Youp van 't Hek
Dutch comedian
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Key Takeaways
- Joseph Jacobus Maria " Youp " van 't Hek (born 28 February 1954) is a Dutch author, columnist, singer-songwriter, playwright, critic and former comedian.
- In 1973 he changed his name from Joep to Youp.
- In the early 1980s, Cabaret NAR's success declined and Van 't Hek moved on as a solo artist.
- His energetic performance made him a household name overnight.
- As a result sales plummeted and the brand was eventually withdrawn from the market.
Joseph Jacobus Maria "Youp" van 't Hek (born 28 February 1954) is a Dutch author, columnist, singer-songwriter, playwright, critic and former comedian.
Biography
Van 't Hek was born and raised in the Gooi, an upper-class region to the southeast of Amsterdam. In 1973 he changed his name from Joep to Youp. He was one of the founding members of Cabaret NAR (Cabaret Jester). In the early 1980s, Cabaret NAR's success declined and Van 't Hek moved on as a solo artist. His big break came in 1983 on KRO's De alles is anders-show. His energetic performance made him a household name overnight.
In his 1989 "oudejaarsconference" (end-of-year show), he ridiculed Buckler, a low-alcohol beer brewed by Heineken. As a result sales plummeted and the brand was eventually withdrawn from the market. Van 't Hek has often cited this as the best joke in his career and has subsequently referred to it in all his retrospective shows.
In 2021, Van 't Hek announced that he would stop as a comedian in 2024, when he turned 70 and had been a comedian for 50 years. The tour of his last show started in 2021. On May 25, 2024, he gave his last performance in the Carré theater in Amsterdam. On June 1, 2024, his last show was broadcast by BNNVARA, which was watched by 2.3 million people.
Van 't Hek is the brother of field hockey international Tom van 't Hek.
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