Netherlands Second Tag

October 20, 2020 In Blog

Theater Review Leaving Trumpland

THEATER REVIEW: Leaving Trumpland

‘A Very Sharp and Dangerous Edge’
ArtsTalk Magazine, 14 October 2020

by Michael Hasted
Every serious comedian – I mean the ones with something relevant to say, not those that are not funny – must rub their hands with glee when someone like Donald J. Trump appears on the world stage. Love ‘em or loath ‘em, they are both larger-than-life characters. And they provide unlimited grist to the comedians’ mill.

Greg Shapiro is an American comedian who’s been in Amsterdam and fully assimilated into the Dutch way of life for over 25 years. But like any ex-pat, the ties that bind can never be fully severed. And you can feel his pain and anger at his homeland being brought to its knees by a president who is impossible to respect. And easy to despise and deride. Shapiro has his own personal axe to grind. His stepfather was killed by Covid 19 due, Shapiro believes, to the unwillingness or ineptitude of the Trump administration in taking the pandemic seriously.

Touring During Covid

Shapiro has dined out, professionally, on Trump for more than four years. He’s provided the President’s voice in various venues and scenarios and lampooning him in his numerous stand-up routines. But now it’s only a short time before, hopefully, Trump is ousted. Shapiro is shedding the voice and the jokes. And hopefully, along with the rest of the world, he’s moving on to pastures new. So he and all of us, with any luck, will be leaving Trumpland.

This tour is, perhaps optimistically, a pre-celebration of Trump’s demise. But it has been slightly compromised by the CoronaVirus restrictions. A thirty strong audience in a small club can be intimate and cosy; in a five-hundred-seater theatre where everyone is spread all over the room, it can seem the opposite. Nevertheless, Shapiro is a seasoned pro and he ain’t gonna let a little thing like that throw him.

A Very Sharp and Dangerous Edge

Despite having spent half his life in The Netherlands and having a Dutch family, Shapiro is still unmistakably American. He is almost of the old school, almost a stereotypical American. With his smart suit, Brooks Brothers shirt, neat hair and smooth delivery, one could almost imagine him as a 1950s crooner in a previous incarnation. But despite that, there is a very sharp and dangerous edge to the man. There’s an edge that cuts deep into Dutch and American politics and society, revealing the flaws and eccentricities as well as the myriad things that should be celebrated in both cultures. He has a unique viewpoint from where he can gaze on both sides, subjectively and objectively, all at the same time.

In Leaving Trumpland, Shapiro’s American family no longer asks, “When are you coming home?”, but “Can’t I come with you to the Netherlands?” Shapiro says he has never been so proud to be half-Dutch and that, looking at the current state of the USA, he finally understands the true meaning of gloating.

If you don’t know Greg Shapiro, I would highly recommend you buy yourself a ticket for this current tour. Discover a comedian who is not only very funny but one who applies his unique situation to provide telling insights into life on both side of, as they say, the big pond. It is no longer a case of God Bless America but one of God Help America. And us all, come to that.

http://artstalkmagazine.nl/greg-shapiro-presents-leaving-trumpland-on-tour/

MORE GREG SHAPIRO THEATER AND BOOK REVIEWS :
https://gregshapiro.nl/media/theater-reviews-for-greg-shapiros-latest-shows/

October 3, 2020 In Media

PRESS

Welcome to a gallery of Greg Shapiro press appearances.

Vanity Fair, 2017 – The ‘Netherlands Second’ origin story

De Telegraaf, 2020 for Leaving Trumpland

Greg & Inez in VARA gids, 2020

Het Parool, 2018
‘Boom Chicago Celebrates with a Scarily Real Fake Trump’

Greg & Inez in VARA Gids, 2016

Pep Rosenfeld & Greg Shapiro in Int’l Herald Tribune, 2003

New York Times, 2017 ‘Netherlands Second’ video inspires copycats

Greg Shapiro in De Volkskrant, 2020

Het Parool, 2020 – Op het Klapstoel

Greg Shapiro in Holland Media Combinatie, 2020

Some text:

VANITY FAIR (February, 2017)

‘Meet the Men Trolling Trump in Those Viral European Videos’ – by Hillary Busis

Greg Shapiro and Shaun Streeter have ace Trump impressions—and they’ve been lending them to a variety of European countries.

It took a full five years after George W. Bush’s inauguration for a comedian to utterly rip apart the president with his words. By contrast, the comic outrage inspired by Donald Trump and his White House rogues gallery has been swift, unrelenting, and thoroughly vicious—and U.S.-based comedians aren’t the only ones getting in on the fun.

Shortly after Trump’s inauguration, a Dutch answer to The Daily Show made the new president a pointed welcome video that quickly went viral, inspiring imitators from across Europe, and, eventually, the globe. (Hello, Morocco!) The clips share an impish sensibility, a tagline (“America first; [insert country here] second”), and narration done in the voice of Trump himself. What you may not know is who’s behind said narration: Greg Shapiro, a comedian from Chicago who’s been living in the Netherlands since the mid-90s, did the voice heard in the very first European parody video.

Shapiro European Origin Story

Greg Shapiro is one of the founders of Amsterdam’s Boom Chicago, a comedy theater similar to New York’s Upright Citizens Brigade and Chicago’s Second City. For years, the theater has served as an informal Dutch finishing school for American comedians—including names like Jordan Peele, Ike Barinholtz, and Seth Meyers.

Since making his move across the Atlantic, Shapiro has written books with names like Going Dutch and How to Be Orange; he also hosts a web series called United States of Europe, a satirical take on European current events. Even so, the comedian has never forgotten his American roots. His resume includes Bush-spoofing Boom Chicago shows called Bye Bye Bush and 9/11 Forever—and, of course, that ace Donald Trump impression, which Shapiro is currently showing off in a new Boom show called Angry White Men: Trump Up the Volume.

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/02/donald-trump-trolling-videos-america-first-netherlands-second-greg-shapiro-shaun-streeter

Click here for Greg Shapiro’s column in Hello Zuidas magazine: ‘Green Cred Makes Dutch People Red in the Face.’
https://gregshapiro.nl/blog/green-cred-makes-dutch-red-in-the-face-my-final-column-for-hello-zuidas/

January 24, 2020 In Blog

25 Years in Holland! …Sorry “The Netherlands”

25 Years in Holland! …Sorry: The Netherlands

(As seen in Hello Zuidas, January 2020)

Hoera! I’m celebrating 25 years in Dutch-land / Holland / The Netherlands. When I got here, the country couldn’t make up its mind what to call itself. Interestingly, neither could I. Growing up, my name was “Greg Shore.” That was my step-father’s name. But it was the Dutch who would interrogate me about my authentic name: “What’s your birth name? THAT’S your name!” I grew up thinking Shapiro sounded too Jewish. But Dutch people universally replied “Shapiro: cool name.” What better way to say “welcome?” And my name was not the only one that would change.

Zuidas was not called Zuidas. Was there even a Station Zuid? No. It was Station Zuid WTC. They changed the name somewhere in the early 2000’s. Apparently after 9/11, the term World Trade Center was just not great branding. Zuidas back then was… I don’t really know. Like so many expats when they first arrive, my entire world was pretty much Amsterdam Centrum. Well, Centrum and the Vreemdelingenpolitie in Slotermeer. But soon enough every expat knew WTC as home the Amsterdam Expat Center! Of course, by now they’ve changed their name too. Now it’s IN Amsterdam. I just call it “The Office Formerly Known As ExpatCenter.”

When I came to the Netherlands, the country marketing said “Visit Holland.” The logo of the tourism board was a tulip saying “Welcome to Holland.” And the in-flight KLM magazine was called The Holland Herald. It’s no wonder most people fail to realize the name of the country is The Netherlands. Maybe it’s just too long, too clunky, not great for marketing. But then came a little viral video called “Netherlands Second,” which turned out to be pretty good advertising for this country’s true name. Then came The Netherlands winning Eurovision 2019 – and hosting Eurovision 2020!

And now – for the first time in at least 25 years – the Dutch government is ditching the term Holland and rebranding as The Netherlands. You’re welcome!

December 14, 2019 In Blog

Using Trump to Help Kids in Cages – Shapiro Offers Christmas Trump Voice Message

THE VOICE OF THE ‘NETHERLANDS SECOND’ VIDEO OFFERS CHRISTMAS TRUMP VOICE MESSAGE – FOR A GOOD CAUSE: raices.org.
RAICES. The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, helping the families affected by the Trump Migrant Separation Policy.

I’ve been working on this show called The Madness of King Donald: a Trump Survival Guide. Offering much-needed therapy for folks suffering from Trump Outrage Fatigue. And I’ve discovered the best way to help yourself is to stop focusing on the bully and instead focus more on his victims. What better way to help the migrant kids separated from their families – than to use Trump’s voice against him?

Ever since the ‘Netherlands Second’ video went viral, I’ve been getting requests for Trump Voice Messages. “Can Trump speak my outgoing voicemail?” / “Can Trump insult my boss?” Mostly, I’ve had to say NO, for reasons of exclusivity. But now I’m free to offer you a Trump voice message – for a good cause.
1) Make a donation at raices.org.
2) Send your receipt to gregshapiro.nl + the text you want Trump to say.
3) I send you an mp3 or wav file.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I have all the best ideas. Bigly. So great.

Shapiro is in New York City for 2 more performances of his Trump Survival Guide show:
Sunday Brooklyn Comedy Collective.
Tuesday PIT Loft – The Peoples Improv Theater.

November 13, 2019 In Media

REVIEWS

Book Reviews

‘So funny you’ll hardly be able to put it down’ – I AM EXPAT

‘Chuckle away the hours …plenty of entertainment here ‘ – DutchNews

‘Recommended on all levels’ – ArtsTalk Magazine

Book Review: THE AMERICAN NETHERLANDER
‘Sharp eye for detail …hilarious point of view’
Access Magazine, April 2021
by Giulia Quaresima

“With a sense of humour and sharp eye for detail …this is a good starting point to understanding life in the Netherlands. This book tells the story of Shapiro’s personal cultural adventure and assimilation in the Netherlands. …[it’s] a manual to understand the country, using the author’s personal anecdotes for a subjective and hilarious point of view.

The second part of the book is a Dutch assimilation test. [it’s] a collection of all the questions that should be included in the inburgering exams. According to Shapiro, these reveal more than the exam ever intended.
Give it a try and see how Dutch you are!”
(edited from the original)

For full review, click here:
https://gregshapiro.nl/blog/access-magazine-reviews-greg-shapiros-third-book/

BOOK REVIEW – Greg Shapiro How to Be Orange (Nov., 2013)

‘Humorous, funny, hilarious. Very nice book’
– NBD Biblion Dutch Library Administration

“In 1994, American comedian and columnist Greg Shapiro came to Nederland to perform and write. …He reports having had a bit of culture shock, to say it mildly. In this book, he describes his confrontations with Dutch culture and society. …and how he experiences it as an American Netherlander. This book consists of humorous columns …[and] all elements of Dutch society are thoroughly teased.

He begins with the Dutch identity …and he takes on cheapness, bikes, and our ‘striving’ to be average. …and finally [there’s] a list of questions from the actual Dutch assimilation exam.
Includes funny illustrations and color photos with hilarious observations add value to this very nice book.”
J. Kroes, NBD Biblion Dutch Library Council
(edited from the original)

Theater Reviews

Greg Shapiro Solo Show Review Pullquotes

‘Sharp Satire of America Under Trump’ – Theaterkrant NL

‘A very sharp and dangerous edge’ – ArtsTalk Magazine

‘Razor Sharp Humor with a Personal Touch’ – TheaterParadijs NL

‘Superior Trump Bashing’ Theater review Lock Him Up (Boom Chicago)

FOR REVIEWS OF THE MADNESS OF KING DONALD (2019), CLICK BELOW

Theater Review: LEAVING TRUMPLAND
‘A Very Sharp and Dangerous Edge’
ArtsTalk Magazine, October 2020

by Michael Hasted
Greg Shapiro is an American comedian who’s fully assimilated into the Dutch way of life for over 25 years. But like any ex-pat, the ties that bind can never be fully severed. And you can feel his pain and anger at his homeland being brought to its knees by a president who is impossible to respect.

Despite having spent half his life in The Netherlands and having a Dutch family, Shapiro is still unmistakably American. … there is a very sharp and dangerous edge to the man. He has a unique viewpoint from where he can gaze on both sides, subjectively and objectively, all at the same time.

If you don’t know Greg Shapiro, I would highly recommend you buy yourself a ticket for this current tour.
(edited from the original)

For full review, click here
http://artstalkmagazine.nl/greg-shapiro-presents-leaving-trumpland-on-tour/