“How do you write the word crack? » As soon as the question is asked, hands frantically press the buzzers and the answers flow. Like every Friday evening, between 15 and 20 people, all fans of the show “Questions for a champion” (QPUC), gathered at the Malerettes chalet in Talence. “This is the maximum, the place could not accommodate more people,” specifies the president of the QPUC Talence club (1), Évelyne Léonet.
If the Monday afternoon slot rather appeals to its retired members, the Friday evening slot is particularly successful this year. “There was a significant contribution to this schedule because many young people registered,” confirms Évelyne Léonet. “There are seven new ones, all young people, the youngest is 17 years old. » Thanks to them, the club has 35 members. “For the first time, we even had to refuse people! »
Among the latest recruits, Oren, 30 years old. “I did a TV game as a duo. The girl with me was very strong, she told me she was part of a QPUC club. » So he wanted to do the same. A member since 2021, Éloïse, 32, wanted to join the club because “I have been watching the game for a long time and I love quizzes”. After participating in “Questions for a Champion” in 2013 for a special high school episode, Valentin, 27, is moving on. Then came across the Twitch channel of the streamer Étoiles, partially devoted to the show, which made him want to join the Talençais club in 2020. “General culture is cool! » exclaims the one who, when younger, “considered it useless”.
“Like on TV”
Obviously, he has changed his mind: Valentin must leave for Paris on January 15 to film a show. “Some have been on TV, but that’s not necessarily the goal for everyone,” explains Évelyne Léonet, specifying that many come above all to have a good time. Within the club, “around ten participated in the show, but the one who was the most successful was Mathieu Robert”. Aged 38, he already has more than ten victories under his belt and participated, on December 31, in the final of the Masters of “Questions for a Champion”, which he lost. “At the time, it was very hard. I think I had my chances,” he confides. He too is a faithful fan of the Friday evening slot, “since 2012, 2013”. “I had participated in the “12 coups de midi” and I wanted to learn more. »
“Some have been on TV, but that’s not necessarily the goal for everyone”
Throughout the evening, the members of the club play “nine to ten games, depending on the difficulty of the questions,” continues Évelyne Léonet. All in three stages, “like on TV”: the “winning nine points”, the “four in a row” and the “head to head”. In addition to the participants, a machinist and a reader help ensure the smooth running of operations. “The questions are written by QPUC clubs throughout France,” explains the president. After which, “a correspondent on site formats them, orders them”, so as to create questionnaires. Despite the absence of presenter Samuel Étienne, it feels like it.
(1) Information: 06 72 40 71 38. In Gironde, there are also QPUC clubs in Cestas, Libourne and Blaye.
