“Workaholic”, “life eater”… The journalists of “Marianne” tell their Jean-François Kahn

Some remember his outspokenness, his bellowing and his poise. Others see him again with a microphone in one hand, a glass of champagne in the other, humming the popular tunes that he loved so much, surrounded by his ” family “ of journalists. At the age of 86, Jean-François Kahn died this Wednesday, January 22, but Marianne – newspaper he co-founded in 1997 – his memory lives on. In the first person, the journalists from the editorial team tell their anecdotes.

Myriam Perfetti, editor-in-chief: “He was a life eater”

I was already working atThursday event before the arrival of Jean-François. When he bought the newspaper, he asked ten people to join him, and I was one of them. I have memories of that time that will last a lifetime: we could spend afternoons printing out the lyrics to old songs, then we would drink, sing and laugh. Jean-François was capable of entertaining and cooking for twenty people he wanted to see next to him. He was a life eater.

But above all, he was ready to listen and hear speeches contrary to what he thought. In the editorial office, we were all from different origins: he didn't want the team to only be made up of people who came from journalism schools. For my part, I trained as a psychologist, but there were also philosophers for example.

READ ALSO: Natacha Polony: “The 'Marianne' project alone tells the story of Jean-François Kahn's love for his country”

During editorial conferences, there could be very difficult moments, where journalists would argue with each other. Jean-François, he was as capable of shouting as he was of bringing everyone together to have a saucy aperitif. Often, he did not take it lightly but he remained very open to controversy. Neither dogmatic nor right-thinking, he had the genius to be offensive for good reasons. Today, we mourn someone who was apart.

Isabelle Michaux, technical editor-in-chief: “He was a soft dictator”

I met Jean-François in 1987, at the time when Thursday Event was still its newspaper and where the full development of the weekly press was taking place. After getting rid of the entire production team in 1991, he called me back in 1996 and explained that he was going to create a new newspaper and that he wanted me on his team. So I left my old job to Marianne.

These are the most beautiful memories of my professional life. We worked 60 hours a week to keep the newspaper alive and there was a kind of infectious euphoria within the editorial staff. I regret this excitement today. In 2007, I knew he was going to leave. At the time, he wrote half the newspaper by himself. I saw him less and less cheerful and more and more tired, so I found it normal that he wanted to take a step back, even if he still continued to stay close to Marianne. To annoy the world, sometimes he wrote for The Point.

When Jean-François hired someone, he trusted them. He wanted to exploit every journalist's every capacity. There was a pragmatic side to it, in the sense that it helped him fill out his diary. For example, he knew that I knew something about singing – a passion he shared – and he said to me: “Go ahead and write about what you love. » So, I wrote.

READ ALSO: Non-conformist and unclassifiable, Jean-François Kahn, founder of “Marianne”, is dead

But he was also someone you could argue with. When he wanted to be on the front page of Marianne by titrating “Don’t be afraid” speaking of Nicolas Sarkozy, I got into him by telling him that he couldn't do that. He then asked me to chat. We got a little upset in front of everyone, but it didn't matter. It was a time when we could exchange.

Jean-François was a weak dictator, but a little dictator nonetheless (laughs). He could be very bad faith! When he sold his stories and the other journalists said they weren't going to work, he went to the magazine's promotional department to increase the number of ads. Obviously, the advertising worked! And that allowed him to boast: “You see I was right. »

Frédérique Briard, photo editor: “He was my mentor”

I started with Jean-François in 1990, he was the one who hired me. When he left MarianneI didn't leave him since I continued to participate in the parties and events he organized. He had an incredible sense of celebration which he kept until the end. At the editorial office, we had a piano. Except that it wasn't just used for decoration! At the end of the closures, once or twice a month, someone would sit at the piano and we would sing popular songs, Dalida… It's a ritual that we lost when he left.

He was my mentor, I learned everything with him and he gave me everything. He was the father I didn't have in terms of cultural education. His mantra was: “A good journalist is one who can summarize the Bible in 1,500 characters. » I always kept this quote in the back of my mind when I was writing. Jean-François was very keen on writing: he had to give readers something good and tasty. He often managed to rewrite certain articles in his own style.

Besides, he had the character of a pig. In addition to the fact that he knew his subjects like the back of his hand, he had a phenomenal intuition and he sensed when the political landscape was going to shift to one side or the other. In fact, he was extremely stubborn and clinging to his convictions! Jean-François believed in him a lot. However, that didn't stop him from opening Marianne to all ideas. Remember that the newspaper was designed against single-minded thinking.

Isabelle Chazot, journalist: “At the end, it’s always Kahn who wins”

I met “JFK” at the very beginning of the 2000s, while he was celebrating a closing with his band at the time, in a hotel bar in République – the mores of the moment. I had brought him, at his request, the very politically incorrect women's magazine that I was editing at the time. Between us, it immediately stuck, each page made him laugh. Afterwards, we discussed theology until 3 a.m.!

He had the demeanor and freshness of a student, capable of getting off to a quick start with a stranger on any intellectually stimulating subject. Later, in the 2010s, I worked directly with Jean-François, who was nicknamed “Papychou”, and was able to measure what a real editorial boss is. Ebullient, facetious, provocative, he had an excellent popular feeling and a sense of a killer hook.

READ ALSO: Laurent Joffrin: “Farewell, Jean-François Kahn! We will no longer hear your bursting laughter, but we will still hear its echo”

Each subject immediately has its title and its angle – if possible divisive, otherwise, he felt that no one would read it. The editorial conferences are real “happenings”, with fistfights, yelling… We thought we were in a courtroom or at the Assembly. But in the end, it is always Kahn who wins and imposes his subject.

Laurence Dequay, great social reporter: “He had a family concept of editorial”

I worked with Jean-François Kahn from 1997 until his departure in 2007. It was fun to work with him. He came upon us at least twice a day, he always had something to say. He would cut out notes for us on little pieces of paper that he would bring us and that we had to look at right away!

Jean-François Kahn had worked so hard abroad and experienced so many conflicts that he had become a veritable well of knowledge that could always be called upon. He was never short of an anecdote and told them with truculence. Together, we gave current affairs conferences in French prisons. He loved this freedom of debate. I admit that he also had a certain fascination for murderous women, those who cut their prey into pieces… (laughs).

What I appreciated about him was his generosity. He had a family concept of editorial: Jean-François Kahn invited the whole team to his home, to parties at the Moulin (at his home), to New Year's Eve… We truly lived together all these years.

Jack Dion, deputy editorial director: “He was capable of pissing out copy at a breakneck pace”

It was Jean-François who hired me in 2000, after I left Humanity. In addition to his intelligence, his finesse and his culture, it is his “workaholic” side that I remember. He was capable of pissing copy at a breakneck pace. The kind of journalist who, before even talking about an article, had already finished writing it!

It is he who is at the origin of the section which is now called “Meilleurs is better” – which at the time was entitled “You said it, puffy” – and which the three of us managed with Jean -François and Guy Konopnicki. Every Monday morning, he arrived with his copy written over the weekend with little bullet points that were illegible to anyone who was not used to reading it. He placed it on the desk of his secretary who was responsible for retyping it. It was phenomenal. He was interested in everything, from the philosopher Hegel to the Tour de France!

What I also remember is his political and journalistic intelligence. This was reflected in 2005, at the time of the debate on the European Constitution and the referendum. Jean-François, a convinced European, was for “yes”. But he made Marianne the “no” newspaper, arguing that all the media were pleading for “yes” and that it was necessary, in the name of pluralism, to give a voice to those who did not have it.

READ ALSO: Guy Konopnicki: “Jean-François Kahn, Cassandra on the ramparts”

For his part, he wrote his editorial to give his arguments in favor of the treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, and he asked me at the same time to write one to explain the opposite. Thus, he gave the floor, both internally but also to people outside the editorial office, in order to show why we should not demonize those who were for “no” and listen to their remarks. It was a great success.

Gaëlle Gauducheau, photo editor: “A curious man and full of ideas”

I arrived at Marianne shortly with the departure of Jean-François Kahn, in 2008. I had the opportunity to work with him once, when we put together an eight-page newspaper which was sold for one euro. The goal was to increase the number of our readers. Jean-François Kahn was a curious man and full of ideas. And, as he liked me, he always invited me to his parties, to his birthday and gave me all his books. He created this very family atmosphere, in which I felt really good.