The atmosphere was tense on the set of BFMTV. This Tuesday, October 29, Benjamin Duhamel had the opportunity to have a telephone interview with Yassine Belattar so that the latter could explain the controversy to which he is the subject. The presence of the comedian in Emmanuel Macron's delegation for the President of the Republic's state trip to Morocco has indeed sparked numerous controversies. From the first seconds of the interview, the two men argued when the journalist introduced his guest: “You are a comedian, some say controversial, notably highlighting your participation in a demonstration with the CCIF (Collective against Islamophobia in France) in 2019. You also hosted a gala dinner in 2015 for this Islamist association, now dissolved. . Some also highlight your four-month suspended prison sentence for death threats.“
Heated exchanges between Yassine Belattar and Benjamin Duhamel
An introduction that was far from being to Yassine Belattar's taste: “You came to see me as a comedian, and not as an imam or Islamist.” “That's to say ? I came to see you as a comedian?“, retorts Benjamin Duhamel, before his guest adds: “You came to see my show.“The presenter of BFMTV then made a clarification: “So you are referring to the fact that a year ago, I invited you to this set, on the occasion of another controversy which related to the fact that you had met advisors to the President of the Republic and that certain had seen it in some way as a harbinger of Emmanuel Macron's refusal to participate in the march against anti-Semitism. I invited you to this same set one Sunday evening and you made it a condition that I come to see you and I actually came to see your show. The question I am asking is about the feeling we have that the Élysée does not accept the fact that you were part of this delegation.“
Annoyed by the controversy by which he is targeted, Yassine Belattar lost his temper by accusing the continuous news channel: “That's not the problem! It is you who do not accept the idea of seeing people called Yassine Belattar or any other sounding name being anything other than targets and being eliminated from public debate.“De son côté, Benjamin Duhamel tries to mener son interview: “There is no desire on my part to target anyone. I add that in this delegation, there are Jamel Debbouze and Tahar Ben Jelloun. Both are Franco-Moroccan and there is no this type of controversy. How do you explain the fact that the Elysée seems uncomfortable with communicating about your presence in this state visit?“
“Take advantage because you have changed bosses!“, outbid Yassine Belattar in reference to the recent acquisition of BFMTV. “Enjoy becoming a journalist in your own right and when you have a source, you identify it!” “What are you implying?“, replies Benjamin Duhamel, taken to task by his interlocutor: “When you cite sources, someone says, 'We don't subscribe to his ideas.' I ask you to give me an idea that I have public where I could be affiliated in some way with radical Islam!“
“Don't take me for an idiot…“
“I did not use the terms radical Islamist“Benjamin Duhamel corrects.”I made the link between the CCIF, an event in which you participated…“, he tried to justify, before being cut off by Yassine Belattar: “But I'm not part of the CCIF! I've been doing this job for 20 years. Your little world of editorialists, presenters or quasi-journalists has never accepted the idea that people like me are liberated from coming to see you on a TV set to tell jokes. We have other ambitions and recognition in this country for our activities. Stop talking to me about the CCIF! Yes, I organized a demonstration against Islamophobia in France. It bothers you, I know you don't have an audience without Islam…“Benjamin Duhamel ended up losing patience:”We stop the ad hominem attacks to try to have an exchange!“To which Yassine Belattar replied:”You must be a great guy outside, but don't take me for an idiot…“
