Contact / Bio

Bio

Greg Shapiro: Comedian, American, Dutchman. (And the voice of the ‘Netherlands Second’ video with over 50 million views online.) Shapiro was the host of Comedy Central News: “because Dutch news is news too.” His standup specials have appeared on Dutch BNN-VARA and HumorTV. And he helped establish the Amsterdam comedy theater Boom Chicago, which launched the careers of alumni like Seth Meyers, Jordan Peele and the creators of Ted Lasso.

 

Shapiro’s latest standup special is Greg Shapiro Saves the Climate: 60 Minutes of Climate Good News. In the Netherlands alone, there are solar-powered cars, wind-powered trains and garbage-powered trucks. But no one seems to hear about it, because Dutch culture is all about modesty. Enter the American Netherlander: Greg Shapiro is Dutch enough to be proud of Dutch innovations and American enough to be loud about it.

 

Corporate Speaker

Shapiro is celebrating 25 years of performing for corporate events, mostly with an orange theme (NL Foreign Ministry), a political theme (Summit for Democracy), or a green theme (Boskalis Offshore Wind). Moderator: he has hosted events for the King of the Netherlands, French President François Hollande, and NATO. Talk Show Host: he has impersonated Graham Norton (Tommy Hilfiger), Seth Meyers (Booking.com), and Matthijs van Nieuwkerk (ING). Keynote Speaker: he has performed on moving buses, student living rooms, and once in the Business Class section of a KLM 747 flying to Chicago.

 

Author

In 2020 Shapiro debuted his third book THE AMERICAN NETHERLANDER: 25 Years of Expat Tales. Shapiro has also written HOW TO BE DUTCH: The Quiz – all the questions that should be on the Dutch citizenship exam. And he is a contributor to the oral history Boom Chicago Presents.

Greg came to the Netherlands to take a job for just one summer, and 30 years later he’s still here. So be warned: Dutch culture can be addictive. Greg came for work and stayed for love. Based on his clumsy assimilation into Dutch society, he has written the previous book How to Be Orange, an Alternative Dutch Assimilation Course. Now he gives a master class in cultural assimilation, known as ‘Culture Shock Therapy.’

 

Theater Tour

In 2024 Greg Shapiro reprises his sixth solo show, to be called LEAVING TRUMPLAND 2.0, which critics called “Razor-sharp humor with a personal touch. Four stars.” Critics also loved Greg’s previous show The Madness of King Donald. The Theaterkrant gave it ‘Critic’s Choice,’ calling the show ‘a welcome Trump survival guide.’ The Madness of King Donald is now available on Spotify. Currently, Greg is working with partner Pep Rosenfeld on their 13th show Pep & Greg Politically Incorrect. And then there’s Greg Shapiro Saves the Climate: 60 Minutes of Climate Good News.

 

Backstory

Shapiro spent his first 25 years in Chicago, where he studied theater at Northwestern University. In 1994, he came to the Netherlands to work at Boom Chicago theater, and in 2004 he became a Dutch citizen. He has appeared on Dutch soap operas like ONM and GTST: Goede Tijden Slechte Tijden. He was in the Dick Maas movie The Shaft. And in 2007 Shapiro became a Dutch TV host on Comedy Central News. Greg has since worked as a columnist with BNR fm and Time Out Amsterdam, which proclaimed him ‘Hero of Amsterdam’ in 2009. His voice has been heard on German ZDF for De Heute Show. He has also worked with BNN/VARA HumorTV, and VPRO – where he helped Zondag met Lubach win the Dutch Televizier Ring.

Greg lives in Amsterdam with his artist wife Inez (author of the acclaimed novel Droomhuis). He is so Dutch he now owns two bicycles. Greg has two bilingual children and a black Labrador, who will lick you if she gets the chance. He recently bought a small barn in France with a big hole in the roof.

 

For examples of Shapiro’s previous work, see:
Greg Shapiro’s Web Archive
https://gregshapiro.nl/greg-shapiro-web-archive/

 

Want examples of Shapiro’s online work?
Greg Shapiro’s YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/gregshapiro