Comedian Yann Lambiel focuses on human values that are close to his heart, such as respect for the opinions of others and kindness. He regrets the world of criticism in which we live and the sweeping judgments, often cowardly released on social networks. As for disappointments, Yann leaves them behind and moves forward! But like a self-respecting Valaisan, he can be resentful. Today, he says thank you to his wife, Sonia, to his parents, to life, to luck!
You are in Vevey from November 1 to December 28, then in Fribourg, with an inventive and original idea as part of Kubus…
I always really want to surprise people. I’m too afraid they’ll be bored. My show is a bit rock’n’roll. An incredible 360-degree visual immersion in Kubus, a large cube that accommodates 178 spectators. My base turns, the spectator chairs turn. Everything is moving! Alive and new. The theme of my show: connected. At 50, I feel both abandoned and dependent on social media. I tried to analyze the phenomenon and I made a performance of it. It’s a subject that speaks to everyone.
At 50, what do you expect from life today?
I want to enjoy life more! The warnings light up. With a message: live every moment. Before, I only thought of one thing: the day of the premiere. Without savoring each step of the creation of the show.
What action would you be most proud of?
I am proud of my son. He is 16 and a half years old. And happy that life allowed me to meet my wife, Sonia. I was 20 when I saw her walk past me. She was a maid of honor and paraded in front of a marching band. Something incredible, weird, happened. As soon as I was in front of her, I lost my composure, I couldn’t put two sentences together, I turned red as a peony, I shook. And every time I saw him, it was the same thing. This little cinema lasted a year. One day, I was finally able to talk to him normally. Our story began. For her, it was a little parenthesis, a flirtation; for me, the love of my life. She was 19, I was 21. This has been going on for thirty years and without her I would never have had this career. She is my driving force. She encourages me, motivates me, gets me back on track, reframes me, if necessary. When you are an artist, you have to be able to count on emotional solidity at home.
It is better to have remorse than regrets, they say… what would yours be?
I have no remorse, but I regret not going to England to improve my English. I also wanted to play guitar and piano. But hey… if I had gone abroad, I would not have known my wife and my life would have taken a different turn. So, all is well in the best of all possible worlds.
What values have always been close to your heart?
Respect for the opinions of others and kindness. We live in a world of criticism and judgment often dropped anonymously on social media.
Have you experienced major heartbreak?
I lost a close friend, my former manager, Pierre-Alain, in 2008. At 44, he had a stroke a few days before the show he was producing in the Martigny arenas. He had included a large number of amateurs in the performance. We were left with this immense spectacle on our hands. The situation was lunar. But the show took place.
Tell us about your philosophy of life…
What seems important philosophically speaking are the projects. My father, 80 years old, in great shape, thinks of his pétanque and his garden. Simple projects, but which liven it up and keep it going. I too embraced a new project. At 50, I started sport. If I wanted to continue jumping and performing on stage, it became essential that I take care of my physical health. I do CrossFit. The exercises are varied. I can combine my concern for independence and the group.
What was the hardest test of your life?
I admit to having been quite spare and lucky, but you never know what life has in store for you.
Do you feel like you’re an ambitious artist?
Yes, I am ambitious. I never stop surprising my audience, with the desire to always do better and in a different way. On the other hand, I am aware of my limits. I did not seek a career abroad. When I tried to make one or two attempts, the warnings came on. Obviously, it is in my environment, at home, that I can live my passion. I have all the advantages of fame without the disadvantages. A small world star with the same experiences, TV shows, radio, scenes…
What would you do differently looking back?
I only have one regret, not having called a friend before he passed away.
Do you think that success and luck have little to do with it… how do you analyze it after the fact?
I am extremely sensitive to signs. And I’m intuitive. We don’t know why some things happen and others don’t, but I trust life.
Are you a believer?
No, I don’t believe in God. Religion was invented by men to reassure themselves and thus answer existential questions, to give meaning to things that we cannot control.
What has made you cry or made you cry in life?
I can be very cold, but also extremely sensitive. I sometimes cry in my car while listening to a song whose theme touches me deeply. But I try to run away from what causes sadness. People are bombarded by the news with sad things like war, shootings, murders. And they don’t hesitate to binge on Netflix with fake woes. I wonder if ultimately human beings don’t like the dark, the sad.
How could you qualify as a man?
Benevolent, dreamy and “fearful”. I have to fight constantly. I’m uncomfortable alone in a store, a bar, a restaurant, whereas I can be like a fish in water in front of 50,000 people performing. The first time I went on stage at Beausobre in front of 800 people, when they came to greet me, to congratulate me, I hid behind my wife. Unknown Yann is timid, known Yann engages the Lambiel.
What saying would you adopt?
Work as hard as you can, but don’t forget to rest with the same intensity. Anne-Marie Philippe
