don't. But don't start screaming about the breakdown in the human right to free speech because some people respond badly to seeing an adult man pawing a child.
posted by Astro Zombie at 5:52 PM on April 23, 2008 [3 favorites has favorites]

Ditto thanks to stFire, for that context. If it is a non-PC spoof, then I hesitate to accept it into my humor-mind. It might be funny as a spoof, if the comic made it clear that he is deriding some notorious pedophiles or pedophilia per se, esp if there were some current brouhaha about it that we could all relate to. But when the comic is gay and over-the-top well.... WHAT IS THAT??? What is the spoof? I am so tired of pomo humor that treads on so many fuzzy borders that there is no dramatic take.

Sigh... I guess I am thirteen, as KokuRyu recommends.
posted by yazi at 6:05 PM on April 23, 2008

Was that Andy Richter? Oh god I hope not/so
posted by munchingzombie at 6:16 PM on April 23, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I really hate this post because it has forever ruined for me the innocent thrill of the film "Yes Nurse! No Nurse!"
posted by jbickers at 6:19 PM on April 23, 2008

The only thing that would save this would be subbing in Andy Milonakis for the kid.

Even then it would remain a quick and decisive argument against cultural relativism.
posted by dosterm at 6:53 PM on April 23, 2008

Why do some people find Tom Green funny? I don't know, but I'm not going to declare him unfunny just because I think he's juvenile and boorish.

I thought this video was funny because it takes a culturally taboo behavior (pedophilia) and presents it in an even more socially unacceptable way (in plain view of the audience) and runs with it- his body language and mugging for the camera clearly assume not only audience complicity but approval of this behavior. Behavior which of course is beyond the pale in any modern, civilized society.

That's why it's funny.

I'm pretty sure this explanation won't help anyone who didn't already think it was funny.
posted by small_ruminant at 7:15 PM on April 23, 2008

Also, one cannot joke about the name of a public personality. KokuRyu seems to think that any name that is "foreign" is off-limits.

Sorry, nazi (whoops, I meant to type "yazi". Aren't I funny?)
posted by KokuRyu at 8:26 PM on April 23, 2008

I couldn't finish watching the video. It was disgusting, context or no. I have just two general comments to make.

1. The argument that seems to be brewing here over this video could potentially have been avoided if this had been posted to AskMe, rather than MeFi, especially given the fact that the [more inside] is asking for context. If asked on AskMe, people would likely have provided helpful answers (along with many an "eeeeew"). Here you're presenting the video to be commented on, and it seems people so far aren't too fussed with any of it.
2. Again, eeeeew. There is no context that can make what I saw right.
posted by Effigy2000 at 8:49 PM on April 23, 2008

In fact, you know what? MeTa.
posted by Effigy2000 at 9:06 PM on April 23, 2008

I'll have the "not funny" with a side of "ewww." Talk about a bad idea, badly executed.

(That French music video with the incest I'm not sure what to make of. I feel like there's perhaps some sort of explanation that would let me rationalize that one, while I don't see any amount of context is going to make the de Leeuw thing much less wrong.)
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:09 PM on April 23, 2008

OK, NSFW. That was a big oversight.

But apparently, a Dutch adult can have sex with a 12 year old, as long as the 12 year old gives consent.

So bluster bluster away...
posted by gorgor_balabala at 9:23 PM on April 23, 2008

hjo3: "Dutch people are weird...Seriously, they say that to one another."

Vincent: "Mayonnaise...I seen 'em do it...they fuckin' drown 'em in it."

This just strikes me as another shock attempt at humour that fades in with the other shock attempts at humour, none of which I find funny but which seem to find an audience. It's nothing really outstanding. Europeans go further than Americans for humour regularly, showing a particular comfort with topics involving sex and nudity (and, apparently, child abuse).

In fact, you know what? MeTa.

Oh God please don't....aaaargh, too late.
posted by cosmonik at 9:26 PM on April 23, 2008

Why do some people find Tom Green funny? I don't know, but I'm not going to declare him unfunny just because I think he's juvenile and boorish.

You're not? Then let me.

I don't know, maybe I'm failing to notice some delicate shade of meaning here, but I would think that finding a person unfunny is exactly the right reason to declare that person unfunny. It doesn't mean "he is unfunny and all of you have to agree with me or I'll kick you in the face." It's just a statement of opinion.

For example, my opinion is that this Paul de Leeuw guy is unfunny, based on the information I have so far. Unfunny and almost kind of terrifying. But I don't hate you for disagreeing with me. There's room for both interpretations; it's a big world.
posted by penduluum at 9:32 PM on April 23, 2008

But apparently, a Dutch adult can have sex with a 12 year old, as long as the 12 year old gives consent.

Where does your link say that? It says it was suggested but not implemented: "A number of recommendations were made in the report pertaining to the sexuality of children and paedophilia, , if the initiative were taken by the child, sexual contacts with children between the ages of 12 and 16 should no longer be punishable. Although this has not been implemented..."

Am I missing something? Or are you?
posted by cosmonik at 9:38 PM on April 23, 2008

In ancient times and other places those tellers were enthused by messages to be obtained from the workings of animal-divinities, Buddha and bodhisattvas, villains and heros, gallant lovers and rescues, etc. Think back thru time. When did any known example of town-square story-telling ever say "We men who love to seduce and penetrate boys are stars of a bigger-than-life story; and the narrative is all about physical mauling"?

Are you being sarcastic? The history of popular cultural storytelling is all about murder and sex, violence and incest. The geniuses whose works survive to today are those who found a way to elevate the ordinary, brutal, entertaining-as-hell play into something with more significance; you never hear about the Bruckheimers of literary history (but their stories are continually retold).

Folk religions, the pop culture of past centuries, are mostly built on tales of incest and duelling and maiming and so forth. Hell, look into the ancient scriptures of any major religion and you'll find a scene that a suitably-talented director could turn into a tits-and-ass-and-bloodbath spectacle.

It's alright, though, we're not sinking into a gutter of filth, we've always been here! Next time you see a comedian pretending to be a pedophile to make people uncomfortable (worked on me, though a couple parts made me snort-laugh), remember that in western culture, as recently as a few hundred years ago, it was a-okay to burn heretics and stray animals for entertainment. We're doing alright for ourselves!
posted by maus at 10:07 PM on April 23, 2008

Bah. This is horrible for containing terrible signing and for lacking the context that would help us understand what the fuck is going on in the heads of Dutch people that makes this funny. It is not porn. It's just opaque.
posted by mumkin at 10:07 PM on April 23, 2008

Or maybe the gag is the kid being able to sing on despite the manhandling.

That's my take. It's sort of a Dutch Idol/X-Factor for kids, with de Leeuw's role being to somehow make the kid break his concentration.

I mean, I know how this looks when you come into it with the framing creepy dutch tv host, so I tried to erase that and watch it for actual creepiness. I don't think there really is that much.

In the US there's a great deal of homophobia which is cleverly blended with "pedophilaphobia" to give it that extra-special frisson of yikes. Now, Europe and Benelux specifically have had a run of a few years of pedophilia scandals, but if pedophilia and homophobia aren't linked in the public mind as they are in America, this isn't going to trigger the mass outrage Rube Goldberg machine. In some families, this kind of hammy uncle performance wouldn't be out of line.

Anyway, I'm thinking that's got to be the context here. It just doesn't parse as satire or deliberately pederastic to me. My sense is that if that were the goal we'd see him doing Benny Hill style leers at the kid's butt, or strategizing how to get the kid to sit on his hand.
posted by dhartung at 10:23 PM on April 23, 2008 [3 favorites has favorites]

*takes Yazi's thesaurus away*
posted by katillathehun at 11:06 PM on April 23, 2008

You know when something's not funny - and people write paragraph after paragraph trying to convince you it's YOUR FAULT that you don't find it funny? Yeah, that's not funny either.

Ick. Just....Ick.

Blahhhhh!
posted by The Light Fantastic at 11:23 PM on April 23, 2008

This was completely bizarre, but this thread sort of makes up for it. Especially yahtzee's contributions.
posted by blacklite at 11:44 PM on April 23, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

And posted at a time when all dutch mefi go to bed..

Anyway, although I'm not a fan of Pauls form of humor, this is indeed taken way, way out of context (and 10 years old as well). Here is the response from Paul the Leeuw on having this appear on YouTube. The short version is - they kid had to sing a song in the show, and Paul's job was to attempt to distract him.

Any pedophile things you see in there are in your own mind. Paul has this way of dealing with people in his show that I personally don't think it that funny, but he does it with all age groups. And he's quite popular for doing this. 1 2 3 examples that will probably make you go "WTF???" but since there are no young kids in the shot, you'll do so without pedo thoughts.
posted by DreamerFi at 11:56 PM on April 23, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

But apparently, a Dutch adult can have sex with a 12 year old, as long as the 12 year old gives consent.

Not according to Wikipedia:

The age of consent in the Netherlands is 16, as specified by the Dutch Criminal Code, Articles 245 and 247, which read: (Art 245) "A person who, out of wedlock, with a person who has reached the age of twelve (12) but not yet sixteen (16), performs indecent acts comprising or including sexual penetration of the body is liable to a term of imprisonment of not more than eight years or a fine of the fifth category."; and (Art 247) "A person who, with a person whom he knows to be unconscious or physically unable to resist or to be suffering from such a degree of mental defect or mental disease that he is incapable or not sufficiently capable of exercising or expressing his will in the matter or of offering resistance, performs indecent acts, or who, with a person who has not yet reached the age of sixteen (16) years, out of wedlock, performs indecent acts, or by whom the latter is enticed into performing, or submitting to such acts, out of wedlock, with a third party, is liable to a term of imprisonment of not more than six years or a fine of the fourth category."

Also sex under 16 is allowed with a close in age exception that reduces the minimum age to 12 if the participants' ages are less than 4 years apart

posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:10 AM on April 24, 2008

Motion to have dismissed. Granted! Next case...
posted by oxford blue at 12:24 AM on April 24, 2008

In re Dutch sex with 12 year olds: the site hosting that article is apparently "a forum for people who are engaged in scholarly discussion about the understanding and emancipation of mutual relationships between children or adolescents and adults." So pedos basically. Probably not super reliable.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 3:39 AM on April 24, 2008

Dutch people are weird. Wanna hear a Dutch insult? "Go sit on the roof and poop dimes." Seriously, they say that to one another.

Are Dutch dimes the size of softballs or something?

The insult isn't about the pain of pooping them. You see, the Dutch are all incredibly money-conscious spendthrifts. The idea of uncontrollably hemorrhaging money, and that money going to random passers-by, is the most horrific and loathsome thing a Dutch person can imagine happening.
posted by Meatbomb at 3:51 AM on April 24, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

This is a good place for me to say: I'm proud to be dutch!!!
posted by Pendragon at 3:59 AM on April 24, 2008

Not shown in the clip is that at the end, the two leap to their feet, take a bow, and exclaim, "the Aristocrats!" Just be glad it was a gentle version of the routine.
posted by Drastic at 4:02 AM on April 24, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Meatbomb you forgot that we're also always stoned.
posted by jouke at 4:11 AM on April 24, 2008

I thought the video was funny - the kid's giggling is very sweet, and he's obviously completely comfortable with the whole routine (as comfortable as any kid singing on TV, anyway).

What I really liked, though, was his treatment of the vegan streaker - see, now that is exactly how you should play it. Don't fuck around with charges, fines or court time, just make the dude stand around awkwardly then ladled out a heaping dose of humiliation. Brilliant.

Also, Tom Green is a fucking genius. His current internet stuff is absolutely ground breaking.
posted by The Monkey at 4:14 AM on April 24, 2008

I never really understood why the Brits take the piss out of the Dutch... until now.
posted by psmealey at 4:21 AM on April 24, 2008

Those clips remind me of how much Europeans love to clap at the same time. That's one of those things (along with a propensity a few decades back for supporting fascist governments) that I'm glad didn't manage to cross the Atlantic, although I wish they'd send over a functioning health care system and those sexy Italian police uniforms.

I didn't find the original video funny at all, but that's often the case when I look at those kinds of TV shows from other countries. I could see how it was supposed to be funny (gay guy acting like a pedo when everyone knows he isn't, kid in on the act, audience in on the act, etc), but it didn't make me do anything other than turn it off feeling vaguely icky.
posted by Forktine at 5:51 AM on April 24, 2008

I didn't find the original video funny at all, but that's often the case when I look at those kinds of TV shows from other countries.

That is sorta how I feel with the 'Japanese people swimming through lakes of excrement' TV show genre, so yeah.
posted by fixedgear at 6:10 AM on April 24, 2008

This is um disturbing, not very funny, and all out terrible.
posted by Mastercheddaar at 6:47 AM on April 24, 2008

A lot of jokes have extremely offensive punchlines, taken out of context, and this weird internet meme seems to be another one of them.

a] The song sang, is extremely weird in itself. It's a love song addressed to someone not there anymore. All those enraged American internet users seem to have missed to fact it may refer to necrophilia, because of this. Not pedophilia. Apart from that, it was originally sung by someone with a poodle hairdo, and a laughably thick Amsterdam accent. To make matters worse, in the video this now openly gay singer frolicks around with a woman.

b] Gordon, original the singer of 'Kon ik nog maar even bij je zijn' is a good colleague of Paul de Leeuw. They acted out jokes before, with the same little boy, on his show.

c] So this whole clip is nothing more than De Leeuw taking the piss on Gordon, by acting weird to the lyrics of the song.

And, what once was a not very funny overstatement, was totally misunderstood by a lot of people online, because the internet makes such things possible now. Because it is always best to feel superior about what you never bothered to know.
posted by ijsbrand at 6:47 AM on April 24, 2008 [4 favorites has favorites]

forktine: Those clips remind me of how much Europeans love to clap at the same time. That's one of those things (along with a propensity a few decades back for supporting fascist governments) that I'm glad didn't manage to cross the Atlantic

whah?
posted by jouke at 6:48 AM on April 24, 2008

Those clips remind me of how much Europeans love to clap at the same time. That's one of those things (along with a propensity a few decades back for supporting fascist governments) that I'm glad didn't manage to cross the Atlantic

Um, you're pretty ignorant, aren't you? Remember Anne Frank? The Dutch were invaded by a neighbouring Fascist government a few decades back. The German occupation of Holland was pretty harsh, and by the end of the war most of the Dutch population was starving.
posted by KokuRyu at 6:50 AM on April 24, 2008

i'm glad to see this wasn't a post about me.

Well, now you know what you want to be when you grow up. Reach for the stars gutter!

Hmmm... a parody skit with Ollie Stench...
posted by louche mustachio at 7:15 AM on April 24, 2008

Those clips remind me of how much Europeans love to clap at the same time.

And les americains... dey dance like dees..
posted by psmealey at 7:15 AM on April 24, 2008

Um, you're pretty ignorant, aren't you?

Aw, what a sweetie! Can I have some more warm fuzzies, please?

The clapping hands (and having fascist governments) is/was a broad continental phenomenon. Not all Europeans clap in synch; not all European countries have had popularly-supported fascist governments. I'm still glad both didn't make it here.

But yes, given the particular history of the Dutch occupation, it wasn't a funny joke to have made, and if there was an edit feature I'd go back and change it.
posted by Forktine at 7:18 AM on April 24, 2008

Did you see how ijsbrand just pwned you? Yeah.
posted by The Monkey at 7:24 AM on April 24, 2008

The Dutch are indeed do many hard to understand things ...for the English speaking countries/cultures at least.

This is a example of their blunt weird humour... doing sth incredibly weird, as humour, which I never understood. I never found funny... regardless of how many years I've been exposed to it.

Also this is the country where Zwarte-Piet( the black-faced characters that go along side the white Sinterklaas) are accepted as "a part of culture"... which I think most people would agree incredibly politically incorrect and racist.

I think in the Netherlands its more like, if it wasn't meant to be bad or in ill intentions its okay....whatever it is. Also, here the rights of individuals to do anything without people getting on their case - extreme liberalism? - is considered to be the most valued right in society.
Which leads to things such as the legalization of Paedophile party(PNVD) in the Netherlands, where one of their sole party goal is to legalize adults to have sex with/Love children. The party was ruled to be legal by the Dutch courts.
posted by insatiablehee at 7:25 AM on April 24, 2008

Just abit of addition, just for those of you who is too lazy to click on the links..
" Brotherly Love, Freedom and Diversity Party (PNVD) had the same right to exist as any other political party.
The PNVD was formed by three paedophiles in May, prompting outrage in Dutch society.
It seeks to lower the age of sexual consent from 16 to 12 and legalise child pornography and sex with animals."
posted by insatiablehee at 7:29 AM on April 24, 2008

It seeks to lower the age of sexual consent from 16 to 12 and legalise child pornography and sex with animals.

Well, if Rick Santorum moves to Rotterdam, I think I know which party he'll join.
posted by psmealey at 7:35 AM on April 24, 2008

They acted out jokes before, with the same little boy, on his show. singin at 3:00, bashing at 5:00

In the end, I suppose the original post on youtube or wherever is of some homophobic trying to get his/her right by making people belief one of the more famous dutch homosexuals is a pedophile. And all couch potato's swallow, no questions asked

Posting links like gorgor_balabala's remind me more of Forktine's fascism than anything else.

...

Sigh...
posted by stFire at 7:35 AM on April 24, 2008

I meant:

posting links like gorgor_balabala does: just accept anything you see as The Truth.
Yugh!
posted by stFire at 7:45 AM on April 24, 2008

posting links like gorgor_balabala does: just accept anything you see as The Truth.

To be fair, stFire, the only people on this thread who commented on gorgor_balabala's link only did so to challenge and debunk his claim. As for accepting anything you see as the Truth, well, physician, heal thyself.
posted by psmealey at 7:50 AM on April 24, 2008

I read the comments, so I didn't miss those people did not take gorgor_balabala's link-text (not the actual referenced text) for the truth and read the actual article. I myself did not since I would expect, being dutch, to know about such weird ruling if it existed.

I just got pretty annoyed about some assumptions made and slight xenophobic feelings expressed. I should have counted to 10 first maybe...

I appreciate Forktine's comments after posting. I took (and take?) his remark about synchronous clapping like a reference to the goosestepping tha nazi's did but I may be totally off... Sorry if I am.
posted by stFire at 8:11 AM on April 24, 2008

Stay classy.
posted by chuckdarwin at 8:29 AM on April 24, 2008

I took (and take?) his remark about synchronous clapping like a reference to the goosestepping tha nazi's did

No, that wasn't what I was thinking of (though it's a fascinating comparision). Clapping in synch is one of those endearing "people really are funny" oddities, like Japanese game shows, or American RV owners, or anything else that shows up on popular culture and looks funny from the outside.
posted by Forktine at 8:31 AM on April 24, 2008

though it's a fascinating comparision

Mmmm, then I wonder: does it say anything about my thoughts about in-sync clapping?

I'll just blame you for putting the thought into my head with your reference to 1940's fascist Europe one sentence after if you don't mind ;)
posted by stFire at 8:43 AM on April 24, 2008

though it's a fascinating comparision

I've been to polka night at tons of places on the west and north sides of Chicago (don't ask)... and let me tell you this about synchronous clapping... IT CAN HAPPEN HERE. It's all about the beat, and not the goose-stepping. I assume the Nazis re-appropriated the goose stepping the ancient Romans, if only because that's where they got most of their other bombast and aesthetics from.
posted by psmealey at 8:50 AM on April 24, 2008

In the end, I suppose the original post on youtube or wherever is of some homophobic trying to get his/her right by making people belief one of the more famous Dutch homosexuals is a paedophile.

Seriously? I don't think so, I mean like how many people actually saw this video thinking this man is a homosexual? Or thought this was even about homosexuality or heterosexuality? I didn't. Whichever the case, the weirdness/grossness of the video remains the same. Also it doesn't change the inappropriateness of this video just because he has acted out the same with the same boy how many other times. It just makes it even worse!
I think I am most upset about the fact that this man, regardless of his sexual orientation, has used/exploited? this young child as a prop of his comedy, which makes light of a very serious issue of paedophilia to make it as a joke??? It just ain't funny.
posted by insatiablehee at 10:05 AM on April 24, 2008

Truly bizarre. Thanks for posting it.
posted by mrgrimm at 11:05 AM on April 24, 2008

[this thread is being discussed in MetaTalk, please feel free to take your "this sucks" comments there]
posted by jessamyn at 1:35 PM on April 24, 2008

What does not fit with America's cultural values is not acceptable. The world's cultural values will become America's cultural values or there will be... trouble.
posted by Hogshead at 1:35 PM on April 24, 2008

@insatiablehee
There were several post on Dutch sites referencing his sexual orientation. True, I'm not sure whether international or national posting came first.
posted by stFire at 2:34 PM on April 24, 2008

i can't quite see how people are so grossed out by this. The kid looks completely comfortable, and the actual touching is all within normal bounds. The only lines that could be said to be crossed are in what role he's playing, when he playfully pretends to lick the kid or bite his shirt. But he seems to be doing it in a very jokey kind of way, not in a way that would actually seem threatening, although perhaps if I knew the lyrics of the song or the context it would be more evident exactly what was going on. Basically the guy just seems to be acting weird and sometimes sort of melodramatic / lovesick around the boy - but child molestation is about control, discomfort, shame - none of which I'm seeing here.

This is reminding me a little of those pictures of men with their adopted asian daughters, and how the pictures were often so quickly understood to be "creepy". I think the problem is more ours than the netherlands.
posted by mdn at 10:19 PM on April 24, 2008