column. Geert Host: “Dani Verstraeten is one of the few Flemish people to have been awarded the honorary title ‘Perfect Son-in-Law’” | All this one week at a time

The news started last week with the difference between white and brown eggs. I thought it couldn’t be true that Danny Verstraeten’s Cobain would have to talk about something so stupid during his final broadcast! But it could be worse. It was about Pee artist Van Quickenborn playing guitar for the Minister of Justice. The beloved newsreader began with a bawdy black-and-white video of a group of drunken 50-year-olds. During his career, Verstraeten sat at the table with President Bill Clinton. He spoke with greats like Jean Gambon and Jean Beaumans. So he interviewed everyone and everyone and concluded his conversation with young Burke.

Danny Verstraeten retires. In 35 years, he has presented live news more than 10,000 times. It is the reason for the collapse of the Vilvoorde Bridge. So the VTM news service had to move from Vilvoorde to Antwerp! For the rest, only the positive things in his career. He is one of the few Flemish people who received the honorary title “Perfect Son-in-Law”. It is an award he shares with Luc Abremont, Bart Kyle, Joe de Porter, Johan Verstrix and singer Christophe and Janie Kazaltzis.

Danny always looked good. In the morning, he styled his hair, put on a new shirt and suit, and was ready for the day. This was the difference with his colleagues at VRT. They come from home, straight from the couch they slept on, to the studio with a t-shirt, running shoes and gymnastics shoes. There was a fashion brand in the credits. Because of thrift, VRT now buys clothes from a thrift store.

Danny once admitted to me that he had never applied for a job in his life. I was laughing: “That’s right, you never worked either.” Because the news reader wakes up in the morning and seizes his day. The news will come naturally anyway. Danny went to his office and got coffee from the machine. He read “Het Laatste Nieuws” and then narrated it several times on television, at one o’clock in the afternoon and at seven o’clock in the evening. It was enough for him to read the headlines with half an eye. Details came from the reporter on the spot or from a guest in the studio. However you have to do it. Accurate, correct and fun. It was not discussed and therefore was not the subject of the news itself. It was true that he was once honored with a “Thank you Danny.”

But what I’m wondering is: Does van Quickenborn have a white egg or a brown egg?

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