Guillaume Meurice, suspended by Radio France, still heard on Charline Vanhoenacker’s show

MEDIA – A snub to management. In his show Great Sunday evening on France Inter, Charline Vanhoenacker chose laughter and freedom of expression to discuss the dismissal of her colleague Guillaume Meurice, this Sunday, May 5. She thus gave him her support by circumventing, slowly but surely, the rules imposed by Radio Francegoing so far as to let the voice of the comedian be heard.

Guillaume Meurice had in fact announced this Thursday that he would not be present during the next two broadcasts of the Great Sunday evening. The columnist was suspended by the radio’s management pending a possible sanction which could go as far as dismissal, 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 foreskin ».

This layoff aroused the concern of many personalities regarding respect for freedom of expression and caricature by the public service. Sunday’s show, the first without the comedian, was therefore eagerly awaited. Here is what was said.

• Guillaume Meurice (almost) heard in the show

“When it comes to freedom of expression, even if we have to go onto the field on one leg and blindfolded, we’re going to play it this match”, promised Charline Vanhoenacker at the start of the show. “ Solidarity still exists, and it’s the best defense”she added.

In the name of this solidarity, another comedian from the troupe, Aymeric Lompret, replaced Guillaume Meurice. Charline Vanhoenacker then explained: “ We have the sounds of Guillaume’s report. (…) We decided, and I validated because I have the authority — you saw it –, to entrust these sounds to Aymeric so that he can make a little of them. investigative comedy ».

Guillaume Meurice’s column was thus not deleted but simply read by Aymeric Lompret. The sidewalk microphone excerpts and the comedian’s interventions recorded on the ground in advance were broadcast, thus circumventing management’s sanction. Part of the show widely applauded by the public.

• A seat intentionally left empty in the studio

In the studio, Guillaume Meurice’s usual place was symbolically left empty. “He has no right to be with us this evening, Inter sent him to boarding school to get him back on the right path”quipped Charline Vanhoenacker to the attention of her listeners.

“Some of you are wondering why we are not on strike. We are specialists in strikes, we have done them all for ten years and we know the rules: five days’ notice to Radio France. You wouldn’t want us to become outlaws as well? »she added.

“As the far right has decided to silence us this evening, we are not going to give them this pleasure”continued the host, reserving several barbs for the public group. “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”she said.

• Djamil Le Shlag announces leaving France Inter

The strongest sign of support goes to comedian Djamil Le Shlag. The latter repeated on the air the words of Guillaume Meurice at the origin of his dismissal, before announcing live that he was slamming the door of the station. “Personally, I don’t see what’s shocking about comparing Netanyahu to a kind 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 layoff? Personally, I am an Arab in France, I have always been threatened with being fired. (…) I draw conclusions by retiring from public service after the show, it was my last column. (…) In this station, I no longer feel in my “safe space””. Charline Vanhoenacker greeted him a little later in the show.

Guillaume Meurice had already received a warning in November from the management of Radio France, which he contested before the industrial tribunal.

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