Dutch culture Tag

April 3, 2024 In Blog

Shapiro Hosts Government Event NL

Shapiro Hosts Government Event for Netherlands Innovation Network

3 April, 2024

What an inspirational event for the NIN Netherlands Innovation Network’s 70th Anniversary (Oct. 2023)! I was honored to be host for the entire day.

The NIN is an outreach program to create public-private partnerships across borders – and make history. In 70 years of international networking, they can claim credit for the creation of CD’s, WiFi, water engineering, and a whole exposition floor full of more examples.

I started by singing happy birthday for the current staff of the NIN – which is part of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate.

The Future is Bright

Next, we got a preview of the future. AI and Quantum computing. Agritech and Health / Life Sciences. But for me most interesting was Aviation and the race between SAF (Sustainable / Synthetic Aviation Fuel) and Alternate Power Trains (e-Jets). The good news is: pretty soon we won’t have to feel so bad about flying anymore.

I’ve hosted so many events where the theme is efficiency / downsizing. This was one event where the boss was telling the staff: “get more people to claim more of these subsidies!”

Celebrating 70 Years

Next we heard some Best-of stories from 70 years of Innovation Attaches from around the globe.

And the Minister was there – at the end. I was introduced to Micky Adriaansens.

And I introduced her to the main stage.

At the very end, organizer George van der Raaij was exhausted. But…

After the event, one of the Innovation Attaches insisted on a group photo WITH the minister.

I enticed the organizers to rally for ONE more group photo. Luckily, photographer Robin Utrecht was on board.

And there she is. Adriaansens still is the ‘demissionaire’ minister. And since our next minister will likely be from a new coalition of science-denying amateurs, the longer she stays on the better.

Long live the NIN! (and please make your theme song Trent Reznor & Nine Inch Nails)
https://netherlandsinnovation.nl/

For more Greg Shapiro Corporate Events, click here

Corporate Events

March 21, 2024 In Blog

Shapiro Comedy Review Pepijn

21 March, 2024

GOOD NEWS!
a) Another solid review for the comedy nights I’ve been programming at Theater PePijn in the Hague.
https://artstalkmagazine.nl/english-stand-up-at-theater-pepijn-in-the-hague/

AND – b) next season we’ll be more frequent with one English comedy night per month. …Meanwhile, the next Pepijn’s Comedy Club in English will be 26 June…
https://www.diligentia-pepijn.nl/agenda/4432/various-stand-up-comedians/pepijn-s-comedy-club-in-english

Clearly, the Hague needs Comedy. English Comedy. That said, last night’s audience in the theater were 70% Dutch. As host, I did my favorite audience warm-up, which is a role-play. I ask the audience to pretend their Americans. Loud Americans. Americans in Las Vegas. If you ask Dutch people to make a lot of noise, you can only get them to go so far. But if you ask them to incorporate their opinions of other cultures, they give 110%.

Our first comedian was Nira Tal. Her opener is so sharp, and then she gets into Life in the Netherlands, being married to a Dutchman, solid set.

Next up was a friend of mine from Berlin, Rohit Bhatia. A former crime reporter from Mumbai, he now lives in Germany and brags about being “one of the few Indians in Europe that does not do IT.”

The Talent Spot was for Glodi Lugungu, who is no stranger to Theater PePijn, but this was his first time performing in English. English is his third language, and yet he managed to do some crowd work! His set brought the unexpected, magic.

Our headliner was Desiree Burch, who has been crushing it on British TV: BBC, Live at the Apollo, Too Hot to Handle on Netflix. But I got to know her from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. And I was the first person to hire her to come to “The Continent.” In fact, the last time I had her come tour the Netherlands with me was 10 years ago in 2014. In Pepijn. It was like a homecoming.

For more Pepijn Reviews

GREG SHAPIRO RETURNS TO PEPIJN

February 28, 2024 In Blog

Shapiro Dutch Quiz Book

How to Be Dutch: THE QUIZ is back !

27 February, 2024

by Greg Shapiro, the American Netherlander

How to Be Dutch: THE QUIZ. All the questions that SHOULD be on the Dutch Citizenship Exam, according the expat expert who has been living in the Netherlands for close to 30 years. Critics loved The American Netherlander: 25 Years of Expat Tales. Now comes the perfect companion: the Shapiro Dutch Quiz Book.

How to Be Dutch makes you redefine the Netherlands you thought you knew.

“If Dutch people are so tolerant, why are they still judgmental as hell?”
“How should American parents react to a Dutch bedtime story called Sammy the Super Sperm?”
“If the Netherlands is the ‘Drug Capital of the World,’ why is it so hard to get antibiotics?”

Order here: https://hollandbooks.nl/product/how-to-be-dutch/

Reviews for How to Be Dutch: THE QUIZ (original printing, 2016)

‘How to Be Dutch plays deftly with clichés and knows how to transcend them. Even if you’ve never been to the Netherlands, Shapiro’s experiences will entertain.’
Access Magazine

‘Humorous columns, funny illustrations, hilarious photos and observations. Very nice book.’
Netherlands Library Council

‘A perfect toilet book.’
TROUW

‘Difficult topics are tackled with facts, sharp insights and often hilarious, personal anecdotes. At each turn of the page, you find yourself both laughing about and appreciating the Dutch. Greg Shapiro treats you to his version of the Dutch Assimilation Test. First, he analyzes the actual exam questions: “Every question tells a story,” Shapiro explains. And then he unveils “The Questions That Should Be on the Quiz.”
How to Be Dutch is accompanied by entertaining cartoons by illustrator Floor de Goede and hilarious photographs by the author.’
DutchNews.nl

Order here Shapiro Dutch Quiz Book:

https://hollandbooks.nl/product/how-to-be-dutch/

Or order via Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=how+to+be+dutch

Play the online Quiz!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLccmkVw5sINoSiRMXi9S2xbwnRu_Qwb8t

Read more reviews?

https://gregshapiro.nl/media/theater-reviews-for-greg-shapiros-latest-shows/

November 30, 2023 In Blog

Shapiro at Royal Comedy Event

28 november 2023

In Praise of Folly! This year’s Dutch Erasmus award was given to a comedian: Trevor Noah. It was an event full of Dutch comedy royalty – and actual Dutch royalty.

The event started with King Willem Alexander making jokes – and getting laughs! “I have the distinction of having sat on the lap of the previous winner, the last time it was a comedian: Charlie Chaplin in 1965. …Don’t worry, this is not a Dutch tradition.”

Trevor Noah actually made fewer jokes than expected – until the end: “I’m very proud that – after 220 years – a South African is able to take a few resources from the Netherlands back to the Cape.” He zinged the King!

Then he went and sat down in between the King and his mother, (former) Queen Beatrix. It was like watching a mini White House Press Correspondents’ Dinner.

After the Royal Comedy Event – SCHMOOZING WITH THE KING

If you’ve never been inside the Paleis op de Dam, I can recommend visiting when the Dutch royal family is hosting. I’ve attended events with King Willem Alexander before, but he’s usually whisked away quickly. This time the Dutch King seemed to want to stick around and chat with Dutch comedy royalty, like Claudia de Breij and Peter Pannekoek and even Andrew Moskos. “Is it harder to make jokes in a tense political climate? What kind of jokes go too far?” (And I was thinking “Is it all a bit too white?”) But then Soundos el-Ahmadi swooped in and took over. “Can I take a selfie?” Willem Alexander: “I’m not allowed to say yes.” Soundos: “That’s not ‘NO’!” So she broke open the floodgates (a true Dutch taboo), and then everyone got selfies with the King. I did mine modestly, from a distance. To make sure it would be the worst selfie ever:

THE GREEN KING

But I did talk to the King! I told him I might see him at the event I’m hosting next spring for the Dutch green startup Growy and the first harvest of their urban vertical farm in Amsterdam. He said “Sounds interesting,” which I relayed to the founder of Growy – who still doesn’t believe me.
(I also bumped into former Queen Beatrix! She is so little, and she was saying “I can’t see… Where is my son?” So I cleared a path for her. A couple people gave me eye daggers, but then they saw who was behind me, and they moved aside real quick. At the end I asked her for a photo, and she looked at me like I was crazy.)

And yes, I said hi to Trevor Noah. But I didn’t take a photo, because he was getting mobbed. Trevor, next time I see you I’ll say thanks for the inspiring words. Yes, comedy does connect people. Even if we oppose each other politically, when we share a laugh – in real time – we agree.

Thank you to the PraemiumErasmianum for the invite! Thank you to Boom Chicago for saving me a seat. And thank you to Erasmus the philosopher who was indeed Dutch. Without his writings, there would be no Reformation or Protestant religion. His “most famous” work is a socio-political satire called In Praise of Folly. Happy 65th Anniversary to the Erasmus Awards. You did well to pick a comedian.

King and Trevor Noah Make Jokes at Erasmus Award Ceremony
https://nos.nl/video/2499585-koning-en-trevor-noah-maken-grappen-over-en-weer-bij-uitreiking-erasmusprijs

For more tales of Greg performing for King Willem Alexander, check out the book – The American Netherlander: 25 Years of Expat Tales.

New Book

November 29, 2023 In Blog

Dutch Election Comedy Show Reviewed

Review ‘PEP & GREG POLITICALLY INCORRECT’ – a Dutch Election Comedy Show, by ARTS TALK MAGAZINE

24 November, 2023

Thank you to ArtsTalk Magazine for coming to review our Dutch election comedy show 2023! Friday, 24 November. The election results were just 36 hours old, and we rewrote half the show: “Pep & I are 99% shocked the Netherlands voted for Geert Wilders… And we’re 1% delighted. For every time back in 2016 when Dutch people told us ‘You Americans are so stupid to vote for a right-wing, anti-immigrant populist with strange blond hair.’ Well? Now how does it feel!?”

So much new material, and yes the emotions were raw. Did the reviewer notice? Oh yes. Rose Fawbert Mills noted that the show could have been tighter. But let’s focus on her positive quotes:

“a satirical night of comedy reviewing the American and Dutch political systems was very appealing and not to be missed.”

“Greg’s Trump impersonation …very, very good.”

Multi-Media

“the use of visuals – photos, memes, video clips – was engaging and entertaining. It gave the show a very ‘current’ feel.”

“the overall the show was good. laughed out loud.”

‘Pep & Greg Politically Incorrect’ is our way of saying we think politics are being done incorrectly. We use the show to celebrate the worst of Dutch & US politics. In the US, President Biden is actually a great politician – but a terrible candidate. And in the Netherlands, there are so many political parties it’s almost like we could start our own party based on the people in the audience that night. SO that’s what we do. And – when Joe Biden gets kicked out as leader of the Democrat Party in the US – why not have him lead our new Dutch party?

Pep & Greg will be back for more dates at Boom Chicago. Potentially in December. And definitely in 2024.

Read the whole review here:
https://artstalkmagazine.nl/pep-greg-are-back-and-politically-incorrect-at-boom-chicago-in-amsterdam/

(Technician Emil adjusts the “Pep Bot”)

‘Pep & Greg Politically Incorrect’ the show
https://gregshapiro.nl/blog/pep-greg-politically-incorrect/

November 13, 2023 In Blog

Shapiro Foreword Dutch Dictionary

Greg Shapiro Wrote the Foreword for this Dutch Dictionary

13 November, 2023

Flashback to 2008:
Our good friends at DutchNews.nl were writing a guide to Dutch abbreviations, called the Dictionary of Dutchness: from ATV to ZZP’er. And I was asked to write the Foreword.
Here it is again:

Foreword

Greetings, reader!

Welcome to this fine collection of bizarre words and phrases in the world’s best Nether-language: Dutch.

Many people will no doubt want to use this book as a practical guide to practical Dutch. But please consider its true value – as a sometimes hilarious exercise in explaining the charming and ridiculous abbreviations in the Dutch language.

Dutch people are among the tallest in the world. Fittingly, the words they use are often just as ‘long.’ If you have ever wondered how onroerendezaakbelasting can exist as a word, read on. If you have ever suspected that some short simple words like aso are actually hiding longer, more threatening words, then this book is for you.

The Dutch language seems obsessed with taking long words and then making them small and cute. Maybe that’s because Dutch culture has a minderwaardigheidscomplex (minority complex). Or – to make this word smaller and cuter too – MiWaCo (pronounced “me wacko”).

Even the famous Dutch fast food outlet FEBO is named after the location of its first-ever shop on the Ferdinand Bolstraat. They could better have named it FerBol – since the contents of a Dutch kroket resemble something a cat coughed up.

If I got any more passionate about this book, the vloekmonitor would call me a TBS-er, and I’d never get a VOG. To find out what I just said, read on!

Warning: By reading this guide to the Dutch language, you risk becoming more knowledgeable about Dutch than the Dutch themselves, who always lose to the Belgians on the TV quiz show Tien voor Taal.

In closing, when I say the Dutch language is charmingly ridiculous, please don’t believe me. Believe the thousands of Dutch people who feel the same way. But if you want them to admit it, you’ll have to first throw some Dutch language at them. Hopefully this book will help. And once they start answering back in Dutch lingo, this book will give you some idea of what the hell they’re talking about.

For the latest DutchNews, click here:
https://www.dutchnews.nl/

Greg Shapiro’s latest book is THE AMERICAN NETHERLANDER: 25 Years of Expat Tales. (I hear it’s quite funny.)

New Book

November 7, 2023 In Blog

Pep & Greg Politically Incorrect

Pep & Greg Politically Incorrect!

7 nov, 2023

Pep & Greg are back! This time we’re comparing the Worst of the 2023 Dutch election to the Worst of US election 2024.

The Netherlands: “We sent angry farmers with pitchforks to protest in the Hague…”

USA: “Hold my beer! (… storms Capitol on January 6.)”

To us, “Politically Incorrect” means politics being done incorrectly. USA, you have a 2-party system, which is very binary – almost bi-polar. And if the USA is bi-polar, then the Netherlands has multiple personality disorder.

I’ve been writing comedy with Pep Rosenfeld since we were in high school. (In 1985, we predicted Rupert Murdoch would take over TV stations and make America dumber.) We’ve written & performed political standup specials since 2001, including Trump Up the Volume – the show we were only supposed to perform in 2016.
Along the way, critics say:

‘Superior. Hilarious satire’ – Theaterkrant.nl

‘Greg is a scarily real fake Trump’ – Het Parool

From the Boom Chicago website:

Boom founder Pep Rosenfeld (Emmy nominated SNL writer) and Greg Shapiro (the famous ‘Netherlands Second’ Trump video) are back at Boom Chicago with their famous mix of comedy and current events.

They will skewer the latest from American and Dutch society. Will America elect a president in prison?

Will the cranky farmers take over the Netherlands?

Like usual, Pep and Greg will tackle it all and hold nothing back!

In a world filled with fake news, AI, conspiracy theories, guns, race issues, climate change, Mark Rutte retiring and Joe Biden not, Pep and Greg will make you laugh!

Pep and Greg Politically Incorrect is a new Boom Chicago show that is not just for those who follow America (though they will love it).

With standup comedy, improvisation and sharp commentary, the duo from Trump Up the Volume have created a new, smart show for anyone who likes to laugh.

PRAISE for Pep & Greg’s previous Boom Chicago shows:

‘Sharp satire and world class improvisation’ – De Volkskrant

‘Five stars! Greg and Pep have an incredible charisma and are very funny….’ — D Robbinson, Trip Advisor

‘Jokes were well-sculpted and wide-ranging. Engaging with the audience, they were quick, provocative and pugnacious.’ – ArtsTalkMagazine.nl

TICKETS: CLICK HERE
https://boomchicago.nl/pep-and-greg-politically-incorrect/

More Greg reviews? Click here:
https://gregshapiro.nl/media/theater-reviews-for-greg-shapiros-latest-shows/

October 17, 2023 In Blog

Shapiro ListPusher Standup Special

Greg Shapiro ‘Shapiro ListPusher Standup Special’ now on YouTube

17 October, 2023

“If you’ve been living in the Netherlands long enough you can pronounce the word Gemeenteraadsverkiezingen (city council election), then maybe you can vote in the Gemeenteraadsverkiezingen!”
– from LISTPUSHER – the American Netherlander Joins Dutch Politics

In 2022, I was asked by a friend of mine in the Amsterdam City Council if I’d like to help out with his election campaign. In fact, this time his team wanted me not just as a volunteer – but as a symbolic candidate on the list. No, I would’t be at the top of the list – that was the job of the Lijsttrekker, or “List Puller.” I would be at the bottom of the list, hence the term “List Pusher.” And indeed, my job was to help convince potential voters that they should vote. Much like a Pusher Man: “Give it a try, the first vote is free…”

Based on my experience in the 2022 election, I wrote a standup special called LISTPUSHER: the American Netherlander Joins Dutch Politics. And now I’ve posted the video as a YouTube playlist, and now the playlist is complete!
“Give it a try, the first video is free…”
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLccmkVw5sINrlCi3YOgFomtGlCF_0ZC4u

BACKSTORY

But first I had to make sure this party was for me. I had to make sure it was the most ideologically suited. So I found the online voting guide called stemwijzer.
They have 30 questions, you agree or disagree, and by the end they tell you which party is for you. As an experiment, you can click ‘No opinion’ for every question, and the party they give you? D66. That’s my party!
(NB – does not apply for 2023 election.)

CREDITS

Created for the 2022 UICF Utrecht International Comedy Festival.
Audio & video via UICF. Producers Edo Berger, Jeroen Pater (ComedyHuis Utrecht).
Intro by Trista Mrema. And extra thanks to Comedyhuis in Utrecht!

For more Greg Shapiro Solo Shows and Standup Specials:
https://gregshapiro.nl/greg-shapiro-web-archive/

October 16, 2023 In Blog

Shapiro Shares ‘7thGuest’ Reviews

Shapiro Shares ‘7th Guest’ Reviews – from the remake of the classic video game

16 October, 2023

This week I’m in the premiere of a classic video game remake – The 7th Guest. As one of the 6 guests in the storyline, I can say that it was super fun to make… And early reviews are saying it’s also super fun to play. Well done Vertigo Games – I can’t wait to play it myself!

Here’s an updated preview:

And here are some early ‘7th Guest’ Reviews.

Review: GamingTrend

The 7th Guest VR hands-on preview — A Virtual Reinvention of a Classic

“Equal parts reinvention and homage to the past, this new version is everything my brain remembers the original to be, only now it’s real.”

https://gamingtrend.com/feature/previews/the-7th-guest-vr-hands-on-preview-a-virtual-reinvention-of-a-classic/

Review: Screen rant

The 7th Guest VR Preview: A Potentially Groundbreaking Title For VR Gaming

“Often when titles are translated to a new platform or play style, there is a concern that what makes the game special will be lost in the process. For something that began as a point-and-click to be adapted for VR, this is even more of a pressing worry. All those worries for The 7th Guest VR should be cast aside, however, as this version of the game handles its modern upgrades excellently.”

https://screenrant.com/7th-guest-vr-preview/

PREVIEWS AND BEHIND THE SCENES

Preview: Easy Allies (warning: her outfit is scary.)
Is The 7th Guest VR Scary Good? – Hands On Demo Preview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNg7J2Jw7BQ

And here’s a Behind-the-Scenes blog from the screenwriter Claire Downs, on Steampowered:

“The plot of The 7th Guest reminds me of those great stories that blend horror, mystery, and witty banter, like Clue or The House on Haunted Hill (1959) starring Vincent Price. In these stories, you have this big, mysterious place and these more minor, personal mysteries woven throughout.

Shirley Jackson is a hero of mine. And, her ability to bring together horror elements and social issues was groundbreaking and so influential. It is such a fantastic opportunity to play in that kind of sandbox. Not to spoil too much, but I think with Stauf’s story, we’ve channeled some of that, touching on themes of mortality and humanity in a fresh, fun, and frightening way.”
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2456960/view/3741984674872329502

From the producer:
Explore The 7th Guest VR foreboding mansion, solve challenging puzzles, and uncover dark secrets. The 7th Guest VR is the ultimate mystery adventure, and it’s almost time for you to experience it for yourself. Wishlist Now → http://the7thguest-vr.com

THE 7TH GUEST VR – PREMIERE 19 OCTOBER, 2023

For more Greg Shapiro as Actor & Voiceover:
https://gregshapiro.nl/greg-shapiro-actor-voiceover/

September 27, 2023 In Blog

Rave Reviews BoomChicago Book

Rave Reviews for the Boom Chicago 30th Anniversary Book

27 October, 2023

In July 2023, Boom Chicago celebrated its 30th anniversary with an oral history of our origin story. I’m proud to have been a contributor.

The Book (on Amazon) :
Boom Chicago Presents the 30 Most Important Years in Dutch History

Here are some rave reviews:

VULTURE.COM – The Best Comedy Books of 2023 (So Far)
by Brian Boone, who writes about comedy

“As far as generationally significant, tone-setting, comedian-developing institutions go, Second City and Upright Citizens Brigade, and their many affiliates, get almost all the attention and credit. But there’s a third, and until now, largely unheralded player, and that’s Boom Chicago. Many of today’s most thoughtful, emotionally and politically driven comedians honed their chops at Boom Chicago, an American theatrical and improvisational comedy troupe that primarily operates in Amsterdam. Jordan Peele, Seth Meyers, and Amber Ruffin are all veterans, and it’s where Brendan Hunt and Jason Sudeikis met and first worked together. Ted Lasso wouldn’t have happened without the frenetic, patient, performer-driven lab-like atmosphere of Boom Chicago. The mock-self-aggrandizing of the subtitle — The 30 Most Important Years in Dutch History — belies how Boom Chicago just is that important to 21st-century comedy. The baby-faced photos of current legends are fun, but the book’s tone of fascination and how the sausage is made provides a compelling account of how improv is crafted, and how Boom Chicago’s approach informed so much of its participants’ later work.”

https://www.vulture.com/article/boom-chicago-amsterdam-history.html

BOOK AND FILM GLOBE
– Jack Helbig

“Large swatches of the book look and read like an oral history, in which prominent and not so prominent BookChicago alums prattle on, reminiscing about moments in BoomChicago’s rise from a ragtag group of improv comedians performing in 1993 in the back of dive bar to hothouse for creating future celebrities to a bone fide part of Dutch comedy world. As oral histories go, it’s not bad stuff.”

https://bookandfilmglobe.com/uncategorized/the-most-important-30-years-in-dutch-history-boomchicago/

Arts Talk Magazine
Michael Hasted

“when it comes to comedy in Holland, Boom Chicago is a winner.”
“fascinating stuff”
“Much of the book takes the form of conversations between Boom stalwarts and this unusual format works brilliantly,”

“a must-have for Boom fans and, indeed, those interested in comedy in general.” It says a lot about Amsterdam that for thirty years it has sustained, nay, gloried in and cherished an English speaking comedy venue. I don’t know about New York and Chicago but there has only been The Comedy Store in London that exceeds the longevity that Boom Chicago has enjoyed in the Dutch city. …when it comes to comedy in Holland, Boom Chicago is a winner.

..this book is, inevitably, a stroll down memory lane. And fascinating stuff it is too. In the lengthy introduction by founders Andrew Moskos and Pep Rosenfeld we learn how Boom Chicago was born and how, against the odds, it survived and grew to maturity.

Much of the book takes the form of conversations between Boom stalwarts and this unusual format works brilliantly, being much more personal and illuminating than a straightforward narrative. So, there are contributions from all the usual suspects, most of whom will be familiar to fans of Boom. To jog their memory there is a list of alumni from 1993 to 2023 which, according to a quick count is in excess of one hundred and thirty.

Boom Chicago presents The 30 Most Important Years in Dutch History is clearly a must-have for Boom fans and, indeed, those interested in comedy in general.”

https://artstalkmagazine.nl/boom-chicago-presents-the-30-most-important-years-in-dutch-history/

Click here for reviews of Boom Chicago shows feat. Greg Shapiro
https://gregshapiro.nl/media/theater-reviews-for-greg-shapiros-latest-shows/

Click here for Greg Shapiro’s latest book:
https://gregshapiro.nl/greg-shapiros-new-book/