De Leeuw gained national fame in the late eighties and early nineties with television shows for the public broadcasting company VARA. Though satire was only a part of these shows and much of its humour was essentially harmless he came into publicity with satire about Dutch show business personalities who were often ridiculed.
Besides, many obscure musical acts were featured in his shows, many of which managed to gain national fame after they had been in De Leeuw's programme (e.g. Twarres and AIDS suffering singer Rene Klijn). VARA has since continued his shows apart from a few interruptions, often with considerable success.
In the early nineties, Paul de Leeuw also had some shows celebrating the new year. In the 1993-1994 show he ridiculed the new commercial television channel RTL 5 by announcing another new channel, "RTL 6" (RTL six, beter dan niks (at least better than nothing)). This led to a trial by the RTL company, who demanded that De Leeuw withdraw his joke.
He and his partner, Stephan Nuger, have adopted two children: son Kas (adopted in October 2001) and son Tobey (adopted in December 2002).
Paul de Leeuw has had many hit singles in The Netherlands. He is most famous for: Vlieg met me mee (#2), Ik wil niet dat je liegt / Waarheen, waarvoor (#1), and 'k Heb je lief (#3). Since the beginning of his television and singing career he released albums and singles, always becoming a big success.
In 2006, he recorded the song "Mijn Houten Hart" (My Wooden Heart) with Raffaela, which was later released as a single and peaked at #18 in the Dutch Singles Top 100, becoming one of his smallest hits.
Eurovision Song Contest 2006 incident
De Leeuw is, despite being famous for a long time in the Netherlands, best-known internationally for presenting the results of the Dutch televote in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006. De Leeuw was supposed to present the televote by simply thanking the presenters, performers and fans, before giving the result but instead the openly gay De Leeuw gave his mobile number to the male presenter Sakis Rouvas live on-air, and made other comments which somewhat lengthened the Dutch results.
De Leeuw also made a reference to gay culture when he remarked that Rouvas and his female co-presenter Maria Menounos reminded him of Will & Grace. As the results were live and required for the contest to continue, De Leeuw could not be cut off until he finished giving the voting results.
De Leeuw's actions resulted in negative comments from the commentators, with the BBC's Terry Wogan calling the act "pathetic" and asking "Who selected this eejit?" during the United Kingdom coverage of the contest. Other commentators, like the Portuguese Eladio Climaco, didn't translate properly the gay remarks and said he was saying that they really look like Greeks. Parts of the dialogue were also shown on the German comedy show TV total.
The dialogue between De Leeuw and Rouvas
Rouvas: Hello Netherlands! Paul...
De Leeuw: Hello Greece, kalisperma everybody! [note that sperma means sperm in many languages, at least both in Dutch and Greek]
Rouvas: Kalispera Paul. [kalispera means 'Good evening', which was supposed to be said]
De Leeuw: You look like Will... [stops, likely due to the cheering of the crowd behind him] You look like Will & Grace, you two. So here are the votes, the Dutch votes. Let's come. [In an extremely high tempo] One, Ukreene (sic), two, Russia, Germany, three, Ireland, four, Greece, five, Lithuania, six, Finland, seven points! [resumes normal tempo]] Now the eight points. Are you ready Chaci, tzatziki, cichaci?
Rouvas: Yes, haha.
De Leeuw: Are you ready? Eight points... I like your blouse... The eight points are for Bosnia-Hoshegovina (sic). Yeah.
Rouvas: Bosnie-Herzegovine, huit points.
De Leeuw: Yes, I say. And the ten points, Zhacki, Zhicka, Chucka, are from (sic) Armenia!
Rouvas: Armenie, dix points.
De Leeuw: Ok, and Chacki, do you have my mobile number now or after twelve points?
Rouvas: Give it to me now. I bet it's 69 69 69. [In Greece, mobile numbers always begin with 69, but the rest of the 69's are a sexual innuendo, since Rouvas did not seem to like Paul's lines.]
De Leeuw: Ok, 00... [interrupted by Rouvas' remark] no no no no no... I'm not the French guy! [Probably refers that Rouvas was once interviewed for a French magazine, in which the interviewer assumed that Rouvas was gay and directed his questions accordingly.] Its 00 31 6 24 74 44 32 10 dial 1. Twelve points goes to, I'm very proud to say, Turkey! Twelve points.
Rouvas: Turquie, douze points.
Oog En Oor
Paul de Leeuw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oogkleppen op
Niet te verslaan
'k brand m'n vingers
En gloei van binnen
Nooit verliezen
Maar steeds winnen
En doe nog veel meer
Tuk op victorie
Steeds maar weer
Jeuken m'n vingers
Ben ik buiten zinnen
Nooit verliezen
'k wil steeds maar winnen
En dan dat onbewaakte ogenblik
Een noodkreet van een vriend
Pas op de plaats, op de plaats rust
Er is niets dat mijn geweten sust
Alleen zijn blik, alleen zijn stem
Ik ben oog en oor voor hem
Geen tijd voor een antwoord
Geen tijd voor een vraag
Wat morgen zou moeten
Heb ik liever vandaag
Ik brand m'n vingers
Blijf gloeien van binnen
Ik wil niet verliezen
Maar steeds winnen
Wat wil je me vertellen?
Wat wil je nog meer?
Geen adempauze
Want steeds maar weer
Jeuken m'n vingers
Ben ik buiten zinnen
Nooit verliezen
'k wil steeds winnen
Maar dan die cruciale tegenslag
De noodkreet van een vriend
Pas op de plaats, pas op m'n tellen
Ik weet wat hij me wil vertellen
Alleen zijn blik, alleen zijn stem
Ik ben oog en oor voor hem
Geen droomdebuut
Niet op een draf
Geen trammelant
Oogkleppen af
Ik ben opeens
Opnieuw begonnen
Niks verloren
Zoveel gewonnen
Ik ratel niet, want ik luister
Met argusogen in het duister
Niet meer vragen wat hij me vroeg
Een stille hint is al genoeg
Alleen zijn blik, alleen zijn stem
Ik ben oog en oor voor hem
Ik doe wat mij niet eerder lukte
Dwars door al die kouwe drukte
Vang ik zijn blik, hoor ik zijn stem
Ik ben oog en oor voor hem
The lyrics of Paul de Leeuw's song "Oog En Oor" describe a person who is driven, focused on their goals, and always looking to win. They have their metaphorical blinders on, blocking out distractions and obstacles in their path. The singer burns with a desire for victory, feeling alive with the thrill of competition. They are single-minded and unrelenting in their pursuit of success. However, in the midst of their ambition, they receive a call for help from a friend. This moment of vulnerability and need interrupts the singer's relentless drive, forcing them to pause and reflect. They become "oog en oor", or "eyes and ears", for their friend, setting aside their selfish focus to offer aid and support.
As the song progresses, we see the singer experience setbacks and challenges - described as "crucial setbacks" - but they persevere and ultimately come out on top. The singer listens attentively to their friend, striving to be a better person and overcome their own limitations. They continue to chase victory, but now with a greater sense of humility and perspective.
Overall, "Oog En Oor" is a song about the balance between personal ambition and the importance of compassion and empathy for others. The singer must learn to find success while also being there for their friends and loved ones in their times of need.
Line by Line Meaning
Draaf maar doorrommel maar aan
Keep going, keep messing around
Oogkleppen op
Blinders on
Niet te verslaan
Unbeatable
'k brand m'n vingers
I burn my fingers
En gloei van binnen
And glow from within
Nooit verliezen
Never lose
Maar steeds winnen
But always win
Ik doe m'n ding
I do my thing
En doe nog veel meer
And do much more
Tuk op victorie
Thirsty for victory
Steeds maar weer
Again and again
Jeuken m'n vingers
My fingers itch
Ben ik buiten zinnen
I'm out of my mind
En dan dat onbewaakte ogenblik
And then that unguarded moment
Een noodkreet van een vriend
A cry for help from a friend
Pas op de plaats, op de plaats rust
Stop and take a rest
Er is niets dat mijn geweten sust
There is nothing that comforts my conscience
Alleen zijn blik, alleen zijn stem
Only his gaze, only his voice
Ik ben oog en oor voor hem
I am eyes and ears for him
Geen tijd voor een antwoord
No time for an answer
Geen tijd voor een vraag
No time for a question
Wat morgen zou moeten
What should happen tomorrow
Heb ik liever vandaag
I'd rather have it today
Wat wil je me vertellen?
What do you want to tell me?
Wat wil je nog meer?
What more do you want?
Geen adempauze
No breathing space
Want steeds maar weer
Because again and again
Maar dan die cruciale tegenslag
But then that crucial setback
De noodkreet van een vriend
The cry for help from a friend
Pas op de plaats, pas op m'n tellen
Take a step back, be careful with my steps
Ik weet wat hij me wil vertellen
I know what he wants to tell me
Ik ben opeens
Suddenly I'm
Opnieuw begonnen
Starting over again
Niks verloren
Nothing lost
Zoveel gewonnen
So much gained
Ik ratel niet, want ik luister
I don't chatter, because I listen
Met argusogen in het duister
With vigilant eyes in the dark
Niet meer vragen wat hij me vroeg
No longer asking what he asked me
Een stille hint is al genoeg
A silent hint is enough
Ik doe wat mij niet eerder lukte
I do what I couldn't do before
Dwars door al die kouwe drukte
Through all that fuss and commotion
Vang ik zijn blik, hoor ik zijn stem
I catch his gaze, I hear his voice
Ik ben oog en oor voor hem
I am eyes and ears for him
Contributed by Hudson T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dennis Rijneveen
Lekker Paul 👌