25 years of funny archives, compromising images, slip of the tongue or memorable gadgets. This Saturday evening, Laurent Ruquier rewinds the TV for 2:30 and blows with his band of troublemakers - Michèle Bernier, Pierre Palmade, Mimie Mathy or Elie Semoun - the 25 candles of "Children of TV", the cult program he has resumed in 2017, after Arthur. He gives us his look on the small screen in 2020 and his projects.
What will this special show look like?
Laurent Ruquier. It will be the first time I have hosted it live. We will obviously see again the images that are part of the history of TV, but also the new ones.
Your parents bought a TV the year you were born in 1963 ...
I'm really a TV kid! I liked the soap operas, the announcers, the programs of Carpentier, Guy Lux and Jacques Martin, Pierre Desproges.
Did a facilitator make you want to do this job?
Philippe Bouvard! I ran in front of his broadcasts, for the insolence that there was not elsewhere.
And what TV consumer are you today?
I continue to watch it, but little. Especially football, live sports competitions, and "The Voice". I became a fan of series on Netflix, "You", "This is us", "La casa de papel" ...
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VIDEO. Laurent Ruquier, new father of "Children of TV" on France 2
What are your TV "pans"?
My first appearance on France 3 Paris-Ile de France, with curly hair, mustache and lisp! Or my disguises at Jacques Martin in "Thus do do do". My worst memory is that day in 2008 when I was mistakenly announced live on France 2 the death of Pascal Sevran. Elkabbach had just said it on Europe 1. Fortunately, I was not responsible.
What is the absolute TV moment for you?
The victories of France in the World Cup of football in 1998 and 2018. It brings together and it marks the memories.
Recently, the Cesar ceremony, marked by the departure of Adèle Haenel, is it a TV moment?
No. It's a little sad to see a ceremony like that. I looked a little, because I wanted to see Florence Foresti, which I found excellent the first 10 minutes. Otherwise, nothing pleased me. The recent image that marks me is the migrants in Lesbos.
Is it depressing on TV?
We are always overreacting to everything, better to take distance.
You host “We're not in bed”, “Children of TV”, “Big Heads”: where do you take the most pleasure?
To the "Big Heads" on the radio. At "ONPC", it is very pleasant to receive guests whose book, film, play, which I have chosen 90%. At the "Children of TV", the atmosphere amuses me, the guests come serenely, while in "ONPC", they are more tense because of the label affixed to the program.
After 30 years of TV, do you have the same freedom of tone?
Everyone self-censors because of social media. It became a sore. I already talked about the dictatorship of Twitter, the only place where people have the right to insult people. While the slightest gap on TV, everyone falls on you. Social networks are doing everything to have a monopoly on freedom of expression.
Do you really censor yourself?
Yes ! The slightest crooked thing will give rise to reactions and reports. How not to take it into account? And it's not because of the chain bosses. But because of the social networks, and the press which took Twitter as AFP agency. Only on stage does freedom really exist.
One of the challenges of TV is to bring young people back to it: do you believe it?
Is it really necessary? Young people watch TV but not on TV, YouTube or social media. It is wrong to say that this is the end of TV. You should be wary of modes, including that of Netflix, where everything is not on the same level.
Has the idea of stopping TV ever crossed your mind or is it an addiction?
I will stop her or she will stop me! In ten years I will no longer be there, that's for sure. I will take stock for my 60th birthday, I still have three years ahead of me.
And what would your life be without TV?
I am happy in other adventures, like on the radio, where you can talk without being seen. I never loved myself physically, it's a cat! And it's not made to work out ... (laughs) I'm lucky to be a theater writer. I'm going to write the rest of the play “I prefer that we stay friends” this summer, and I have plans, among others for a musical.
And would you like to embody a new concept?
There are ideas to find, we are working with the management of France Televisions.
Do you see yourself in a new season of “We're not lying”?
It is too early to tell. We have been announcing that the show has stopped for three years ... At some point, someone will be right!
Do you dread this moment?
No, the stop does not scare me. I've been working with Catherine Barma for 20 years, from “We tried everything” to “We only ask to laugh about it”, we have revealed talents, from Jérémy Ferrari to Kev Adams. "We're not in bed" is in its 14th season. If tomorrow, I am told: "It's over", or if I decide to stop, there will be nothing to be ashamed of. It would not be for audience reasons, because we remain the leader at this time. But I did not make the decision.
M6 makes you foot calls?
No. I read that M6 was doing belly dancing for me. The dancer has a soft belly! My desire is to stay on France Télévisions.
