The actor and comedian Gad Elmaleh was chosen by the courts to buy the business of “Chez Michou”, a legendary transformist cabaret in Montmartre, in liquidation. The artist is committed to making it a place dedicated to comedy and humor, while respecting the soul of the cabaret created by Michou.
The Paris commercial court has entrusted Gad Elmaleh with the takeover of the “Chez Michou” cabaret, closed since the end of last June after 68 years of activity. The decision comes after several years of financial difficulties for the establishment, placed in compulsory liquidation in mid-July. This takeover, however, excludes the “Chez Michou” brand, which is not part of the transaction.
Michou, the founder of the cabaret and nicknamed the “blue prince of Montmartre”, died at the beginning of 2020. Since then, the cabaret, cradle of Parisian transformism, had struggled to find its audience, weakened by strikes, demonstrations and parking problems , according to the former director of the establishment.
The choice of Gad Elmaleh appears almost natural: the 53-year-old comedian had successfully played the character of “Chouchou”, an exuberant transvestite in the eponymous film released in 2003. The story of “Chouchou” also takes place in largely in a fictional cabaret, the Apocalypse, recalling the atmosphere of “Chez Michou”. For this role, Gad Elmaleh was nominated for a César for best actor.
With this takeover, Gad Elmaleh intends to transform the place into a space dedicated to comedy while preserving its unique character. “It will make it a place of comedy and humor, while keeping the soul of the place”specified its communications department.
The decision was well received by Catherine Catty-Jacquart, Michou’s niece, who sees in Gad Elmaleh the ideal buyer to perpetuate the spirit of 80 rue des Martyrs. “Gad is going to make it a very beautiful place. It’s a very good thing to turn the page, by taking a turn”she said. She added that the family would have been saddened to see the venue transformed into anything other than a cabaret.
Created almost seven decades ago, “Chez Michou” had established itself as a true institution, just like the Moulin Rouge or the Crazy Horse. His transvestite shows, where the “Michettes” imitated stars such as Sylvie Vartan, Annie Girardot, and Johnny Hallyday, left their mark on generations of spectators.
Gad Elmaleh cabaret
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