Peter Pannekoek believes there is “something beautiful about mourning”. He said it Tuesday evening in the AVROTROS program Full halls. Death played a big part for the 36-year-old comedian at a young age, he told presenter Cornald Maas.
Director Jop Pannekoek, Peter’s father, died in 2003 when the comedian was seventeen. Shortly before him he had also lost his childhood friend Jordy (16 years old), who died in an accident.
“Jordy was the defining moment of my life. To see someone die at the age of sixteen is amazing,” said Pannekoek. “Seeing parents lose their child is also sadness beyond belief.”
Pannekoek thinks Jordy’s death helped him somehow deal with his father’s death. “As silly as he is: I thought to myself that my father at least still had a life. Jordy was so young, he wasn’t normal.”
According to Pannekoek, pain is something that is not often talked about. “Even pain has something very beautiful about it,” says the comedian. “It makes it very clear to the world. It makes it very clear what you think matters and what doesn’t. Especially the period after a death like that, no matter how horrible.”
It also helps people make decisions, Pannekoek continues. “You smell better, you see better, everything is super clear. You don’t care about the world anymore; I want to spend my time on that and not that. very nice”.
