Gerb de Column Writer: Turven

I stopped at 50. This is really not normal, but I secretly knew it a bit. Other than that I'm normal, but I just had to tally.

For the past three days, I've kept a note on a notepad about how often alcohol was consumed on a television program or in a movie. And trust me, I really don't watch much TV. I wanted to watch the breakfast news on the first 'peat day' and yes: a commercial for 'Eigen Huis en Tuin', concluding with a couple toasting with champagne. The garden is so beautiful, hupsakee that glass in the sky. I'm just having my oatmeal dude. When we got home in the evening, we briefly looked back at 'Palace for a Prikkie'. The residential program with my two friends Frank and Rogier. They even score accessories for the palace to be pimped up with the help of a bottle of bubbles. Every episode again. Of course the glasses went back into the air there too, after the palace was approved by the residents. Fortunately, Rogier regularly indicates in the program that he drinks too much alcohol. Watch a movie after exercise. I put my notepad away, because I chose 'The Hangover'…

Well, shall I stop with my speech? Well go ahead, a few more programs from the past few days: 'First Dates Hotel': very nice date program in which participants eat a bite together. "Let's start with a shot," the boy said to the girl. “Then things will go a little smoother.” Well, of course he's right. We all know that. 'Postponement of Execution': unfortunately, the house was not sold yet. Have a glass of bubbly, because soon you will succeed. The program was not over yet and I already saw Herman den Blijker raising a glass with a colleague chef in his program 'Herman against the rest'. Next month, 'Drunk History', Comedy Central's latest addition, begins. In this series, famous Dutch people are drunk, after which they start teaching history. Yes, you read that right. Let's just say everything for the viewing figures.

Actually it is not normal. All those glasses of alcohol on TV. I don't really make it easy on myself with all that peat of mine. Precisely on the 'peat days' I felt like a glass of wine in front of the TV in the evening. Ten years ago, parliamentary questions were asked by various parties. There was too much drinking on TV and they wanted to do something about it. Research indicated that young people who watched a movie or series that involved a lot of drinking were more likely to also consume an alcoholic drink during the movie. The other group, those who watched a movie or series that did not involve drinking, were less interested in a drink. I could imagine something about that the last few days.

Like I said, I've stopped tallying. The result of my little research is now clear. Fortunately I don't need a glass of wine anymore when I see someone drinking on TV. I even watched 'Gort over de Grens' last night with a delicious cup of tea.