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A commercial during the Superbowl in 2008
cost USD 2.6 million for a 30 second spot, being broadcast to some 90
million viewers. In my case, I was to
be interviewed for 4 minutes (!) in front of 220 million households! USD
100 million by wearing their cap or have their name on my T-shirt.
However, everybody focused on Obama
and his victory and nobody really believed that I would be on Prime Time
CNN. In a delusive mood I did bring
some stroopwafels from
So here I was, deadly nervous, awaiting the
call from the producer to come forwards to the camera. I was trying to
kill my nerves by drinking a few beers in the nearby Amigos restaurant. I
had to go to the toilet about every 10 minutes. I cowardly asked again if
it was not possible to do the recording on forehand. Damn, the whole world
was watching! The producer, a friendly lady from the Philippines, waved my
suggestion away. “You will be fine! Your anchor Jim Clooney is a very easy
going interviewer”, she assured me. I felt like a child going to the
dentist for pulling 10 wisdom teeth. Funny how often these reporters
mentioned that silly word 'anchor'. It sounded to me
Then, the producer called me. I walked
forward and wanted to settle myself on the chair in front of the camera,
but there was something wrong. The technical guys were panicking over a
few computers, pulling on different cables. The producer was talking on
two mobile phones at the same time, probably with the HK studio. The
cameraman gave me a wink and whispered: “You might be lucky after all”.
The producer came towards me and started to apologize with the look of a
wounded puppy. “We cannot keep a stable satellite connection. The signal
has dropped again. I don't want to take the risk. There is an overload...”
She In the taxi to BuGils I received the messages from friends and family asking again what time it would be on. Some of them had been waiting for hours in front of the TV. I turned the phone off. I noticed that I still had the chocolate covered waffle in my pocket. I offered it to the taxi driver who ate it instantly. “Bagus! Enak!” he lifted the cookie gratefully in my direction. “Apa namanya?” he asked. I explained him in full what a stroopwaffle is all about. The history, the ingredients, the name. He was impressed. That driver was the best anchor I have ever met....
BARTELE
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The
CNN crew was setting up the camera and frantically trying to get a
connection with the satellite. More and more people entered the Bellagio
Mall, but luckily I was not to be interviewed in front of the crowd, but
in an offside corner of the mall. The idea to open a Sweet Home Obama bar
in the Menteng house where Obama had lived in the early seventies had
brought me in the headlines of world, and this live interview on CNN would
be the ultimate climax of that silly
idea. 
our own Aaltje Bakery and wanted to show the
waffles, that by now I renamed the 'Barack Bites', in the interview. It
would show all the big brands that they missed their chance. Aaltje Bakery
was going to conquer the world! 
that according to
them that because he was an 'anchor', everything would be alright. I was
not so sure. The producer quickly went through the questions one more
time, but the noise of the partying crowd became louder and louder and I
had trouble hearing her. She pointed at the device at my hip. I could
increase the volume. She looked at her watch. “Stay around now. Ten more
minutes to go!” I quickly went to bar and lifted two shots of tequila. It
helped. I quickly send one more text message to my parents that it could
be any moment now. I felt in my pocket. The Barack Bites stroopwafel, half
natural, half covered in chocolate, was still there, ready to be
introduced to the world... 
suggested to HK to do the interview over the phone, but the 'anchor'
in HK refused. It was all over. “Never ever again will I be that close to
worldwide recognition for my stroopwaffles”, I mumbled. “Sorry? What? We
are really sorry...Can I offer you a drink?”, the friendly CNN staff
asked. I refused. I just wanted to go away from it all. I wanted to go to
BuGils. It had been a bad day. The old man had died. I lost my credibility
to a lot of friends and the waffle was still in my pocket.
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