Guillaume Meurice titles his column “The great pardon” for his return to the air

FRANCE INTER – His return to the air was particularly anticipated. This Sunday, November 12, Guillaume Meurice delivered a new column on France Inter, two weeks after a joke about Benjamin Netanyahu which earned him accusations of anti-Semitism.

In the show Great Sunday evening on October 29, he suggested a Halloween ” disguise “ of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, “kind of a Nazi but without a foreskin”. His employer had sanctioned him with ” warning “.

Defending himself, he pleaded his right to “excess”which he practiced again this Sunday evening in his mood post, entitled “The Great Forgiveness” (to listen in full by clicking here).

“This column, yeah, I have the impression that it is quite long awaited. We are going to get a good Mediamétrie score, in particular I am thinking of the HR Director of Radio France, who must be listening”he said in the introduction.

Claiming to have received a lot of support, Guillaume Meurice explained: “I couldn’t answer everyone. I was pretty busy. This is what I have in common with the West Bank, by the way.”.

“I also read the constructive remarks following this story of Netanyahu, Nazi, foreskin. I was told: yeah, but Hamas, too, are Nazis without foreskins. Eh yes ! Yes, and I never said the opposite, I even wonder if there is not a problem with this absence of foreskin. It actually annoys them. Because it itches? I don’t know. Undoubtedly an aggravating factor”he continued.

“So obviously I am aware that I shocked a lot of people by comparing a fascist to a Nazi”launched the comedian. “For the sake of appeasement, I propose Netanyahu the Nobel Peace Prize (…) When he has built a parking lot in the Gaza Strip, there will be peace on this land”he quipped.

Charline Vanhoenacker defends her columnist

Guillaume Meurice’s return coincided with the day of marches against anti-Semitism in Paris and other cities in France. The presenter of the comedy show, Charline Vanhoenacker, indicated on the air that two Radio France reporters had had to abandon their coverage of the Paris demonstration for security reasons.

At the start of the show, Guillaume Meurice also joked about his precarious position within public radio. “My badge is still activated, so I’m here”, he said. To a young comedian who came to write a column, he said: “Me, I’m giving up my place. Either way, it won’t be long.”.

Charline Vanhoenacker began in defense of her columnist, who received death threats. “Listen carefully to this silence. It’s the one that sets in after the threats and intimidation against comedians”she said to comment on the absence of the public usually present during the recording.

“In the October 29 show, a joke caused controversy. If this joke shocked you or hurt you or both, if this joke made you laugh, or if you regretted having laughed, if it embarrassed you, divided you, made you think, or if you went through several states to at the same time, well know that it is the same within our team”she continued. “If we are here this evening, it is because we have overcome our differences, and we have confidence in Guillaume”.

“Reducing a joke to what the far right reads of it is a dangerous attempt at intent. Dangerous because some (…) draw a target on the clowns’ foreheads”said the presenter.

Guillaume Meurice also broadcast on the air an insulting message left on his answering machine by a woman who presented herself as Jewish. “I sent you a rather moderate message, so as not to shock you. I will spare you the others who are a little more threatening, I will reserve them for the court”he commented.

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