TV“Difficult. A difficult episode. Very lucky.” Bart Cannaerts, after his sixth victory out of eight participations, was critical of his own performance. It says a lot about newcomer Julie Colpaert and about Lotte Vanwezemael, neither of whom could really threaten Bart for even one second.
The fourteenth chapter in the search for ‘The Very Smartest Man’ was not immediately of a high standard. Rather one to quickly forget. Suddenly the question rounds turned out to be very difficult and the scoring was bad. None of the three candidates managed to reach the 300-second mark. That already says a lot…
Perhaps something had to do with decompression after the passage of Hurricane Prem Radhakishun, which left the other candidates, the studio audience and even Erik Van Looy a bit blank after his rather logical loss. Although there was actor and ever guided projectile Stefaan Degand to quickly fill that void.
It was Julie Colpaert who was given the honor of succeeding Prem. She did that in her own way. Although the shadow of twelve participations, which made her the second best scoring candidate ever in 2018, weighed a bit heavy. There was stress, there were nerves. And of course there was that phenomenon Bart Cannaerts. He couldn’t really make a difference with the ladies during the regular quiz rounds and even lost time during the photo round.
The surprise was in the video round, which for once could not make the difference. None of the three candidates managed to grab a 40 or 50 second bonus. Julie Colpaert still stood her ground with her video about the elimination of Al Quada leader Al-Zawahiri, but nobody knew much about George Michael and Ashleigh Barty. Until the very last fragment for Bart, about the former Australian number 1 in tennis, Lotte and Julie still had the chance to win. They didn’t. And so Bart won, with his heels over the ditch and with a very meager final score.
Fortunately, the ladies afterwards provided a super exciting final. Lotte started perfectly with five correct answers, but then fell completely silent with exactly two correct answers to five questions. Julie could play out with the names of the secretaries-general of the UN, didn’t, but lowered the score very strategically, only to play out smoothly. As far as pure quiz is concerned, a lesser episode, as far as jokes and pranks are concerned, thanks to Stefaan Degand and Barbara Sarafian, still a satisfactory one.
The best quotes
Julie (whether she could become the Smartest Human Being): “No. It was a miracle that I got this far back then. My husband always says I could hide Easter eggs from myself. I forget everything. I have now studied for four days. Too little, too short.”
Lotte (what she expects from Julie): “Spicy woman who knows a lot. And with her job…” To which Degand immediately strikes when Lotte tells that her parents are in the audience. “What was she like as a child? Zozo? What do you mean drink…”
Degand (remarked): “Where is the golden age when Bart presented that quiz…”
Van Looy (about Degand): “You think ‘Prem has gone home, it’s going to be quiet’, but then you get this.”
Degand (about Sarafian): “Easter is coming early this year.” To which Barbara makes it clear that she prefers to have Stefaan ‘under anesthesia’.
Degand (after Erik just says “You can feel me coming already”): “Yeah, but not in my face.” And Sarafian continues “But Erik, I’ve never felt you come.”
Van Looy (letting go): “I once set a Barbie doll on fire. Barbie cue.”
And another tidbit from Julie: “I’ve been addicted to Maltese sweets. A bag of 100 grams every day.”
Gift giving and receiving makes for a hilarious conversation. Bart Cannaerts makes it clear that at Valentine’s Day he gets nothing and gives nothing. “We celebrate love without gifts.” Whereupon Lotte makes it clear that she is single so does not celebrate Valentine’s Day and Julie indicates that she is “not actively participating.” And Degand erupts. “Christmas, New Years, Easter when I’m in shape. And Pentecost. All Saints Day. Armistice, ha… Erik, Armistice, you should do it…”
The quiz gets off to a slow start. The three candidates balance each other out. First with ‘3-6-9’, then through a difficult ‘Open door’.
In the ‘Puzzle’ round, Julie and Bart score quickly and well. Lotte a little less.
The trio starts the photo round as good as ex aequo. Bart takes time with both Julie and Lotte. But he squanders that during his own photo round.
The usually all-dominant round of films is a measure for nothing. Just too difficult. Bart wins, albeit with his heels over the ditch.
In the final, one strategic move by Julie is enough to play Lotte home.
1. Bart Cannaerts 274 sec.
2. Julie Colpaert 266 sec.
3. Lotte Vanwezemael 239 sec.
1. Bart Cannaerts: 8 participations 6 victories 2 finals won
2. Jonas Geirnaert: 5 entries 2 wins 2 finals won 1 final lost
3. Delphine Lecompte: 4 entries 2 wins 1 final won 1 final lost
Jelle Cleymans: 4 participations 2 wins 1 final won 1 final lost
5. Lotte Vanwezemael: 3 participations 1 victory 1 final won 1 final lost
6. Gilles Van Bouwel: 3 participations 2 finals won 1 final lost
7. Eva De Roo: 3 participations 2 finals won 1 final lost
8. Julie Colpaert: 1 participation 1 final won
Thomas Huyghe (31)
Participation 2019
6 entries, 5 wins
The driest TV archivist