We didn’t say last names. Candidate for the legislative elections in the 6th district of the North, Jimi Erotico was, until a week ago, unknown to the media and the general public. This is no longer the case today and probably not for the reasons he hoped. After he posted his campaign poster on X, Jimi Erotico was overwhelmed with comments from Internet users seeing in his surname a pseudonym of a porn actor. He enjoys it and enjoys the buzz.
We’re not going to lie to each other, we had a little smirk when we saw for the first time the poster of Jimi Erotico, who happens to be the LR candidate (without Ciotti) in our constituency. And the story would have ended there if he hadn’t broken the Internets by publishing this same poster on X. A bit like in 2017, with the candidate Anne Trotreau, his original last name earned him virality that he didn’t expect. “I was very surprised to see this excitement, especially since it didn’t start right away,” explains to 20 minutes the candidate. An hour after his post, he saw “notifications explode”.
“Text “Dissolution” to 81212”
Some Internet users criticize him for using the LR logo, others for supporting Xavier Bertrand. But the bulk of the comments had something else as their target. “When times are hard, Erotico can count on Samain [le suppléant] », “Jimi Erotico is your real name? », “Is this a real candidate? I’m dead”, “And his replacement is Rocco Siffredi”… Surprised, certainly, but not panicked, Jimi Erotico even has his favorite comment: “You’re looking for hot candidates, send ‘Dissolution’ to 81212”.
“When people laugh at my name, it makes me smile and at the same time, if it can help spread my ideas, so much the better,” admits Jimi Erotico, pragmatically. Because at 25, the candidate hopes to take back the constituency from the presidential party and this very unintentional publicity stunt could ultimately pay off. “My tweet alone has been seen more than three million times,” he rejoices. Moreover, on Saturday, while towing a clearance sale, Jimi Erotico was catcalled by a fan who recognized him thanks to his new media fame. “It’s unexpected visibility for a first candidacy,” he admits.
Because he’s like that, Jimi Erotico has more fun than he gets offended by jokes about his name. Even the publications of the X account “young people with Erotico”, created by a certain Jacquie and a certain Michel, make him laugh. “I continue my publications, if they work thanks to the Twitter algorithm and the push of people, that’s very good. »