25th season | Infoman has become a must for politicians

(Montreal) In an interview conducted nearly 25 years ago, Jean-René Dufort said he was afraid of his shadow.

At the time, he had just launched Infomana new satirical show which has transformed over the years into an almost obligatory television appointment for news buffs.

The show is famous for its irreverent tone. No one is spared from his caustic mood, not even prime ministers or the pope. Jean-René Dufort has interviewed everyone from Justin Trudeau to François Legault, from Jane Fonda to Sarah Palin. His outbursts are legendary, notably when he showed up at the baptism of Celine Dion’s son, disguised as a mage and accompanied by a camel.

But the nervousness is still present.

Jean-René Dufort says that at first the impromptu meetings with politicians terrified him. It was the pleasure he felt after these that encouraged him to continue.

Twenty-five years later, nothing has really changed. “I’m always nervous,” he told La Presse Canadienne. Every time you see me five minutes before in the truck, I no longer feel like going out. Maybe that’s what makes it funny. »

Aged 56, Jean-René Dufort does not claim to know the secrets behind the success of his show. But it seeks to explore the boundaries between journalism and entertainment.

His humor is truly distinct. One day, he offered Justin Trudeau the memoirs of porn actress Stormy Daniels, autographed with advice on the art of dealing with Donald Trump, with whom she allegedly had sexual relations. She wrote: “bring a racket and your sense of humor. »

There is no taboo for Infoman. In a segment about Pope Francis’ recent trip to Asia, Dufort put the sound of a truck reversing over footage showing the pope moving backwards in his wheelchair. He said François was the Taylor Swift of good sisters.

And then there’s the audience.

Its now traditional end-of-year review attracts around three million viewers.

It is undoubtedly because of this strong popularity that Jean-René seems to have access to the corridors of power in Ottawa and Quebec in a way that would make political journalists jealous. In recent years, Justin Trudeau, François Legault and Pierre Poilievre have agreed to be gently mocked on the end-of-year show. A few years ago, one of the guests was the American model Tyra Banks.

Jean-René Dufort also does not believe that he exercises a strong influence on the political landscape in the country.

A deserved place

Pierre Barrette, director of the Media School at the University of Quebec in Montreal, judges that Jean-René Dufort had to earn his place in Quebec stardom.

He recalls that in the first years ofInfomanthe host had difficulty being accepted by the political establishment. “There was a time when he was systematically rejected by the official police. He had difficulty gaining access to the political figures themselves. »

The p^r Barrette says that former federal minister Stéphane Dion refused for a long time to participate in Infoman. It even became a gag. And then, he changed his mind after becoming head of the PLC.

Jean-René Dufort was not well received at first in journalistic circles either, even though he always said he was fond of accuracy and honesty. He recently became a member of the Federation of Journalists of Quebec, which helped him organize trips abroad, notably to Ukraine.

Is he really a journalist? The question was asked to him several times. He hesitates to answer. “I’m a bit of a stone in the shoes of journalism because it’s difficult to determine what a journalist is. Even journalists’ associations have difficulty determining this. It’s a very current subject. »