Courts have recently had their hands full with Dutch celebrities. The cases surrounding Glennis Grace, Lil Kleine and Danny de Munk could already count on a lot of media attention. Own fault, big bump, many people will think. But the judge does take into account the consequences of the negative publicity for celebrities when imposing a sentence.
In 2016, Dave Roelvink was convicted of illegally selling stolen watches. The Public Prosecution Service demands community service of 240 hours, but the sentence is much lower. The son of singer Dries Roelvink is sentenced to 150 hours of community service. The media attention weighs in on the court’s decision.
The case against Glennis Grace, which revolves around a brawl in a supermarket, also has a reduced sentence due to the negative attention. The court ruled that the singer “appears to have been badly affected by the aftermath” and states that the case has “far-reaching consequences for her normal existence”. She will be given the required two hundred hours of community service, but not the one month suspended prison sentence with a probationary period of two years.
“The fact that great media attention can lead to a reduction of sentences is justified,” says lawyer Richard Korver in conversation with NU.nl. “For well-known Dutch people there are often major adverse consequences. They lose their jobs or their name is dragged through the mud.”
‘Celebrities feel more watched and judged’
“If a teacher is accused of a sex crime, it is understandable that they are no longer allowed to teach. You don’t want to take any risks with that. But in recent years, careers have been quickly brought to a standstill or destroyed under the influence of the cancel culture. I see that especially happening with well-known artists and politicians,” says Korver. “Glennis Grace is ‘branded’ and that also applies to Marco Borsato and Ali B, for example, while the judge has yet to consider the case with the latter two. In fact, we don’t even know if it will come to trial.”
It is precisely this reputational damage that can be very painful, explains Paul van Lange. He is professor of psychology at VU University Amsterdam. “Reputational damage is something that people, well-known or not, find very difficult to deal with. But for well-known Dutch people, this is even more important, because they are recognized and therefore feel more viewed and judged by almost everyone.”
“The fact that so much attention is paid to events from the private lives of celebrities is very human. We have traditionally been interested in gossip. This is partly because we constantly compare ourselves to others,” says Van Lange. “In this way, someone can be a source of inspiration. And when someone else is not doing well, it can be reassuring or make us feel that we are doing better.”
‘Messaging without judging is difficult’
Even before a judge has passed a judgment in a lawsuit involving a celebrity, this has often already happened in talk shows and magazines and on social media. We call this trial by media.
“We see especially in talk shows that the guests at the table speak very visually and with a lot of emotion about, for example, Glennis Grace or Lil Kleine. And that cannot be otherwise, because otherwise such a conversation would be too artificial,” explains Van Lange. “That is different with news reports, which are more factual. But it is almost impossible to stick to facts only, because people want interpretation. Reporting without judging is difficult.”
‘There will always be some reputational damage’
“If someone misbehaves, it will stick around longer than a positive action. All the good you’ve ever done fades into the background,” says the professor. Even if the person turns out to be innocent or not prosecuted, those negative thoughts often stick to him or her.
Last year, a woman reported rape against Danny de Munk. An investigation was launched against the musical star, who herself spoke of “relations by mutual consent”. That investigation was terminated early due to lack of evidence. De Munk is no longer a suspect in the case. But employer RTL previously decided to suspend cooperation with him. In an interview with RTL Boulevard De Munk said he was “really devastated” by the accusations. “My character is broken,” he said in tears.
Is there anything celebrities can do to restore their reputation? “There is always something of reputational damage, but I would advise a discredited celebrity to stay out of the picture for a while. If you return too soon, people link the negative thoughts they have to everything you say or do “, says the professor.
“Celebrities who want to return to the spotlight are better off in a different role. A discredited presenter, such as Matthijs van Nieuwkerk, could, for example, return in a presentation duo. That gives a different picture than we are used to from him Moreover, he is not alone.”
