Everything and a little anything. This is how we could summarize, without disrespect, Philippe Geluck’s new book. Pushed behind the back by the success of similar books, like a Geluck lets go or a Geluck loses his temperhe undertakes to entrust, in It’s all true very disparate memories, both from his personal life (for example married) and from his professional experiences – as a cartoonist, columnist or TV host. We discussed it openly with him. And inevitably, it went in all directions. It’s clever.
“In my previous book, and in a chapter already entitled It’s all true, I told how my grandmother had bombed a factory in Germany. I wanted to tell a whole bunch of other things, some anecdotal, others less so, before forgetting them. My memories? No, that would be a bit pretentious. It’s just my life and my stuff.”
“I’ve been working for over 50 years, and it’s true that a lot of parameters have changed. You talk about gallantry, which I am sometimes criticized for, as I tell in the book: not long ago, I gave up my place to a lady of a certain age at a taxi rank. She asks me: “But why are you doing that?” I told him, “Let’s call it gallantry.” She replied: “Oh, it still exists, what good news!” I was raised with these good manners, namely letting women pass, of course, but not only. For women, we call it gallantry, and for men, courtesy. It’s the same approach, and it annoys me a little that it becomes suspicious, when it’s just a little old-fashioned.“
“It’s certain that I don’t speak the language of young people, but I realize that the Cat continues to speak to the coming generations. And it fills me with happiness. I have young readers, aged 10, 12, who come to tell me that they read my albums and love them. That must be a good sign, it means it’s lasting over the years. In the same vein, I have already received a testimony from parents of an autistic child who told me that the Cat was his only window on the world. And these are rewards that surpass everything else.“
“If it makes me laugh? Don’t get me started on that… (he smiles) How to say? The Big Cactuss, I’m not looking at it, already. But I find that when they exaggerate, they are right. In humor, we are always on a tightrope. Because we take risks. It’s a very cruel profession: someone who is on stage and who doesn’t make you laugh, it’s tragic. More than in any other art, it is the reaction that counts. In painting or music, it’s the thrill we feel. And in humor, it’s laughter. When it works, people laugh and people understand that it’s for laughs. When it doesn’t work, it’s either because it’s not funny or because there’s discomfort. But when it’s funny, I think there’s never any discomfort.“
“It’s true, I’m talking about one of my childhood sweethearts, but my wife didn’t learn anything, she always knew, I swear (he laughs) ! When we met, we went out a lot and I remember running into exes of mine every time – and not ugly ones, believe me. At one point, she said to herself: ”But wait, what is this guy?” However, once I knew her, there were no others. I’m talking here about the one who came to knock on my door to tell me that that’s it, she was ”ready”. But there was another who called me to offer to spend a week with her in a house in Sicily. And I refused because, as I told him, I had just met the love of my life. It still does, and it’s been 48 years. So things can last.”
“When I stopped acting, the profession didn’t keep me, it was a sign (he laughs). I wasn’t made for that: when I was 13-14 years old, and I saw plays by Marivaux, with pretty actresses, I told myself that one day, I too could practice this profession, the see them up close, hold them in my arms. And that’s really why I started this job. And… it was a very bad reason, of course (he laughs again).”
“Look, I had the chance to visit the site two weeks ago and things are progressing. Finally, I think we’re going to be close to the tramway in Liège since that’s it, the building is under construction, and we will therefore be able to become tenants in two years. I think we could open it in 2027.”
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