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.
I 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.
Greg Shapiro Interviewed by Ivo Niehe on ‘Ivo op Zondag,’ 2023
18 October, 2024
In 2023 – for the 30th anniversary of Boom Chicago – Dutch TV legend Ivo Niehe interviewed me about ‘Pep & Greg POLITICALLY INCORRECT.’ It’s a show about the upcoming Dutch – and American – elections. (Recorded in Nov, 2023)
The interview starts out with some photos from the Boom Chicago 30 year anniversary, featuring famous alumni such as Seth Meyers, Jordan Peele and Jason Sudeikis: “and they all learned from the veteran improviser Greg Shapiro.”
Ivo: “Greg, after so many years of blood, sweat and tears- is it annoying that people only want to talk about that video, the ‘Netherlands Second’ video?”
Greg: “No problem. I realize that will probably be my epitaph, on my gravestone.”
Ivo: “You’ve lived in different countries. But you stayed here for love?”
Greg: “Came for work, stayed for love. Yes.”
Ivo: “You’re ‘The American Netherlander.’ How Dutch are you, how American are you?”
Greg: “I’ve now lived in the Netherlands longer than I lived in the US. …I realize I spoke part of that answer in Dutch.”
Ivo: “I know, you’ve said you don’t like speaking the Dutch language.”
Greg: “It makes my mouth feel sad.”
Ivo: “Beautiful language, the Dutch language.”
Greg: “Yes! It just flows right off the back of the throat. When your brain tells you ‘I think we’re choking to death,’ then that’s when you’ve nailed it, the pronunciation.”
Ivo: “Is it still possible to be politically incorrect?”
Greg: “When we say ‘politically incorrect,’ Pep and I – we’ve been writing comedy together since we were 17 – we mean we think politics are being done incorrectly. That’s what our show is about.”
Ivo: “What did you mean when you talked about ‘who counts the votes?’”
Greg: “We were referring to Trump’s Republican party. To them, it doesn’t matter how many people vote for which candidate. It matters what happens afterward. They’re inspired by the quote “It’s not who votes that counts. It’s who counts the votes.”
Ivo: “And who said that?”
Greg: “Josef Stalin.”
Joris Henquet – 23 September, 2024 [translation: Google / Shapiro]
Stand-up Comedian Greg Shapiro Harnesses His Fantastic Trump Impersonation One More Time. This gifted American Dutchman covers all the relevant US campaign news in lively English. But he also examines the emotional undertones.
Greg Shapiro would really like to leave ‘Trumpland’ behind. But still, we need to talk about Donald Trump one more time. …He is a gifted speaker, a lively speaker …You could argue that Trump jokes are easy laughs, when all you need to do is quote his statements to be funny (‘in Springfield…’). Yet Shapiro usually manages to give it a nice twist.
In this tightly constructed performance, he offers more than American politics. He shares his American view of Dutch society, his adventures with the Amsterdam comedy theater Boom Chicago – and he movingly tells of the bond with his family in the US.
The battle between Trump and Harris is neck and neck, the outcome is unpredictable. And so Shapiro will have to continuously adjust his performance in the coming months. But with him, the task is in good hands.
Patrick van den Hanenberg, 23 Sept. 2024
[translation: Google / Shapiro]
Flawless Trump Imitator Wrestles with New Political Reality: Can You Still Make Fun of Trump? An excerpt:
“…The encore of the show was actually the best. Shapiro did a Q&A with the audience – as Trump. Shapiro, one of the founding fathers of Boom Chicago and now half Dutch, responded to the questions like a master improviser. The completely derailed answers were not only very funny, but also gave Shapiro the best opportunity to show his contempt for Trump.”
An excerpt: “Greg Shapiro is a difficult man to dislike. His humour is not belly-laugh, rolling on the floor, tears in your eyes comedy but easy going, relaxed and friendly and, unlike many contemporary comedians, inoffensive – you will be relatively safe sitting in the front row. You feel at home in his company, ready to join him on any path he cares to travel. Yes he’s funny, yes he makes you laugh but his funniness comes from describing familiar situations and our everyday lives from a different viewpoint. But don’t be fooled, behind the avuncular demeanour is a man who does not suffer fools gladly and has a wit and steely eye that will penetrate even the stoutest façade. Truth is the keyword – although he never allows it to stand in the way of a good story.”
Greg Shapiro in Het Parool: “Trump Is Losing the Humor War”
interview by Mike Peek, 21 September, 2024 (translated from Dutch)
In Leaving Trumpland 2.0, Greg Shapiro’s trademark Donald Trump imitation takes center stage. Perhaps for the last time. According to the comedian, Trump’s most effective weapons are now being used against him.
Since 1994, Greg Shapiro has been working with the improvisation comedy theater Boom Chicago. He gained national fame in 2017 with the video by Arjen Lubach in which he imitated Trump’s voice eerily well. Three years later, Shapiro created a satirical show about a polarized America: Leaving Trumpland. Due to the corona crisis, he could only perform his show for tiny audiences. So it’s high time for the 2.0 version. Most of the show has changed. In fact, only one story returns – that of the death of his stepfather, who lived in a nursing home where the COVID rules were ignored.
How do these elections differ from those in 2016 and 2020?
“In 2016, Trump was just a ridiculous character. As comedians, we thought we’d make jokes about him for a few months and then Hillary Clinton would become president. That was naïve. But in 2020 we were perhaps too cautious. Biden kept saying how Trump is dangerous. But now that Kamala Harris is the candidate, she’s calling him ridiculous. The new strategy is to call him stupid again, call him weird. We’ve come full circle.”
Do you think Harris will become president?
“I think she can win, yes. She’s a strong candidate with the right qualifications. I keep thinking about 2008. John McCain was an old white man – and a war hero. Obama was ‘a skinny black guy with a strange name,’ and he didn’t stand a chance. Until – during the debates – Obama turned out to be much more stable. And we saw that same dynamic during the debate between Trump and Harris. He lost his cool, she kept control. I think to many Americans she came across as ‘Presidential.’”
Can it be dangerous to ridicule Trump? “Definitely. All this satire about Trump has brought him even more attention – and he thrives on that. If you make jokes about him, especially as a politician, you have to make sure they’re lethal. So yes talk about how his crowd sizes are shrinking, or come up with labels like ‘weird’ – which clearly gets under his skin. Now the Democrats are showing how you can use his own weapons against him. And let’s face it: up until now Trump has been uniquely good at using humor to his advantage. The nicknames he’d come up with to trash his opponents were sometimes very effective. But now Trump is failing to make anything stick. While the Democrats are successfully labeling him as petty and ridiculous. I think Trump is losing the humor war.”
You say in the show that you are easily distracted. Is that something you have in common with Trump?
“More accurately, I think it’s like ‘Highly Associative Disorder.’ I’ll start talking about topic A, then make a jump to topic Z – without people following how I got there. Trump has that too, yes. You saw it in the debate with Harris. I think even Trump’s MAGA fans were lost, wondering ‘wait, what? What is he talking about?’”
You also point out the international success of former Boom Chicago colleagues such as Seth Meyers, Jordan Peele and Amber Ruffin. Are you jealous of them?
“I have been jealous, yes of course! In 2001, Seth Meyers was was hired at Saturday Night Live, which is a dream for any American comedian. As a kid, I watched the first generation of SNL comedians, like John Belushi and Gilda Radner, and I wanted to do that too. Now I am doing that – but on a different level. So for my famous former colleagues, I sincerely wish them the best. And, if I’m honest, I once lived in New York, and I recognize that attitude. You have to be super ambitious, you have to be a bit ruthless. I just don’t have that in me. Also, I have to admit I find it difficult to work in a large group, because my brain keeps flying off all over the place.”
In the run-up to the US elections, you’re also making the show Politically Incorrect together with Boom Chicago colleague Pep Rosenfeld. How does that performance differ from Leaving Trumpland 2.0?
With Pep, we focus more on the latest news, and there’s a lot of improvisation. Like we explain how Republicans are already making these preparations to challenge any election result they don’t like. So they’ll lawyer up and take it to the Supreme Court, where six of the nine judges are on Trump’s side. Leaving Trumpland is more about me personally. I tell stories related to politics, topics that are close to my heart.”
There’s the moving story about your stepfather who died of corona.
“That was the reason to make Leaving Trumpland in the first place. I wanted to put it in writing. My stepfather lived in a nursing home in Wisconsin. On July 10, 2020, he got corona, and a week later he was dead. I remember my sister calling, feeling terrible that she hadn’t visited him, because she was following the health and safety guidelines. Meanwhile – though it was a national lockdown – the Republicans ignored the rules, because they said it was about freedom. People were just walking in there unprotected all day long. So no, I can’t prove it, but I’m convinced that’s how my stepfather got corona. I was so upset, and angry. Yes, I like to joke about politics. But suddenly it became personal.”
Greg Shapiro is Back in JFK Magazine – ‘Just for Men’
4 September, 2024
It’s been awhile since I was last in JFK Magazine. I think it was when I hosted Comedy Central news in 2008. But now I’m on tour with my 2024 US election show LEAVING TRUMPLAND 2.0: No Country for Old Men. And they invited me again – for a wonderful photo series, previewing my premiere De Kleine Komedie, Amsterdam! Great interview by head editor Jeroen Jansen. And photos by Martijn Senders. Here are some highlights of the interview:
How do I feel about Kamala Harris versus Donald Trump?
I vacillate between Hope and Horror. But at least it’s not all horror. I start my show by putting my cards on the table: No, I am not a fan of Donald Trump. I love him as a punching bag. But I can’t have him as president again. Still – even if he loses in a landslide – he’ll never go away. Good news for me.
When Joe Biden dropped out, I always thought Kamala Harris was the most logical choice to be the candidate. Yes, I think she can win. I just hope Trump actually shows up to debate her. He will completely fall apart. He’ll have a nuclear meltdown in real time. Great for ratings!
Trump says that Kamala Harris isn’t really black. And maybe he has a point. Compared to Donald Trump, her primary characteristic is not black. It’s that she’s Not Old. She’s Not a Criminal. And she’s Not Weird.
Yes, it’s true. I keep a note in my pocket
for when I bump into Trump supporters. SO I don’t rely on Democrat talking points. These arguments are more effective with Trump supporters. Like “Donald Trump disrespects veterans from the military.” Like “He’s not focused, he brings too much chaos.” And whatever you thought about the election results in 2020, “Trump lost 62 out of 62 court cases challenging those results. He lost the lawsuit about the sexual assault. He lost the lawsuit about doing business in New York. And he lost the lawsuit about stormy Daniels. He’s on a losing streak.”
It’s exciting to say: “Greg Shapiro has 3 new shows coming this fall.”
1. US election solo show NL tour: LEAVING TRUMPLAND
2. US election show at Boom Chicago show – with Pep Rosenfeld: PEP & GREG POLITICALLY INCORRECT
3. Pepijn’s Comedy Club in Den Haag – with International Comedians
1. LEAVING TRUMPLAND: No Country for Old Men
Are you ready for the Post-Trump era? Kamala Harris says “We’re not going back,” and Greg Shapiro says “Leaving Trumpland.” With Biden out of the race, the new theme of the 2024 election is ‘No Country for Old Men.’ Specifically, Old Weird Men. Leaving Trumpland 2.0 is Shapiro’s most brutally honest show yet.
Pep & I have been writing comedy together since 1985. We’ve been doing US Election Specials since 2004. Along the way, Pep has written for Saturday Night Live. I’ve hosted Comedy Central News. And now we host an improvised debate between me as the real Fake Donald Trump – which means Pep has to do a Kamala impression. Politically Incorrect!
‘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
For solo performers, Den Haag’s Pepijn Theater is one of the most beloved spaces in the Netherlands. For two seasons, I’ve been programming and hosting the English edition of Pepijn’s Comedy Club. And this season we’re going monthly! In September, we’ve got the headliner ALINA SHARIPOVA (Russia / Belgium). In October – from the UK – we’ve got RIA LINA (you may know her from BBC’s Live at the Apollo). And in November we’ve got headliner KURIAKOSE VAISIAN (India).
Shapiro Hosts TUDelft Event – 10 years of TU Delft Sports Engineering Institute
On days like these, I love my job.
Just as the Netherlands Olympic team is getting ready for Paris 2024, they celebrated 10 years of help from the TU Delft Sports Engineering Institute. I was brought in to host the 10 year event.
When milliseconds make the difference between Silver and Gold, the Sports Engineering Institute uses high tech innovations to give the Netherlands the advantage. Onstage, I interviewed the head of the TU Delft program to discuss the new prototype Olympic racing bike (warning – brakes not included). (Professor Tim van der Hagen – rector magnificus at TU Delft)
I interviewed the head of the NOC Dutch Olympic Committee about the Dutch love of speed skating. When people say “the Dutch have skating down to a science,” it’s Delft they’re talking about. (Marc van den Tweel – general director at NOC*NSF)
I interviewed the head of the head of the Nationaal Klimaat Platform about how sports innovation helps sustainability. The Netherlands is also known for Olympic sailing – 100% wind power. But the officials’ boats are now being powered by hydrogen fuel cells developed at TU Delft. You may have heard how Paris 2024 wants to be the Greenest Olympics ever. You can thank the Dutchies. (Kees Vendrik – Chairman of Nationaal Klimaat Platform – will dive into the relevance of sports innovation for society.)
Sports Engineering and Baseball
After the plenary session, there was a gallery of sports exhibits, from skating to tennis – even darts. (see Michael van Gerwen, former Dutch World Champion)
My personal favorite sport is baseball. That’s how I grew up. So when I saw the exhibit for baseball pitchers, I had to try it myself.
There’s more and more pressure on young baseball pictures to throw with higher and higher velocity. The result is that many young pitchers blow out their arms and need surgery. But Delft SEI asks, “what if we use sensors to help young arms avoid injury?”
So I gave it a try.. I reached a top speed of 75 miles per hour. If you ever need a quasi-celebrity to throw out your first pitch, I’m available.
Thank you to event organizers JMT Management and to Karsten Stouten for the photos – and video.
And thank you to Ramona and the SEI team for putting glitter tape on my cue cards (blecch)…
…but then handing out top quality schwag: a TU Delft SEI t-shirt. Sports Engineering for Life!
Dutch-American comedian Greg Shapiro (Boom Chicago, BNR, Comedy Central) presents a US Election Special. Kamala Harris says “We’re not going back,” GregShapiro says “Leaving Trumpland.” As Donald Trump continues his campaign in the form of a flameout nervous breakdown, the theme of the 2024 election is ‘No Country for Old Men.’ Specifically, Old Weird Men.
Greg Shapiro is known as the voice of the ‘Netherlands Second’ video from ‘Zondag Met Lubach.’ But now – if Trump wins – will Shapiro ever feel comfortable returning to the country of his birth? Shapirokeeps hearing the question: “don’t you want Trump to be president again?” His answer is the same thing Mark Rutte said to Trump in the White House: “Haha! No.”
Leaving Trumpland2.0 is a mix of standup, cabaret and Trump-inspired improvisation. Shapiro wrote Leaving Trumpland 1.0 in 2020 – during COVID. He argues that a Trump comeback would be about as welcome as COVID 2.0. In Shapiro’s most personal moment, he shares the details of how COVID killed his step-father, due to Trump’s fantasyland followers. Leaving Trumpland 2.0 is Shapiro’s most brutally honest show yet.
Reviews Greg Shapiro LeavingTrumpland 1.0
Due to COVID, not many people saw Leaving Trumpland 1.0. But critics did.
THEATERKRANT – ‘SHARP SATIRE OF TRUMP’S AMERICA’ THEATERPARADIJS – ‘RAZOR SHARP HUMOR WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH’ ARTS TALK MAGAZINE – ‘A VERY SHARP AND DANGEROUS EDGE’
Greg Shapiro is one of the originals at Boom Chicago theater in Amsterdam. He has hosted ‘Comedy Central News’ on ComedyCentralNL, and he has appeared on BNR, BNN-VARA, VPRO & ZDF in Germany. And yes, he is known as the voice of Trump in the ‘Netherlands Second’ viral video with 50 million views. As author, Greg has written books such as How to Be Dutch: the Quiz and his latest The American Netherlander: 25 Years of Expat Tales.
——
Greg Shapiro’s Leaving Trumpland 2.0 is performed in English, with some content in Dutch.
Written and Performed by: Greg Shapiro
Directed by: Michael Diederich.
27 March, 2024 So I was interviewed in the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, about a new proposal for expats to integrate into Dutch culture with the coercion of their employers. At first, it sounds like an unlikely proposal. Who has the time? But when I thought back to my first days in Amsterdam, my Dutch boss had me doing plenty of cultural integration. Thank you to Boom Chicago’s Ms. Saskia Maas.
And look at me now: I am a volunteer for helping garbage collection in my neighborhood. Hey, Expats! If you want to make friends with Dutch folks, first just keep the place clean!
Here are some excerpts from the interview. The link to the full article is below.
(from Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, 27 March, 2024. Translation Google / Shapiro)
‘Expats also need to integrate.’
by Marijn Schrijver
This is what the Amsterdam PvdA (Labor) party proposes. Expats aka ‘Knowledge Migrants’ must learn the language just like other newcomers. Expat expert Greg Shapiro doesn’t think it’s a bad idea at all.
Internationals with high-paying jobs are finding their way to Amsterdam en masse. And they continue to live there longer and longer. As far as PvdA faction leader Lian Heinhuis is concerned, it is time for them to also learn the language, participate in sports or volunteer work and gain knowledge about the history and tradition of Amsterdam. This week she is submitting the initiative proposal ‘Everyone Can Become an Amsterdammer.’
Language
Greg Shapiro jokes: “In the 1990s it was: ‘excuse me, can I order in English?’ Now it’s: No, you have to order in English!” The Boom Chicago comedian is perhaps the city’s best-known expat and author of the book How to Be Dutch: The Quiz. He read the PvdA proposal, and at first he thought: “who has the time for this? Those expats already work full time.” But then he thought about his own experience in Amsterdam in 1994.
“From the start, Saskia Maas (CEO of Boom Chicago) took us to the traditional Dutch brown café, of course a boat tour – and even the sauna. She taught us the basis of Amsterdam culture.” Soon Shapiro was taking language lessons and mingling with ordinary Amsterdammers. “True, I had less experience with volunteer work. But now I have adopted my local garbage container and I think that counts.” This was after seeing how Dutch people would let cardboard pile up in the street next to the container – after removing their address labels.
Culture shock
Shapiro sees the advantages of the proposal. How should expats start with integrating? “For one thing, never be caught bragging about your income. You’re only allowed to brag about how little you paid for something. At a Dutch birthday party, they’ll brag about how cheap the snacks were. ‘Oh, really? do tell!’”
“And arm yourself for Dutch honesty. As I like to say, ‘Dutch directness’ is an indirect way of saying rude.” Shapiro advises expats to embrace the culture shock. “Don’t pull back, lean in!” He remembers when he was new in town and he held the door for a Dutch woman when it was raining. “She looked at me weird and said: ‘we are not going to have sex!’ Here in Amsterdam, the rule is: do your own thing and stay out of my way.”
The comedian understands that Amsterdam residents feel discomfort about rising rents and housing prices. But he warns against generalizations. One expat is not the same as the other. “The word expat has become a dirty word, but sorry there’s been a housing shortage the whole time I’ve been here.” Amsterdam has always been a magnet for immigration. “Certainly since the Spanish Inquisition, Amsterdam has always been accommodating different waves of immigrants. Without those Sephardic Jews, no diamonds… Thank you, Spain!”
Cheese Sandwich
The most important tip from the Expat Expert is indeed to learn a bit of the Dutch language – so that you can truly complain about Amsterdam with fellow Amsterdammers. “That is bonding. ‘The weather app said it wasn’t going to rain, and then it rained on me! And the bridge was up, like it always is. And it’s cold, and I had to bike against the wind, and the street is under construction again. It’s the worst!’ And – if you do it in Dutch – that’s the moment Amsterdammers will welcome you and say ‘Yes, you are one of us.’”
Just like previous groups of immigrants, expats will also no doubt leave their mark on the city. Shapiro points to Boom Chicago’s influence on the Dutch comedy scene. “Without Boom Chicago, there would be no De Lamas,” he proudly points out. At the moment, he sees that there is huge wave of expats from India, who are bringing a lot of comedy talent with them. “Some of them are really funny. It’s nice.”
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.
I 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.
