de kleine komedie Tag

February 25, 2025 In Blog

Shapiro ‘Europa Draait Door’

Greg Shapiro Trump Commentary for Amerika Draait Door Event at De Kleine Komedie (for Europa Draait Door)

event: 12 October, 2024

You may know Dutch journalists Tim de Wit & Arend Jan Boekestijn from their podcast ‘Europa Draait Door.’ (aka Europe is “going crazy.”) In the run-up to the craziest of US elections, they organized a one-off event called ‘Amerika Draait Door,’ aka “America Is Going Crazy.” And they invited me for some comedy commentary. Together with America correspondent Michiel Vos, they predicted it: Trump would win the 2024 election. I predicted Trump would get 20-24 years in prison. (I was wrong.)

 


The evening began at Amsterdam’s De Kleine Komedie with flags and campaign banners and the journalists’ advice: it’s never safe to bet against Donald Trump. Michiel Vos joined in to agree. Mind you, Michiel Vos is famously married to the daughter of Nancy Pelosi. Apparently he follows the family party line on politics. But boy does he get excited when he talks about Donald Trump’s star quality: “Trump is a bad ass. It’s like the bullets bounce off of him. Americans see him as invincible.” + “Too many Americans are struggling to get by. Living paycheck to paycheck, constantly shocked and upset at hidden costs for every little thing. Americans want a disruptor. They want someone who’s gonna tear it all down if necessary. That’s why they will vote for Donald Trump.”

 

Greg Goes Against the Grain

The panel predicted a Trump win. Arend-Jan made his prediction by putting on a Make America Great Again hat. (I couldn’t help feeling like that hat will at some point be seen as a symbol of hate. Like, if these guys had to predict “who would win World War II,” he’d be putting on a swastika hat.)

At the end, it was my turn – to make fun of all the candidates. I pointed out that Trump is now older than Joe Biden was when he started as president. Next, I talked about Project 2025 being written by a bunch of religious fanatics. When Dutch people ask me, “Where did they come from?” I say: “You sent them! The Pilgrims, in 1620!”

Dutch people keep asking me, “You don’t really think Trump will be a fascist – ?” And it’s true, the United States has never had fascists take over the country. …But in the Netherlands you have! Not that long ago. Thank goodness it was over quickly – and that’s the best hope I have for the US now.

I ended my bit by giving a fake Trump press conference. Taking questions and giving ridiculous answers. Most answers were simply me repeating Trump’s actual quotes.

I made my prediction by amending the Trump campaign sign from ‘Trump 2024’ to ‘Trump 20- 24’ years in prison. …It was a simpler time.

Of course, no one had thought to discuss the very end of the show. So I dragged everyone up front for a photo op and a big bow.

Full house! Great show. Accurate predictions and accurate title: America is going crazy.

Europa Draait Door
https://www.nporadio1.nl/podcasts/europa-draait-door

Read Reviews for Greg Shapiro’s Leaving Trumpland 2.0: No Country for Old Men
https://gregshapiro.nl/blog/theater-reviews-leaving-trumpland/

 

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Greg Shapiro Premiere in De Kleine Komedie
October 22, 2024 In Blog

Shapiro Première in DeKleineKomedie

Dutch American Comedian Greg Shapiro Premières in De Kleine Komedie Amsterdam

21 October, 2024

In Amsterdam it’s nice to see your name in lights, but it’s even nicer to see your name on the sign at the theater called De Kleine Komedie.

With the help of Impact Entertainment, I was able to perform the premiere of my 2024 US election show LEAVING TRUMPLAND 2.0: No Country for Old Men.

Would I be prepared? I wasn’t sure… We had only done four tryout performances so far – as well as bits and pieces at various open mic night and standup stages.

Shapiro Première in DeKleineKomedie INTI performed Leaving Trumpland 1.0 for the US election in 2020. Unfortunately, not many people saw that show – because it was in the middle of Covid. Remember when you could only perform for 30 or 100 max at a time? And half the shows were canceled before that. My tour booker said, “the reviews were so good! Why don’t you just do a reprise of your 2020 show for the US election 2024?” I said “don’t be ridiculous! That would require the exact same to candidates four years ago. What are the odds of that happening?” …And yet for most of this year, that’s what we had. Biden vs Trump: the rematch. Because they both aged so gracefully.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But then Joe Biden dropped out, Thank the Almighty! …And I had to rewrite almost the entire show. WORTH IT.

Leaving Trumpland 1.0 was my sixth solo show. But with Leaving Trumpland 2.0, I can honestly say since it’s 90% new, it is my seventh solo show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a full house for a Monday night. We even had a second balcony! The theater director was happy, the programmer was happy. My theater booker was happy. The audience was great.
Afterward, I made sure to grab a pose with my director, Michael Diederich…

…and my producer/wife Inez De Goede.


Thanks for the excellent photos from Jelle Draper.

Photographer Jelle Draper
https://www.jelledraper.com/bits-of-everything

Reviews for Leaving Trumpland 
https://gregshapiro.nl/blog/theater-reviews-leaving-trumpland/

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