interviewOn Prime Video is killer camp started, a horror reality program inwhich eleven influencers participate. Call it a mix of Expedition Robinson,The Traitors and an eighties horror film”, says comedian Ruud Smulders,presenter annex ‘camp leader’. “But it is above all something completelyunique.”
It’s called ‘Camp Water Joy’. A summer camp in a forest by a lake. Elevenyoungsters play games, laugh, talk and sit by the campfire in the evenings.Yet there is enormous tension, because here in the forest there is also a’murderer’. And the leadership is in the hands of a creepy camp leader,Smulders.
killer camp what kind of program is this?
Smulders: ,,Well, it almost feels like a parody of all those whodunit realityprograms. This is Expedition Robinson meets The traitors meets an eightieshorror film. Like Halloween or Friday the thirteenth.”
But is it real or is it acting?
,,Eleven candidates are at a camp, where they have to do all kinds ofactivities to earn money for a pot. One of them directs a killer – handymanBoris – who springs into action at night and brutally kills a candidate.”
But not really…
“It’s part reality, they really have to play those games and they really don’tknow who gets killed at night. But the candidate who comes to his end does actin a spectacular final scene. A small part in that slasher horror movie.scream 4 say. I’m presenting it, but if I had been a candidate, I would havewanted to die in the fattest murder.”
You play the role of a creepy camp leader in red tracksuit with scarystories by the campfire.
“Candidates hung on my every word at the campfire. Also because of course theywere very curious: who is being killed? As the days went by, it got more andmore exciting. At campfire four you really felt it. Like: oh yeah, we’re stillmaking a program, but we find this all so exciting and intense. Deep in thewoods, another scary story and who is that killer?”
Scene from Killer camp. © Amazon Prime
You could even have been that killer, even if you look dubious as apresenter…
“I believe I was cast for that. Skyhigh TV, the producer, remembered me fromthe program scum test. The editor-in-chief called and said, “I’ve got theperfect part for you. A kind of schizophrenic presenter who is above all morescary than fun’. From asshole test they knew: there is something wrong withthat boy. Haha, can’t help but lead a camp where teenagers are slaughtered.This is a role made for me. Unreliable, crazy, then you seem to come to me.And who knows, during the episodes it may turn out that I have something to dowith the killer, but of course I can’t say anything about that.”
Don’t you regret that killer camp is broadcast on Prime Video and not onlinear TV, for example at the NPO, RTL or SBS 6?
“I think linear TV would never have dared to take these risks. They wouldnever have gone for such a new cast (see the photo below, ed.). Never for suchradical endings every time. And to be quite honest, they might never have gonefor me either. Linear TV is a household name pool thing after all.”
You are a comedian, what are your plans for the coming period?
,,I am writing and trying out for a new show that I will be touring fromSeptember next year. What I’m working on now is a satirical podcast withAndries Tunru and Stefan Hendrikx. If you men from the radio know, this is’Guys of the Podcast’. New generation, same ridiculousness. Three improvisingcomedians performing a skit. A daily comedy snack of three to seven minutes.”