The actor and comedian Gad Elmaleh was chosen by the courts to buy the business of the emblematic Parisian cabaret “Chez Michou”, in liquidation, according to the judgment consulted Tuesday by AFP.
By taking over this iconic place in Montmartre, Gad Elmaleh “will make it a place of comedy and humor, while keeping the soul of the place”, explained the actor’s communications department, which however did not buy the “Chez Michou” brand.
The founder of the establishment, nicknamed Michou, died at the beginning of 2020. The transformist cabaret then experienced financial difficulties and was put into liquidation in mid-July.
“It will no longer be called At Michou »
Gad Elmaleh, 53, was chosen by the Paris commercial court to take over the premises, closed since the end of June before their 68th birthday, and whose 23 employees were dismissed.
For Catherine Catty-Jacquart, Michou’s niece, “Gad Elmaleh will continue to bring life to 80 rue des Martyrs, which has fallen into good hands, as Michou would have liked. We would have been unfortunate if the place became anything other than a cabaret. It won’t be called anymore Chez Michoubut Gad is going to make it a very beautiful place. It’s a very good thing to turn the page, by taking a turn. »
The iconic transformist cabaret, a legend of Parisian nights since 1956, was placed in liquidation by the Paris commercial court last July. In difficulty since the death of the founder in January 2020, the cabaret had stopped paying since the end of June.
In his memoirs published in 2017, Michou expressed his wish that his cabaret would not survive him. “I want this house to disappear with me. It may seem pretentious but the cabaret will not survive me,” he assured.
Elmaleh’s music, invested in dance by stand-up
By purchasing a place dedicated to humor, Gad Elmaleh joins the long list of comedians to have a comedy club in Paris. This is the case of Fary (“Madame Sarfati”, in the 1st arrondissement), Kev Adams (“the Fridge” in the 2nd) and even Baptiste Lecaplain (“the Joke”, 4th). The director of “Coco” is above all one of the rare stand-up heavyweights to rub shoulders almost daily with the younger generation in these comedy sets organized in small rooms. He notably has his regulars in Paris at the Paname Art Café (Xe), a famous comedy club which is among the pioneers of the genre.
This acquisition also shows to what extent the 53-year-old artist wishes to establish himself in the institutional landscape of French-speaking laughter. The one who is preparing to celebrate his 30 years of career next December in Montreal, where the Moroccan-Canadian comedian began, announced last June the launch of another major project: a new international festival of comedy which will be held in Nice in October 2025. Event that he will organize hand in hand with Grégoire Furrer, Swiss boss of the Montreux Comedy Festival.
