Jean-Pierre Foucault, “butler” of the election

Star host of TF1, Jean-Pierre Foucault, 77, will present his thirtieth Miss France election, Saturday December 14, 2024, at the Arena Futuroscope. During the Q&A with readers of The New Republic and of Press Centerhe returned to his attachment to the competition and to Vienna.

This is not the first time that you have come to Vienna. What links do you maintain with this department?

Jean-Pierre Foucault : “When I was a kid, we came for one month a year to my grandparents’ house in Fontaine, just outside Chasseneuil-du-Poitou. We went to the votive festival, where we climbed the pole of plenty, which was soaped, to get a sausage. We were swimming in the Clain, at the green beach in Jaunay-Clan. I have memories of my bike which followed me from Marseille and which we took off from the third class carriage. I keep wonderful memories of it, so much so that once every two to three months, I come back to feel and relive my youthful emotions, but also to see my family who are buried in Saint-Georges-lès-Baillargeaux and where I will be buried one day. But maybe as late as possible. »

What motivates you to run in this election?

“It’s the only live broadcast on television, apart from sports and the news. What motivates me is being able to do my job live for three hours. All that is priceless. Live is life. Anything can happen or nothing can happen. I am very happy to be able to practice my profession as long as I have the physical and intellectual abilities. »

How do you prepare for this television event?

“I am the maître d’hôtel and restaurant. In the kitchen, it's hard work and I pass the dishes. I present 30 young women who have the merit of being there and all of them can be crowned three hours after their arrival on stage. »

Do you have one or more anecdotes to tell us?

“The anecdote is what will happen tomorrow. I have an insolent chance: when M^e Simonin gives me the envelope, I am the first to know who will be elected Miss France. I take out the box and I say to myself, “I was wrong again”and I hand the envelope to the president of the jury. These are extremely rare moments, privileges. The most egregious anecdote is when, one day, I had the 40 Misses lined up in front of me, I had to question them and I was given mixed up cards. I no longer knew who was who. It was very funny, it made an issue of it and fueled the bloopers of my colleagues. »

What do you like most about Miss France?

“What I like is that nothing is defined. Until the last second, we cannot know. »

How long do you plan to present this show for?

“I don’t know. We can never know. For around ten years, some of your colleagues have been saying that this is my last year. For now, it's still me, we'll see. »