“Nazi without foreskin”: live resignation, sidewalk microphone and tribute… the highlights of the show without Guillaume Meurice

“The great Sunday evening”, photograph taken during the broadcast of March 31, 2024. MAXPPP – Hervé KIELWASSER

In the name of freedom of expression, the show this Sunday, May 5, hosted by Charline Vanhoenacker took the form of a tribute to Guillaume Meurice, who usually appears in &quot ;The Great Sunday evening", but from which he was absent due to his suspension.

The affair between comedian Guillaume Meurice and the management of Radio France is not over. This Sunday, May 5, in the program Le Grand Dimanche evening, hosted by Charline Vanhoenacker, was dedicated to Guillaume Meurice.

The latter usually appears on the show, where he hosts a column which takes the form of a humorous sidewalk microphone. This Sunday, his seat was symbolically left empty and the show was particularly anticipated. Here are the highlights to remember.

Djamil Le Shlag slams the door

Also a comedian on "Grand Dimanche Soir", Djamil Le Shlag took up on the air the words of Guillaume Meurice at the origin of his dismissal, before to announce live that he was leaving the station. "Personally, I don't see what's shocking about comparing Netanyahu to a sort of Nazi without a foreskin", he declared, to the applause of the audience.

"I come back to the management of France Inter. Who do you think you're scaring with your threats of dismissal? Personally, I'm an Arab in France, I've always been threatened with being fired. […] I drew conclusions by retiring from public service after the show, it was my last column". Charline Vanhoenacker greeted him a little later in the show.

The sidewalk microphone partly broadcast

Also in the name of this solidarity, another comedian from the troupe, Aymeric Lompret, broadcast excerpts from Guillaume Meurice's humorous sidewalk microphone during a column, thus circumventing the sanction.

"We have the sounds of Guillaume's report. […] We decided, we, and I validated because I have authority – – you saw it – –, to entrust these sounds to Aymeric so that he can make a bit of investigative comedy out of them", justified Charline Vanhoenacker.

"Solidarity still exists"

Charline Vanhoenacker didn't pull any punches either during the show, criticizing France Inter and Radio France on several occasions. She justified the choice not to strike and insisted on the choice of solidarity towards their sidekick Guillaume Meurice.

"By spending more time in HR and the PJ (judicial police) than writing jokes, we will end up agreeing with people who say that public money is poorly spent" ;quot;, she said. "When it comes to freedom of expression, even if it You have to get on the field on one leg and blindfolded, we're going to play this match", she promised. "Solidarity still exists, and it’is the best defense".

Reminder of the facts

Guillaume Meurice was suspended Thursday pending a possible sanction which could go as far as dismissal, four days after having reiterated his controversial remarks about Benjamin Netanyahu made at the end of October, comparing the Israeli leader to a "kind of Nazi but without a foreskin”.

A criminal complaint was filed against him following these comments, accusing him of anti-Semitism, but it was dismissed.

Summoned on May 16, Guillaume Meurice received the support of the editorial staff of France Inter and left-wing leaders, after this dismissal which aroused the concern of many personalities regarding respect for freedom of expression and caricature by the public service.