(Bussum, 1963) as a stand-up comedian, tv maker and writer likes to mop the floor with – in his eyes – often stupid politicians and journalists. In 2009 he began his own talk show with VPRO, Heerlijk, eerlijk Heertje (delicious, honest Heertje). In this programme he showed that many seemingly spontaneous processes in tv programmes are actually precooked. In 1990 Heertje introduced the stand-up comedy in the Netherlands with the launch of the Comedytrain. He is also the initiator of Comedy Café Toomler in Amsterdam. Heertje is especially known as team captain of the tv programme Dit was het Nieuws (the Dutch version of Have I got news for you) cooperating sincs 1995. In addition he writes. He wrote columns and interviews for among others Vrij Nederland, Sportweek, NRC Handelsblad and Het Parool, which were published in book form. In 2009-2010 he made the VPRO programme Wintergasten (Winter guests). Raoul Heertje also performed in foreign comedy clubs and was a guest in various foreign tv programmes, such as Ruby Wax’ show. Right now he is working on a new book Circus Nederland (Circus the Netherlands), on the media and manipulation, which will appear in 2011.

(The Netherlands, 1959) has been writing about the expectations men and women have of each other and of life since her debut novel Bloem (Flower). Her novel Atoomgeheimen (Nuclear Secrets is about intimacy and the loss of ideals. She has been called the chronicler of contemporary womanhood; she explores her themes further in her novels De vertrouweling (The Confidant) and Zachte riten (Soft Rites). Pruis works at De Groene Amsterdammer weekly as a literary editor and columnist, writing essays on topics as diverse as humour, shyness and greed. She received the Jan Hanlo Prize for her collection of essays Kus me, straf me, and the J. Greshoff Prize for essayism with Genoeg nu over mij. For her columns, collected in Oplossingen (Solutions), she received the J. Heldring Prize. In Boos Meisje. Over vrouwen en frictie (Angry Girl. About Women and Friction), she writes about the split in which girls and women find themselves, including portraits of writers she admires such as Renate Rubinstein and Vivian Gornick. Her recently published confrontational novel Huiswerk (Homework) is about white privilege and the tension between employer and employee.

(The Netherlands, 1974) is a poet, writer, actor and director. He made his poetry debut in 2000 with 27 gedichten & Geen lied (27 Poems & No Song). Nasr acts in films and TV series and is a member of the International Theatre Amsterdam ensemble. His stage and screen roles have been awarded multiple times. He also writes theatre pieces, columns, essays and opinon pieces. From 2009 to 2013 he was the Dutch Poet Laureate. In his essay collection De fundamenten (The Fundamentals, 2021), he assesses a corona pandemic-struck nation; Nasr compacter (2021) gathers the best of his poems from a two-decade career. In 2023 he created a series for Dutch TV about objects from his own collections, Dr Nasrs Wunderkammer (Dr. Nasr's Chamber of Wonders).

(1957) is regarded as one of the best trombonists in the world. Wierbos is self-taught, he once started as a player of a wind instrument in a drum band. The unique sound he manages to get out of his trombone can be heard on more than 100 CD’s which earned him various prizes. The highlight in his career was the Boy Edgar award in 1996. Jazz is one of his main passions, but he also likes to play contemporary and improvised music and makes excursions to post-punk. Wierbos toured with various formations throughout Europe, Canada, the US and Asia, but also performs solo. Under the name Wollo’s World he takes part in musical experiments, performing with a tapdancer, among others. His sound can also be heard in numerous theatre and dance performances and tv en film projects. Right now he plays with Misha Mengelberg’s ICP, the Gerry Hemingway Quintet, Franky Douglas Sunchild and Bik Bent Braam.